i6 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



on the back, and some other marks of the plumage. As I have not 

 yet seen a specimen, I know not whether it be a distinct species or 

 only a variety of the Common Snipe.' 



Of rare birds that have been procured here, I may mention the 

 Avocet {Recurvirostra avocetta), the Spoonbill {F/atakaleucorodia), and 

 some Pallas' Sand GxoMse{Syrr hastes paradoxus), shot at Port Clarence 

 in 1863, which went to Mr. Oxley's collection at Redcar ; two bought 

 at his sale are now in the Newcastle Museum. 



A Bee-Eater {Merops apiaster) was shot some years ago undei 

 peculiar circumstances. A wild-fowler had seated himself in a slag- 

 bank to wait for birds, when suddenly a bird alighted on the barrel 

 of his gun. He shot it, and it turned out to be a specimen of this 

 rare bird.'^ The commonest of the Falconidae are the Kestrel {Ti7i- 

 nuficulus alaudai'ius) and the Sparrow Hawk {Accipiter jiisus) ; and the 

 Merlin (Falco cesalon) is by no means uncommon in the autumn and 

 winter months ; while the Iceland Falcon {Falco isla?idiis), the 

 Hobby [Falco siibbuteo), and the Rough-legged Buzzard {Archi- 

 huteo lagopits) have been shot here, and I have heard of one of the 

 latter being noticed inland this autumn (1886). 



In the autumn of 1883 a Kite {Milvus idimts) was shot near 

 Warrenby, and has been purchased for the Middlesbrough Museum ; 

 it was a female bird, and in good condition. A Golden Eagle 

 {Aquila chrysa'etiLs) is reported in Brewster's List as having .been shot 

 near the Tees on the 5th November, 1823, by Mr. L. Rudd, of 

 Marton, Cleveland. It weighed 12 lbs.; its length was 3 ft. 4 in.; the 

 extent of its wings 7 ft. 5 in.; bill, 3 in. long. 



* Mr. Hancock ('Birds of Northumberland,' &c. , p. 28) says an example of 

 the Blue-tailed Bee-eater {Merops philippimis) 'was shot near the Snook, Seaton 

 Carew, in August 1862.' I have not been able to ascertain whether the above 

 refers to the same bird as my own note, made several years ago from information 

 communicated by a friend, who saw the bird. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



The annual meeting of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union is to be held at Dews- 

 bury, on Monday afternoon the 14th of March. In the evening the Rev. W. H. 

 Dallinger, LL.D., F.R.S., will deliver his address as retiring President. 



■ >co< 



The Members and Associates of the Union v/ill be pleased to learn that the 

 Presidency for 1887 been accepted by Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey, Bart., 

 M.B.O.U., in whom they will welcome a worthy successor to Dr. Dallinger. 



-Xyy* 



Bryological readers will be pleased to learn that the honorary degree of M.A. 

 has lately been conferred upon Mr, Henry Boswell, of Oxford, in recognition of 

 his services to botanical science. >co< 



The same honorary degree was conferred at the same time upon the Rev. Robert 

 Harley, F.R.S., F.R. A.S., whose high mathematical repute is known to his fellow- 



Yorkshiremen. 



Naturalist, 



