24 



REPORTS. 



Swallow. On the 6th of April I happened to be botanising on the exposed 



islet of Houmet Homtolle, at the extreme northern corner of Guernsey, 

 and I was fortunate enough to observe three or four Swallows, one at a 

 time, arriving from across the sea and heading straight for the land. 

 There was a strong north-east wind blowing at the time, and the birds 

 flew with the wind. Later in the day I saw several more at the Vale. 

 On the following day I saw a few at the Forest, and on the 8th a 

 couple at Perelle. Mr. Derrick observed several Swallows in Sark on 

 April 8. Until the 19th of October these birds were numerous in 

 Guernsey ; afterwards only stragglers were seen up to the 24th when 

 apparently the last one departed. Mr. Bows well says he has never 

 known Swallows disappear so completely at such an early date. On the 

 6th of November however, a fine sunny afternoon, my son and I watched 

 for some time a solitary swallow flying about in the neighbourhood of our 

 house at St. Martin's. 



House Martin. On April 6 I watched a House Martin arriving over the sea 

 at Fort Doyle from the north-east, and flying with the wind straight 

 inland, and later on I saw another (or perhaps the same bird 1 ) flitting 

 round a greenhouse at the Vale. Mr. Derrick noted House Martins in 

 Sark on April 12. Both Mr. Rowswell and I agree, from independent 

 observations, in fixing the 18th of October as the last date on which 

 Martins were numerous in Guernsey ; and neither of us saw any more 

 until November 4, when I watched for some time a party of seven flying 

 about together in Petit Bot Valley. Mr. Rowswell says that on Novem- 

 ber 13 several House Martins were seen by Mr. G. J. Tourtel, a reliable 

 observer, flying about Moulin Huet Bay. 



Sand Martin. Not having seen any Sand Martins in Guernsey for several 

 years I was pleased to observe a single bird flying in the warm sunshine 

 on April 8th on the coast at Perelle Bay. It was accompanied by two or 

 three swallows. A saw a couple of others at the Corbiere on the 7th of 

 May, and again two on May 20 at the same place. I saw no more Sand 

 Martins afterwards. 



Corncrake. Heard by Mr. R. P. Spencer at Grande Mare on May 9, and 

 by Mr. G. F. Alles in the field at the top of George Road on May 13. 

 Two days later my wife heard a corncrake in the same field. Mr. Rows- 

 well noted the bird three times during the year, on May 28 and 29, and 

 on June 25, the last near the old Grantez Mill, at St. Saviour's. This 

 bird is certainly becoming more rare than it used to be ; I have not 

 heard one in Guernsey for three years. 



GlOSSy Ibis. This exceedingly rare and interesting visitor, a species belong- 

 ing to northern Africa, is a fine addition to the list of Sarnian birds. On 

 the 4th of October, Mr, Thomas De Carteret shot a specimen in fine 

 plumage at Le Vauroque, Sark, and it was given to Mrs. E. Judkins, 

 who sent it for preservation to the famous taxidermists, Rowland. 

 Ward & Co., of London. It is said that a Glossy Ibis was shot in Sark 

 as far back as 1858. 



Bar-tailed Godwit. Mr. R. P. Spencer saw four of these birds at Vazon 



on the 4th of October, one of which he shot. 

 Bittern. Mr. Kimiersly killed a Bittern at Grande Mare four winters ago, 



and says he found it very good eating. This was the specimen noted in 



my Report for 1906, but I did not then record who shot the bird. In the 



case of rare visitors like this it is well to have all the particulars possible. 

 Grey Lag Goose. Three specimens, out of a flock of eight birds, were 



shot at Grande Mare by Mr. Robin of St. Peter's on the 24th of October. 



Smith in his Birds of Guernsey says he is not aware that a Grey Lag 



Goose has ever been seen in these islands. 



E. D. Marquand, Sec. Ornith. Sect. 



