Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 2 (1878).djvu/416

392 — Two Hoopoes, Upupa epops, were shot during the week ending August 24th, between Sidlesham and Selsea. It is not often that this bird is met with during the autumn migration, although scarcely a spring elapses without one or two being seen, and occasionally shot. — (Ratham, near Chichester).

— On the 20th August a Hoopoe was killed at Spring Vale, Isle of Wight. It had been seen about the place for a week previously. It was shot by Capt. Calender on the lawn of Springfield House, and proved to be a male bird in good plumage. This is the third that has been obtained here within the last ten or twelve years. — (Seaview, Isle of Wight).

— It may interest some of your readers to know that a Hoopoe was seen at Charfield Rectory, near Wootton-under- Edge, on September 2nd. The bird remained feeding on the lawn for some time after it was perceived, and approached within a few yards of the house. — (Rector of Charfield).

— We have had an unusually early visit of Hoopoes this autumn. On an estate contiguous to the Land's End, a full-grown but pale-plumaged male of this species was shot on August 24th, and two or three more were observed about the place — apparently young birds. — (Penzance).

—I should like to call the attention of your readers to the following facts : — On Thursday, August 29th, at 1.0 the fishermen of Prussia Cove, Maraziou, were waiting for the coming of the tide to go to sea. Suddenly, without any warning whatever, a very heavy gale of wind blew into the Cove from the south, and continued to blow for about an hour. It then rapidly moderated, but was succeeded by such a sea as has never been seen here in summer time within the memory of man, and has rarely been equalled in the wildest winter weather. This sea continued until the turn of the tide, which was then at the top of the spring. When the sea receded, it was found that two boats, which had sunk at their moorings, were utterly destroyed; one, which had broken adrift, was also destroyed ; and another, which had also sunk at her moorings, met with injuries which are practically irreparable. All the other boats were injured. These four boats were owned by men of the poorest class, whose living, with that of their families, depends entirely upon their fishing. Without the means of replacing their craft, these people have nothing to look forward to in the coming winter but absolute starvation or the Union. I was present myself during the whole of the scene, and can bear the fullest testimony to the fact that the men did everything in their power to save their property ;