Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 1 (1877).djvu/321

Rh Scaup Duck so far inland. As to advertising, as suggested by Mr. Mathew, it only adds to the expense, and the only satisfaction likely to be obtained is the production of the mutilated remains of the missing bird. But to return to the Somersetshire Purple Gallinule, it is a bird which I think we ought to be very careful how we admit to a place in the British list, for its habitat, though not sufficiently distant perhaps to render its reaching these shores without the aid of man impossible, is sufficiently so to make it very improbable, especially when we take into consideration the habits and nature of the bird, and also the fact that it is easily and not unfrequently kept in confinement, both in public and private grounds. It may frequently be seen in Leadenhall Market, at Mr. Jamrach's, and such places; moreover, very few occurrences have been recorded, and some of these may be referred to Porphyria smaragdonotus, a bird still less likely to have wandered here of its own accord. The original notice in 'Science Gossip,' which was written rather more than a year before Mr. Mathews note in 'The Zoologist,' and which I will now quote, seems to point to this bird having escaped, and makes no mention of a second bird having been seen but not taken. It will be found at p. 41 of the volume for 1876, and is as follows:—"On the 25th of August last a fine specimen of the Hyacinthine Gallinule, Porphyrio veterum, was taken in this neighbourhood (Badgworth). It was found in one of our 'rheins,' or running ditches, unable to fly, having apparently been shot at. By the help of a dog it was chased to a hedge and there captured. It pecked savagely at the faces of all who came near it, and one boy, whose curiosity got the better of his caution, received a blow which pierced the lip and wounded the gum. In fact, its bill when wielded with such hearty good—I should rather say ill—will was a formidable weapon. The blue on the neck, breast and belly of the bird is of a very lovely hue. I shall be glad if any of your readers could inform me whether the bird is often found in this country. I have never seen one before. Its wings do not seem well adapted for long flights, and it may have escaped from some private collection. After a day or two's captivity it was killed and stuffed, and is now in the possession of its captors." To this I replied in a subsequent number, giving some little account of the bird and quoting Mr. Harting's very useful 'Handbook of British Birds' as to the number of occurrences, and his opinion that these had "doubtless escaped from some ornamental water," an opinion in which I thoroughly agree, and think we may well include the present specimen in the same category.— (Bishop's Lydeard, Taunton).

— When enumerating the recorded instances of the capture of some species of Porphyria in this country (p. 227), we accidentally omitted to note the capture of one at Redbridge, near Southampton, in February, 1864, as reported by Mr. Henry Reeks in 'The Zoologist' for 1866, p. 229.—