306 MR. O. V. APLIN ON THE DISTRIBUTION IN GREAT BRITAIN 
Mr. Arthur H. Macpherson has seen it near St. Andrew’s in 
August or September, 1886 (in lit.). It is incidentally mentioned 
as breeding near Taunton, in July, 1884, by Mr. F. Stansell, and 
appeared to be not uncommon there (Zool., 1884, p. 34 1). Three 
or four clutches of eggs were taken near Taunton and Bishop’s 
Lydeard; and two pairs of birds were seen by the late Mr. C. Smith 
in the latter parish in the summer of 1884 (Zool., 1885, p. 66). 
Devonshire. Montagu wrote in 1813 that it had been noticed 
throughout the whole longitudinal extent of Devonshire, but he 
had never seen it in the southern promontory ; though he had 
heard of one being killed in that part (Orn. Diet. Supplement). 
Mr. W. E. H. Pidsley notes that it is a summer visitant, local 
in its choice of breeding haunts, and varying in numbers in 
different seasons. That Mr. Rawson considered it comparatively 
common, and that Mr. Mitchell’s experience was similar, but that 
elsewhere it was a scarce bird. That about Exeter it was com- 
paratively rare, and that, though Mr. Gabcombe met with many in 
the neighbourhood of Plymouth, these were chiefly young birds, 
preparing to leave the country in August and September (‘Birds of 
Devonshire,’ 1891, p. 35). 
The Rev. Murray A. Mathew writes Is commonly distributed 
during the summer in Devonshire” (in lit.). 
Mr. W. E. IT Pidsley, of Broadclyst, regards it as “not at all 
a common bird” there. In 1890 he procured a male, the only 
one he had ever seen in that locality (in lit.). 
The Rev. G. C. Green writes from Modbury Vicarage, near 
Ivybridge, South Devon: “The bird is very rare indeed in this 
district, although we are so far south. I have never seen one 
myself during the thirty-one years that I have been here” (in lit.). 
It is apparently more common in the northern part of the county, 
and, as we might expect, on parts of the Somerset border. 
Mr. W. W. Fowler has seen a pair at Ilfracombe; a pair were 
seen by the late Mr. Cecil Smith in the Valley of Rocks, Lynton, 
on the 17th May, 1884 (Zool., 1885, p. 4) ; and the Rev. H. A. 
Macpherson saw young birds near Brixham in July, 1879. 
Cornwall. “ Although an annual summer visitant, this bird 
is by no means numerous, nor is it very regular in the date of its 
appearance. I have noted its occurrence at Trembath, Madron ; 
and the Minney, Penzance” (Rodd’s ‘Birds of Cornwall,’ p. 24). 
