441 
1921 .] Birds of Alderney, 
that he shot a Spoonbill on the rocks near Longy Bay, 
about fifteen years ago, and that he kept the beak for some 
time. Neither this nor the preceding bird can easily be 
mistaken for others, and I have little doubt that they were 
correctly identified. 
(Edicnemus cedicnemus. The Stone-Curlew. 
L. tells me that he shot one out of a little lot of four in 
December 1887. Mr. Tourgis also once shot one. 
Phalaropus fulicarius. The Grey Phalarope. 
Mr. Cecil Smith saysThe Grey Phalarope is a 
tolerably regular and occasionally numerous autumnal 
visitant to all the islands.” This does not apply now, and 
if it occurs at all it does so very seldom, although there 
seems to be no reason why it should not, as it is still, at 
times, fairly numerous on the opposite coast of Dorset. 
Scolopax rusticola. The Woodcock. 
It is to these birds that the islanders owe the greater part 
of their sport. They come over from the French coast 
in some numbers during the winter months, when the 
wind is in the east, or, better still, the south-east. They 
also come in calm weather and especially when there is a 
fog, and would doubtless remain were it not for the sporting 
proclivities of the inhabitants. They are met with princi¬ 
pally on the cliffs, and a good spaniel is necessary to insure 
sport. 
The Woodcock may often be seen coming over from the 
opposite coast at dusk, more especially if there is a moon, 
and I think that, in favourable weather, these birds, as well 
as the Snipe, make a regular flight across the Race, arriving 
here soon after dark, and the majority leaving for the 
French coast just before daylight. The following table 
giving the date of the first Cock of the season shot in 
Alderney since 1889, has been very kindly given to me by 
L., and since it possesses a certain human, as well as a 
scientific, interest, I give it here in its entirety and as 
received from him. 
2 G 2 
