Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 1 (1843).djvu/176

148 solitary puffin at the mouth of the Tyne on the 10th of January; these birds desert our coasts at the approach of winter.—Id.

Note on an early nest of the Sparrow. A pair of sparrows built a nest and laid several eggs, at Markle, near E. Linton, about the 15th of December.—Id.

Note on the occurrence of Rare British Birds. I send the following note on the occurrence of a few rare birds for 'The Zoologist.' 1. Purple martin of Wilson, (Hirundo purpurea). Two specimens were obtained last autumn near Kingsbury reservoir, by Mr. J. Calvert, of Paddington. One of these is now in my possession, which I believe is a male. The only recorded notice that I am aware of, of this bird having occurred in the British islands, is in the second volume of Yarrell's's British Birds,' p. 275: it is mentioned as having been killed near Kingston, Co. Dublin. 2. White wagtail, (Motacilla alba, Linn.) I was fortunate enough to obtain three specimens of this bird in May, 1841, on the banks of the reservoir; one of these is in Mr. Yarrell's collection, and was, I believe, the first British-killed specimen which that gentleman had seen. 3. Dusky redshank, (Totanus fuscus). A fine bird, in full adult breeding plumage, was killed here in June, 1841, and is now, I believe, in the possession of a gentleman at Eton. 4. Buff-breasted sandpiper, (Tringa rufescens); and 5. Wilson's petrel, (Thalassidroma Wilsoni). A specimen of each of these, obtained on the Sussex coast, have lately come into my possession. 6. Iceland or lesser white-winged gull of Yarrell, (Larus leucopterus). I saw in the hands of a bird-preserver a few days ago, a fine adult male, killed in Lincolnshire in the winter of 1841. It perfectly corresponded to Mr. Yarrell's description, except that the head and neck were streaked with pale brown, the bird being in its winter plumage.—Fredk. Bond; Kingsbury, March 28, 1843.

Note on the occurrence of the Avocet near Yarmouth. As the avocet, with some other birds of the same genus, is becoming every day more rare, a notice of its occurrence will not, perhaps, be unacceptable. A specimen in very good plumage, which by dissection I ascertained to be a female, was shot on Breydon, near Yarmouth, yesterday morning. It was wounded in the wing, and the man who brought it to me said that it ran very swiftly. The gizzard contained some of the small black beetles which abound in the mud-banks of the river, and what appeared to be the remains of shrimps, mixed with a good deal of gravel.— Wm. R. Fisher; Great Yarmouth, March 29, 1843.

Enquiry respecting the Water-rail. Yesterday, March 30, a waterrail (Rallus aquaticus) was caught on our Brighton chain-pier: it was