Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 1 (1843).djvu/391

Rh vering and experience to get within reach of a flock, and no less so to know the exact time when to pull trigger, as they whirl swiftly round when on wing. As they fly very close together, if the flock is hit two or three generally fall dead to the gun, and I have killed no less than six at one shot myself. The best time of day to get near them, I have, after much experience, found to be either early in the morning or just before dusk. In the middle of the day they often leave the downs and go to the meadows and wheat-fields, where they feed on the larvse which frequent those wet lands, and also for the sake of washing in the rivulets. About 2 o'clock in the afternoon they return to the hills and sheep-walks, always frequenting the same locality, which is generally the side of some open hill screened from the north wind, and where neither barns nor human habitations can be seen. In mild and rainy seasons plovers often remain with us until the latter end of February, especially if the springs in this neighbourhood are running, about which rivulets they are generally to be found.—William Hewett.

Note on the Eggs of the Stone Curlew. I yesterday found two eggs of the stone curlew on the bare fallows near Gore hill. They measured two inches in length and four in their smaller circumference, being in appearance much like the egg of the lapwing, that is, olive brown, with dark irregular blotches. The two eggs, however, differed much from each other; one being considerably larger at the greater end, more oval in shape, and darker in colour, than the other; they probably contained the rudiments of a male and female bird. They were deposited in a small hole on the fallows, but there was no nest of any description, and when picked up were quite warm, so that the old bird had just run ofF at my approach, though I did not observe her. Id.

Note on the habits of the Dottrell. The dottrell isremarkable for being a very foolish bird, on which account it is easily approached; I have, when on horseback, seen them in the fallow fields, lying on their sides, and scratching and shaking themselves till they were covered with dust; and yet they took not the slightest notice, although I was riding within three or four yards of the spot. These birds are very easily killed, as they are foolish enough to stand and stare at the sportsman till he approaches within a few yards of them; and if he raises his arm, they lift their wings, if he a leg, they do the same, of which I have been an eye-witness.—Id.

Note on the occurrence of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Yarmouth. I have mnch pleasure in making known to you the occurrence, near this place, of the buff-breasted sandpiper (Tringa rufescens), a fine specimen of which was shot on the 20th instant on the mud-flats of Breydon. It answers so nearly in colour and markings to the specimen described by Mr. Yarrell (British Birds, ii. 637), that a minute description of its plumage is hardly necessary. The feathers on the top of the head are dark brown, edged with a lighter tint: space around the eye a plain buff colour. The feathers on the back dark brown with light edges: the neck, throat and breast, buff colour tinged with brown: the under parts, thighs and flanks white, patched in places with buff. The under surface of the secondaries and of the inner web of the primaries, mottled in the way peculiar to the species. Legs and toes reddish brown. The bird had been observed for two or three days on the same piece of mud, in company with a ruff and a greenshank, the latter of which birds was killed at the same time with it. The sex was unnoticed.—William R. Fisher; Great Yarmouth, September 28, 1843.

Note on the occurrence of the Dusky Sandpiper in Cornwall. I have to report the capture, within the last month, of four examples of the dusky sandpiper, in the state of plumage answering to the description of the spotted redshank of our early authors,