Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 1 (1897).djvu/358

330 instant. At intervals of a few minutes it returned to rest on a small bank of pebbles a few yards from the shore, from which it had taken flight on our approach.— (Sale).

Black Terns in Warwickshire.— During the afternoon of May 16th two Black Terns, Hydrochelidon nigra, were seen over Bracebridge Pool, Sutton Coldfield, and in the evening I found them again at Powell's Pool, in company with some hundreds of Sand Martins, hawking flies over the water. By their graceful movements and activity they seem in this pursuit as equally adept as the latter. They had disappeared the following morning. This makes the fourth recorded occurrence of this bird on these pools.— (Dixon's Green, Dudley).

Occurrence of a rare Plover, Charadrius dominicus, on the River Thames.—On August 6th, 1896, I shot a small Golden Plover off Shell Haven Point, opposite Hole Haven (River Thames), which I sent at once for preservation to Mr. Cook, taxidermist, of 31, Lower Road, Rotherhithe. I recently took it to the British Museum (South Kensington), where it was instantly identified as the Asiatic species, Charadrius dominicus. As this bird is, I believe, of very rare occurrence in this country, I thought the record might prove of interest to your readers. It can be seen at any time at my address, and I shall be happy to afford any of your readers further information as to where and how it was shot. I may add in corroboration that a friend, Mr. Herrtage, of the firm of Smith and Herrtage, 22, New North Road, City Road, was with me when I shot the bird, and he got out of the punt and picked it up.— (5, Spurrow Corner, Minories).

Memory for Locality in a Nightjar.—During the summer of 1894 I more than once flushed a cock Nightjar from a certain rock among some gorse on a hill about nine miles from here. One day, with the hope of seeing the bird before it flew, I approached cautiously, and was rewarded by seeing it squatting on the rock, and at a distance of only a few yards. The bird's plumage harmonized so well with the rock that it was not only difficult to see at first, but also required a good deal of directing to show it to friends I had with me. This is now the fourth summer in which the Nightjar has regularly occupied the same spot during the daytime, for I found it there as usual on June 12th. I feel sure it must be the same bird, for it is always in exactly the same place; and I take friends with full confidence that it will be there.— (Clifton College).

Blackbird stealing Eggs.—While sitting by the side of one of the numerous small streams near here on May 20th, watching a Dipper diving in a small pool, and securing food for its young, which were in a nest in an old water-wheel close at hand, I was suddenly attracted by a noise a little