Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 1 (1877).djvu/308

282 previously. This young bird, being almost black from decomposition, had much the appearance of a young Cormorant, but the "grizzly" crest peculiar to nestling Herons was very conspicuous. Its legs seemed somewhat thick and swollen or puffed up, especially about the knees. On coming down the river, towards high water, I remarked large flocks of Curlews resting in the fields awaiting the ebb, and numbers of Dunlins with fine black breasts along the shore, some of which, remaining on low rocks until the flowing tide had completely covered their legs, appeared as if actually floating on its surface.

About the middle of May several Sanderlings, in partial breeding plumage, one Lesser and two Greater Spotted Woodpeckers, which had been obtained in the neighbourhood, were sent for preservation to a Plymouth birdstuffer. Whimbrels and other waders about the same time were constantly passing over the town at night, making a great noise.

Many more Herring Gulls were sitting at Wembury on May 17th, and I remarked a large female Peregrine flying round the cliffs. Two fine adult Cormorants examined by me about this time had already lost almost all traces of the early spring plumage, which is usually the case at this time of the year, the head, neck, and whole under parts being of a fine blue-black, without a sign of the slender white filamentous plumelets on the neck or oval spot above the thigh; the white patch under the chin and crest on the nape still remained, but it seems strange that the so-called summer plumage should so soon begin to disappear.

Again visited Wembury on May 23rd, and found many more eggs in the nests, but as yet no young. However, I am sorry to add that these nests, where at all accessible, are almost daily robbed by boys. Whilst looking down with my glass upon a small projecting ledge at the extreme edge of a fearful precipice on which was a gull's nest containing a single egg, to my great surprise and horror, a lad crept suddenly round on his hands and knees, and after securing the egg, not having room to stand or turn, was actually obliged to sit bolt upright in the nest, with his back against the cliff and his legs dangling over a perpendicular precipice one hundred feet above the sea! Catching sight of me, as I supposed, he at once became motionless, but apparently quite composed, with his arms crossed on his breast and his face turned upwards, as if intently watching the sky, and so he remained until