TM lal MV: HARRAN "eg aalt n A Pol we’ otalatalay.| ASR i. ayy, See AY iS nab Ere a Annals x ¥ 3 a : FN ; nA ~ ' AVA j OA anna) AA AAR | WANN AN ARAR AN pe ps Lage Pe = : CZ Al ; Me A Z cel ‘eee ash wy ) Wien VOW Ve rguitiy ~ ww ca Minny reed WY YO! vey? wy Vitis ( Wii weet ‘ wy wide oo on I AAS Soy 2 | hel verti da 4 ve “ se te saeaegy" eh "ec ayatttit seston i. altuake sane ie — > aA ‘ : ; \ ey a vv we “in oe i Vena Mass ed Vea Te Hac ON i | we Pe AW fyanaittecss V; VAVI YUU Hedi eb Amin UY YO Ue Yous wa RS VEN > y= Ak WIN SY DU PAOPS ssianes on heheh Wo ildggiaer tte Hes. sobelb oe Wi caene4 my ahi a seo tee : eteaya Wy vidohon fie WY ¥ ve PRA | eyes. Noe atone nll voy wy Wag ly a oe I) vee tian SSF ys ew Ley * An vap an SF eS aN Siege me * ‘ sf : nL %, retin ear at f < ie 4 ut ‘ mi ’ ar tha 1 vty ’ ‘ ni, a e a are? ea. iat ’ e4- ’ [eee ce 4 Ree did a vane - Se teeta te T3EESIST RISES as mSP ML Cath nt es seme (RSS et i & = ANE OOTHECA WOLLEYANA: AN ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE OF THE COLLECTION OF BIRDS EGGS, BEGUN BY THE LATE JOHN WOLLEY, Jun., M.A., F.ZS., AND CONTINUED WITH ADDITIONS BY THE EDITOR ALFRED NEWTON. VOLUME IL E. Onno N : M.CM,V.—M.CM.VII. [Sold by R. H. Porter, 7 Prince’s Street, Cavendish Square. | PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND FRANCIS, RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET. RETROSPECTIVE NOTE. i THANKFUL as I am at being able to complete this work, my feeling is rather of regret than satisfaction, for, owing to the length of time which has elapsed since the first part of it appeared, so few of Mr. Wo.iEy’s personal friends are left to see its conclusion, and this Catalogue is largely a record of ancient friendships. My only consolation is that the protracted delay has not been my own fault, as I can honestly say that whenever the cessation of more important duties gave me opportunity I resumed my labour of love, but again and again months—not to say, years—passed without such opportunity recurring. J*urthermore, I may repeat, as I pointed out in the ‘ Introduction’ (Vol. I. p. ui), that the delay has not been without its advantages, by enabling me to make considerable additions to the Collection of great value and interest—many of them specimens wholly unattainable in Mr. Wo.tey’s life- time and for long after his death. Some of these I obtained in time to include them in their proper place in the body of the work ; others will be found in the ‘Supplement,’ but in referring to them I am bound to call attention to the fact that the acquisition of most of these rarities is due to the good offices of Mr. Dresser, whose energy as an egg-collector is still as great as when nearly half a century ago he, then little more than a boy in years, took with his own hands a Waxwing’s nest. y a I oD iv RETROSPECTIVE NOTE. But my hearty thanks are also due to many other friends who have so kindly assisted me in making the Collection what it is, and among them especially to one of the earliest, the late Lord Litrorp. In every case, I believe, their welcome contributions have been acknowledged in the text, and to enumerate them now would be unnecessary. It was my original intention to figure a greater number of the eggs of which Mr. Woutey, if not their first discoverer, obtained a far finer series than any of his predecessors, and this was especially the case with those of the Limicole; but though the specimens have been most carefully guarded from the effects of light and air, the very lapse of time—in many instances more than fifty years—has injured their once delicate tints, so that the more accurately they could be now depicted, the less would their pristine beauty be represented. Of this I may cite as examples the three eggs of Zotanus fuscus (§§ 3638, 3642, and 3643) fortunately figured by Mr. Hzwrrson in all their freshness, for though the shape and position of the markings, as drawn by him with his accustomed fidelity, are unchanged, the tender and bright hues have so faded as to leave the specimens hardly recognizable at first sight. Portraits of such aged specimens would be not only misleading in themselves, but also if com- pared with figures from recent examples, as, for instance, those so admirably depicted by the late Mr. Poyntine, would fail to do justice to the wonderful variety exhibited by the series in this Collection. I therefore reluctantly came to the conclusion that it would be better to figure no more eggs than those of Alca impennis, to which the last objection does not apply, while RETROSPECTIVE NOTE. Vv the interest taken in them is greater than that attaching to those of any existing species. Herein I have had the advantage of obtaining the help of Mr. Grénvoup, and I believe it is admitted that the Plates executed by him (Tabb. xiv.—xxi.) are unsurpassed by any that have appeared. The view of Muoniovara, Mr. Woiuey’s headquarters in Lapland (Memoir, p. xxvi), intended as the Frontispiece to this second volume, is reduced from a pencil drawing made by him in the autumn of 1853. Devoid as it may be of artistic merit, it gives a fairly correct notion of the house and its surroundings as seen from the south-east, though the foreground of rough pasture is not so successful. It is with peculiar pleasure that I am able to give a faithful copy (Tab. N) of a sketch from life, by the late Mr. Woxr, of the true Anas erythropus of Linneus, the long existing confusion concerning which was cleared up by Mr. Wou.ey’s means. The map which I have had drawn to shew the part of Lapland which was the scene of Mr. Wonuey’s operations in that country will, I hope, be found of some use, though it was impossible to mark on it more than a very small number of the places named in these volumes, and readers acquainted with the beautifully executed maps of the portion of Sweden and Finland included in it may not unjustly complain of its want of finish and neatness. But it may perhaps pass muster, as accurate maps of Lapland—that very ill-defined country lying v1 RETROSPECTIVE NOTE. under four different Governments—are not readily accessible, for several that have been published of late years in England are very erroneous, especially in delineating the course of the rivers on which so much depends. On a previous occasion I mentioned the difficulty I had with the Finnish names of places, and this has continued to the very end, though I hope there are not so many mistakes in the latter as in the former parts of the work. I have found it impossible to be consistent in the spelling of these names, and I trust that Finnish scholars apprehending the difficulties with which I have had to contend will pardon my shortcomings in this respect. Thanks to the care of the press-readers, I believe the number of actual misprints to be inconsiderable, and those which occur to be of comparatively little importance, so that it is not worth while giving a list of them. In an Appendix will be found reprinted all of Mr. WotieEy’s publications on Natural History with which I am acquainted, excepting those already included in the body of the work. Lastly, I have to state that the Collection of which this is the Catalogue has been given to the Universivy or CamBriDGE, in whose Museum of Zoology I trust it may long continue. ASIN: MAGDALENE CoLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, 20 November, 1906. an ik i aul tao OOTHECA WOLLEYANA: AN ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE OF THE COLLECTION OF BIRDS’ EGGS FORMED BY THE LATE JOHN WOLLEY, Jun., M.A., F.Z.S. EDITED FROM THE ORIGINAL NOTES BY ALFRED NEWTON. PART III. COLUMBA—ALCH. LONDON: R. ll. PORTER, 7 PRINCE’S STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE. M.CM.V. [Price £2 2s. net. | OOTHECA WOLLEYANA: AN ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE THE COLLECTION OF BIRDS’ EGGS FORMED BY THE LATE JOEN, WOLEEY, Jun; M.A. W735: EDITED FROM THE ORIGINAL NOTES BY AEE RED” NEW TON: PART III. COLUMBA—ALCHA. EON DON : R. H. PORTER, 7 PRINCE’S STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE. M.CM.V. PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND FRANCIS, RED LION GUURT, FLEET STREET. LIST OF PLATES IN PART Ti: PuratE XIV. Figures 1,2. Hgg of Alea impennis .... Section 4832, Page 364 Pe XV. ee ales Fe 8 fr DOR: 97 4883; G5 SOF ‘5 XVI. pats Lk 8 3 Fl aathetc Oe 13 4834, , 373 avi 9 ” x IDL. ” als =. ” ” my coro | : 4835, . 377 jy oe VE + I ee ; : Sy eh coe | 5 XIX. ; eo 53 se Als ant Sone Te 3 A836) 4, of7 Fe xXx. ; 12; i a ro oe r 4837 ,, 378 > XXI. j 1,2. Coloured cast of egg of A. impennis DD ,, 3880 The drawing of the figures, two of each specimen, has been greatly assisted by photographs from the series taken under the supervision of Mr. Epwarp BIDWELL, ‘o whom the Editor desires to record his acknowledgments on that account. QOOTHECA WOLLEYANA., COLUMBA PALUMBUS, Linnzus. RING-DOVE. § 2798. Fouwr.—Wirksworth, Derbyshire. Not later than 1843. Taken by George [ Wolley] near Wirksworth. He has often found young ones in September. § 2799. Three.—Bearwood, Berkshire, 1846. From Mr. H. F. Walter. Out of five or six sent by Mr. Walter. § 2800. One.—Tangier, June, 1846. From M. Favier, through Mr. Williams, 1847. This is like the egg of the Ring-Dove, and probably came from some distance from the town (for where are the trees near ‘Tangier 7) and from near the lakes where breed the Water-fowl and whither go the hunting parties. The Rock-Dove I shot at Tangier. § 2801. One.—Pentland Hills. 24 April, 1850. “J. W. apse.” Bird seen within four yards. Messrs. W. Dumbreck and Belcomb in company. [Cf. § 2663.] EASE ie B 2 COLUMBA PALUMBUS. 9802. Two. yo ne Nottinghamshire. August, ree ec J. W. apse.” These two eggs I took quite fresh from a nest in a fir-tree in the Old Moor Wood at Strelley, early in August. The bird discovered itself by flying from the nest, on the approach of our party. Both *Wood-Pigeons and Stock-Doves breed in the ivy-covered trees between Strelley church and the house. Barbary Turtle-Doves are turned out to breed about the house during summer and never wander far from it. [§ 2803. One—KElveden, 1845. | [ § 2804. One.—Elveden, 22 September, 1840. The nest in a Scotch fir-tree, was found by the bird flying off it. . . = = T Tey A boy climbed to it, and brought me the egg on the spot. We were Partridge-shooting at the time in Marmon’s Grave Plantation. | [§ 2805. One.—Elveden, 1847. ] [§ 2806. Zwo.—Elveden, 1852. ] [§ 2807. One.—Dyjendeli, Algeria, 14 May, 1857. From Mr. Tristram. Given to us under the name of Palwmnbus excelsus, Bonaparte (Comptes tendus, 1856, p. 856), for, on the representation of Dr. Buvry (see Journ. fiir Orn. 1857, p. 195), Prince Charles Lucien thought that the Algerian Ring- Dove was a distinct species. Messrs. Salvin and Tristram, however, obtained specimens which were not different from our own (Ibis, 1859, p. 318, and 1860, p- 152).] [§ 2808. Zwo.—Fox Hall, Donegal, 5 May, 1863. “R. H.” From Mr. Robert Harvey. Mr. Harvey writes that he took these himself in Fox Hall Wood, about four miles from Letterkenny. | COLUMBA TROCAZ.—C. LAURIVORA. 3 [§ 2809. 7wo.—St. Neots, Huntingdonshire, 10 May, 1864. From Mr. Rowley. The nest in a spruce-fir at Priory Hill.] [§ 2810. Zwo.—Norfolk, 10 July, 1867. From Mr, Norgate. | [§ 2811. 7wo—Taverham, Norfolk, 15 May, 1875. From Mr. Norgate. | COLUMBA TROCAZ, Heineken. (§ 2812. One.—hLilford Aviary, 1894. From Lord Lilford.] COLUMBA BOLLIT, Godman. [$ 2813. One. — Vittoria, Tenerife, 17 } March, 1889. | | [§ 2814. One.—Vittoria, 9 April, 1889. | From Senor Go- > mez, through [§ 2815. One—St. Ursula, Tenerife, 16 | Mr. Dresser. | May, 1889. | [§ 2816. Onze.—St. Ursula, 28 May, 1889. | COLUMBA LAURIVORA, Webb & Berthelot. [§ 2817. Three.—tLilford Aviary, December and January, 1890-1. From Lord Lilford. The hen bird which Jaid these egas was mated with a cock C. boli; but, from Lord Lilford’s later letters to me, it seems that copulation may not have been effected. | 7 =) A. COLUMBA (NAS. COLUMBA (NAS, Linneus. STOCK-DOVE. § 2818. One.—Rockingham Forest, Northants. April, 1842. § 2819. Zwo.—Winefield, Derbyshire, 4 April, 1844. I found these two eggs in the same nest ina hole of the wall sheltered by ivy at that part of the ruins of Wingfield Manor House to which the cow climbed. The nest consisted of a few larch-twigs. I saw the bird fly off. The eggs had been sat on for two or three days. They breed in numbers in the rocks about Matlock. I did not see one Rock-Dove on the High Tor, though I went to the top on purpose to look for them. Iam inclined to think the Rock-Dove is never found inland. A pair of Stock-Doves are breeding in a Dove-cote hung in a tree before the windows at Mr. IF. Robinson’s, Widmerpool. There was one egg in the nest on the 13th April. A pair of Fantail-Pigeons have laid in an adjoining hole. The Stock-Dove’s egg had a brown tinge and was of the shape of my specimen from Rockingham Forest. These two specimens differ singularly in shape and colour. 15 April.—I saw several Stock-Doves on the cliff at Clifton Lane End [Notts]. My father says that his father used to say the blue Wood-Pigeon was common at Wollaton and Strelley. The Stock- Dove’s egg is never of so pure a white as that of the Ring-Dove and Rock-Dove (7). Cutts informs me that the Stock-Dove builds in rabbit-holes at Clifton, also that it is abundant about Worksop. He has found several nests in the same pollard oak. [The difference in shape of these two specimens is remarkable, but I pereeive none in colour, which perhaps is not surprising after nearly sixty yeais. | § 2820. Zwo.—Yoxhall Lodge, Staffordshire, 1851. From Mr. John Evans. Mr. Evans himself took these out of a hollow oak, from which he had seen the bird fly on the preceding day. The tree is in an old corner of Needwood Forest. COLUMBA @NAS. 2) § 2821. Zwo.—Hlveden and Icklingham, Suffolk, 1852. From Messrs. A. & HE. Newton. “ Taken by ourselves, from Rabbit-burrows.” Boda, Giland; 11 June, 1856. § 2822. One. Taken during the same walk with the Roller’s [§ 662]. Lundberg (the handelsman) saw the bird fly from the tree, and I saw it soon alter it had left. There were two eggs, still when I first saw them I thought they were Roller’s eggs. § 2823. 7wo.—Elveden, 1859. From Messrs. A. & E. Newton. Taken by Spinks, of the Warren Lodge at Elveden. [§ 2824. One.—Elveden, before 1848. | [§ 2825. One. Elveden, 1848. | [ § 2826. 7wo.—Icklingham, Suffolk, 1848. ] [§ 2827. Zwo—Elveden, 1849. (Different nests.) | [§ 2828. Ove.—Icklingham, 1851. | [§ 2829. Zwo.—Elveden, 1852. (Different nests.) | [§ 2830. One.—Icklingham, 1852.] [§ 2831. Fow.—HElveden Warren, April, 1854. (From two nests.) | lsat, 2 HON.) [§ 2882. Two. [§ 2833. Zwo.—Elveden, April, 1855. “A. & EN.” 6 [$ LS L L$ [S L§ LS L$ L$ COLUMBA @NAS.—C, RUPESTRIS. 2834. Zwo.—Elveden, June, 1856. ] 2835. Zwo.—Elveden, 8 September, 1856. “A. & KE. N.” The late breeding of this Ring-Dove has been often noticed, but I know no other instance of this species having eggs so late in the year. | 2836. Four.—FElveden Warren, April, 1857. (From two nests.) | 9837. Zwo.—Lakenheath, 24 April, 1857. “EH. N.” My brother wrote :—‘ Thess two small eggs taken by myself on the hill on Lakenheath Warren, while hawking with Mr. Newcome. The old bird flew from the Rabbit-burrow in which they were.” They measure 1:07 by ‘82 and “94 by °76 inch respectively. | 9838. Zhree.—Elveden Warren, 1859. Out of nine from Spinks the warrener, of which we gave a pair to Mr. Wolley (§ 2823) and two pairs to Mr. Gould. | 2839. Hour.—FElveden Warren, 1861. (rom two nests.) | 2840. One—Berkshire, May, 1865. “'T. E. B.’ From Mr. Buckley, 1896. | 2541. One.—From the late Mr. Scales’s collection, 1885. ] COLUMBA RUPESTRIS, Bonaparte ex Pallas. 2842. One.—Lake Baikal, May, 1869. From M. Verreaux, Treo QVGA 2 1 371 ip 1 2843. One.—Siberia. From Dr, Dybowski, through M. Verreaux, 1873. The first of these eves was presumably received from Dr. Dybowski, as the last certainly was. A note on this species by him is printed by Dr. Taczanowski . a ae Oe wae By is > m6) = 5 2 . . in the ‘Journal fiir Ornithologie ‘for 1875 (p. 97), and its eggs are described in the posthumously published work cf the latter (T’aune Ornith. de la Sibérie Orientale, i. p. 731). ] ~ COLUMBA LIVIA. COLUMBA LIVIA, Bonnaterre ez Brisson. NOCK-DOVE. § 2844. Onve.—Yorkshire. From Mr. Williamson, not later than 1843. From Mr. Williamson of Scarborough, in the neighbourhood of which they breed pleutifully, laying their eggs in fissures of the cliff all along that coast. § 2845. One.—F¥lamborough, Yorkshire. From Mr.Williamson, 1846. Mr. Williamson says the egg is difficult to get, from the bird breeding so far in the holes. § 2846. One.—Orkney. From Mr. Tuke, 1546. § 2847. Oxe.—South Ronaldshay, 29 August, 1848. “J. W.” One of two eggs I saw taken out of a cave at Pigeon Cove, near Halcro Head, by two boys—one by name Aikin. ‘The other egg was broken before being blown. They were quite fresh. It is said that tame Pigeons in Orkney are very apt to be enticed away by the wild ones—no doubt of the same species. I shot them in Shetland, and near Wick. ‘They are believed to breed alternate months, almost throughout the year. In another cave were procured three young ones. After some trouble these reached Beeston, where two of them came to an untimely end; but one is now (13 February, 1849) living in company with a young Stock-Deve from Strelley in a dove-cote over the saddle-room door. Had the young Pigeons done well I should have forwarded them to Mr. Wakefield in Warwickshire, whom I saw at the Eagle’s nest at Dunnet Head, 4 August, 1848, and who assisted me in taking it by holding the stick round which the rope slid [ef. § 67]. He was very anxious to get some Pigeons, 8 COLUMBA LIVIA.—TURTUR COMMUNIS. § 2848. One.—Sutherland, 1850. From Mr. W. Dunbar. § 2849. Three.—Orkney, 1850. From Mr. George Harvey of Stromness. Out of four sent. There is no other kind of wild Pigeon there. § 2850. Hight—Orkney, 1851. From Mr. George Harvey. Out of twelve sent. [§ 2851. Zwo.—Flamborough Head, 1851. From Mr. Jones of Bridlington. | [§ 2852. Zwo.—Unst, Shetland, 1854. From Mr. James Smith. | [§ 2853. Zwo.—Rathlin, 6 May, 1863. From Mr. Robert Harvey of Leck Glebe. Mr. Harvey wrote:—‘‘ This nestful was taken for me by my cousin, Robert Gage, Esq., the proprietor of Rathlin. One of his boatmen got them on a ledge of a rock on the east side of the island.” | TURTUR COMMUNIS, Selby. TURTLE-DOVE. § 2854. Oxe.—Kton, not later than 1842. This was found near Eton in a nest placed in a bush in the middle of a large field, which I was told is the situation in which they are most frequently found. § 2855. Oxe.—Milton, Cambridgeshire, not later than 1844 ? [This appears to be one of two “ found by old Rawlinson in the nest at the top of a fir-tree at Milton. He saw the bird and knew it.” TURIUR ORIENTALIS. 9) § 2856. Ouve—Tangier, from M. Favier, through Mr. Williams, 1847. § 2857. One——Chemora, Algeria, 18 May, 1857. From Mr. W. H. Simpson. L§ 2858. Onxe.—Elveden, 1847.] L§ 2859. Howr.—Elveden, 1852. (Different nests.) | [§ 2860. Zwo.—Norfolk. From Mr. Norgate, 1875. | [§ 2861. Oxe.—Cambridge, May, 1886. A dwarf egg, measuring ‘86 by 65 inch, from a nest at the back of the Colleges, brought to me by a trustworthy man. The largest ege of this species in the Collection measures 1:29 by ‘93 inch. |] TURTUR ORIENTALIS (Latham). [§ 2862. Onve—*“Darasun, Daourie, Juin, 1868.” From M. Verreaux, 1871. [§ 2863. One.—Siberia. From Dr. Dybowski, through M. Verreaux, 1873. Both these eggs, the first presumably and the second admittedly received from Dr. Dybowski, came to me under the name of Turtur gelastes, now considered asynonym of 7’. ortentalis, and they differ so much in size (1:28 by ‘95 inch, and 1°52 by 1:04 inch) that I was inclined to suppose that one of them might belong to another species—perhaps 7. ferrago. But I observe that the Doctor has given (Journ. fiir Orn. 1873, p. 98) measurements of six eggs of T. rupicola, another synonym of 7. orientalis, which shew great diversity —57°7 to 52 mm. by 26 to 24 mm., and the same appears from Dr. Taczanowski’s posthumous work (Faun. Orn. Sib. Orient. ii. pp. 754, 755), where eight eges are said to vary from 37°6 to 31:2 mm. by from 26 to 25-4 mm. Hence I infer that both may be regarded as belonging to the same species, as was originally stated. | 10 TURTUR SENEGALENSIS.-— SYRRHAPTES PARADOXUS. TURTUR SENEGALENSIS (Linneus). [§ 2864. Two.—Jcricho, 18 April, 1864. From Mr. Tristram. From a nest in a zizyphus tree. The Canon’s notes on the Turtle-Doves of the Holy Land are contained in ‘ The Ibis’ for 1868 (pp. 210, 211), and were ae > . om x ~ . . pst vepeated in a somewhat extended form in his ‘ Fauna and Flora of Palestine (pp. 120, 121).] TURTUR RISORIUS (Linneus). BARBARY DOVE. (§ 2865. One.—Exning, Suffolk, 1846. From Mr. I. F. Dobede. (Laid by a tame bird.)| [§ 2865. Two.—Jericho, 18 April, 1€64. From Mr. Tristram. Into the question of the wild original form of the domesticated 7. risorius I am not prepared to enter. Canon Tristram’s notes already referred to (§ 2864) shew his view of the case; but considerable weight is due to the contrary opinion expressed by Mr. Blyth (Ibis, 1567, p. 151) and others since his time. | [§ 2867. Oxe.—From the late Mr. Scales’s Collection, 1885.] SYRRHAPTES PARADOXUS (Pallas). [§ 2868. One.—Gardens of the Zoological Society of London, 21 June, 1861. Proce. Zool. Soe. 1861, tab. xxxix. fig. 1. This was the first egg laid by one of the birds sent from China in 1861, and I exhibited it at the meeting of the Society on the 10th of December (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1861, p. 577). It was afterwards figured as above. | [§ 2869. Zwo.—Gardens of the Zeological Society, 1863. These were believed by Mr, Bartlett to have been laid by the same Chinese bird as laid the egg I had in 1861 (§ 2868), She died in 1864, the last of her fellow captives. Mr. Rowley had some eggs laid by her in 1862. One of these eggs looks like that of an exhausted bird.) [§ SYRRHAPTES PARADOXUS. ab. 2870. One.—Near Ringkjobing, Jutland, 6 June, 1863. From Professor Reinhardt. Karly in June, 1863, Herr Biilow, a Custom-house officer at Ringkjébing, sent Professor Reinhardt several living birds of this species which had been snared on their nests by a gunner in that neighbourhood, together with four of their eggs. One of the latter was found by Ilerr Biilow in the box which conveyed the birds to him, having been laid on the journey. It was colour- less, indicating that it had been prematurely produced. The other three, of which this is one, were fully coloured. It appears that this gunner found two nests of Syrrhaptes, while a third was found by a neighbour of his near Bjerregaard, and on two of these nests both the birds (in each case the hen first and then the cock) were snared. AI! these nests were on the sand-hills not far from the sea. Two of them were near one another; and one, containing three eges, was merely a slight deepening in the sand lined with a little dry marram. The other had only two eggs, was placed among some ling, and was likewise furnished with a little dry grass. The third nest was like the first, and also held three eggs, but was at some distance and halfway up a sand-hill. Of the three mature eges sent to Herr Bulow, he found that two were quite fresh, but in the third the embryo had just begun to form, shewing that they were not all from the same nest. More nests were found by other people, but unfortunately no care was taken about them. Later in the year, near the end of July, the same gunner found two other nests, taking both as well as the old birds. Professor Reinhardt was kind enough to send me one of the eggs from one of the first nests found, but which it was he did not know. He was further so good as to furnish me with these details, of which I availed myself, printing them in ‘The Ibis’ for 1864 (pp. 195, 196), in anticipation of the publication of the excellent account which he himself contributed to the Natural History Union of Copenhagen (Naturhist. Foren. Vidensk. Meddelelser, 1863, pp. 219-221). | 2871. Two.—Shu River, Turkestan, 1 May, 1887. From Mr. W. H. Bateson, 1888. Mr. Bateson, whose attention I had especially directed to this species, before he set out on his travels in Central Asia, was good enough to give me with these specimens the following notes :— “ §. paradovus is very common about Kazalinsk, and on the steppe of the Shu River. We met quantities of them on the shores of the Lake Balkash, but none were seen on the grassy hills north of the lake nor on any part of the grassy steppes of Semipalatinsk and Western Siberia. I never saw any near Irghiz, which is in sandy country, though they were common some fifty miles to the south, where the Artemisia-covered steppe begins. Between Kazalinsk and Turkestan there were great quantities on the post-read, picking about among the horse-dung. “The nests were very common in the steppe of the Shu, being mostly little depressions among the tufts of -drtemusca, lined with a little loose chaff. 12 SYRRITAPTES PARADOXUS. These two eggs were found on the bank of the Shu on the Ist of May, 1887, about 350 miles east of Telekul. “The Kirghiz are accustomed to notice the direction in which the birds fly before midday, as an indication of the whereabouts of water; but they do not seem to be very particular as to the quality of the water. I saw them drinking the water of Telekul, which is almost unfit for cooking purposes, having a specific gravity of 1-005. I never saw them drinking at a lake salter than this. The Kirghiz name for them is Buldwruk; but the Russians call them Kuropatka, which means simply Partridge.” Mr. Bateson could not tell me whether these eggs were actually taken by himself. A good many eggs were found, of which most were broken in one way or another, by the men of his company as they passed along. | [§ 2872. Three.—* Alta.” From Herr Tancré, of Anclam, 1888, through ; These eggs were sent to me as having been taken in Norfolk in May, 1888, during the time of the very great immigration into this country of birds of this species. At first I was quite prepared to accept the story, and their occurrence was recorded in ‘he Times’ of the 15th and ‘The Field’ of the 16th June. On further enquiry into the matter my suspicions were aroused, and after a great deal of trouble and an investigation which was spread over many weeks, I was, thanks to various friends, able to satisfy myself that a most disgraceful attempt to impose upon me, and naturalists generally, had been made; and that the specimens had been received from Herr Tancré, who sent them to this country in the ordinary course of trade, but coming into the hands of a dishonest dealer, they were by him passed off to the correspondent from whom I obtained them as having been taken at Holt in Norfolk, on the 20th May. The contradiction of the lie (or lies, for there were many) was recorded in ‘The Field’ of the 8th September, 1888. Among the friends who assisted me in detecting this impudent fraud were Mr. E. Bidwell, Mr. Alfred Chapman, Mr. Dresser, Mr. J. J. Lister, Mr. H. A. Macpherson, Mr. Upcher, and Lord Walsingham, not one of whom was aware at the time of the part the others were taking in the investigation. | [§ 2873. One.—Kattensundet Aviary, Denmark, 1890. From Herr B. Christensen. Herr Christensen, having been shewn by Herr [erluf Winge the description and figure of the Syrrhaptes-chick taken in Moray in 1889, which appeared in ‘ The Ibis’ for 1890 (pp. 207-214, pl. vii.), was good enough to write to me on the 23rd of September in that year, telling me that in January, 1889, he bought a cock and two hens which, having been caught in Jutland, he had turned into his aviary at Kattensundet, near Copenhagen, On the 30th of May, 1890, one of the hen birds having died, he was surprised to find an egg laid by the other, and this was followed at intervals by four more. The mother shewing no disposition to incubate, he put two of the eges under a Pigeon, PTEROCLES ALCHATA. ld which, however, after brooding them for eighteen days, left them, when they were found to contain almost full-grown embryos. The other eggs were, unfortunately, injured by Parrakeets in the aviary, and so rendered useless. In the beginning of July this hen bird began to lay again, and in eight days five eggs were produced, and a sixth at the end of the month. Two of them were destroyed, as before, by the Parrakeets, but three were placed under a Bantam hen, and at the end of twenty-three days a young bird was hatched. The foster-mother then left the nest, and the other two eggs, both of them fertile, came to nothing, while she trod upon the chick so that it died the next day, when its remains were sent to the Museum at Copenhagen. In October, Herr Christensen was so kind as to bring to England and send to ie the only remaining one of the eggs which he had to spare, and this, though broken, I regard as a valuable specimen, It is more highly coloured than any of the others I have, but very sensibly smaller. | PTEROCLES ALCHATA (Linnzeus). § 2874. Three-—Harakta, Algeria, 10 June, 1857. From Mr. Salvin. [ Mr. Salvin’s notes on the breeding of this species are printed in ‘ The Ibis’ for 1859 (p. 352). | § 2875: Three.—Plain of Roumila, Algeria, 10 June, 1857. From Mr. Simpsen. From one nest. § 2876. Three.—Alegeria, 1857. From Mr. Tristram. [The Canon’s notes on this species in Northern Africa were published in ‘The Ibis’ for 18C0 (pp. 70, 71). | [§ 2877. Three—Tahar, Algeria, 4 or 5 June, 1857, From Mr. Salvin. From one nest. | [§ 2878. Three—Harakta, 10 June, 1857. From Mr. Tristram. A complete nest. | 14 PTEROCLES ALCHATA,—P,. ARENARIUS. [$ 2879. One.—Nimroud, 1849. From Mr. Malan, 1860. Mr. Malan wrote to me 19 May, 1860, that this species of Sand-Grouse was “very common on some of the islets of the Tigris and on the mainland too.” In a previous letter he said that he had brought the eggs from Nimroud in 1849. ] [§ 2880. Oze.—Spain, 1872. From Lord Lilford, 1873. Lord Lilford unfortunately never published anything on the breeding of either species of Pterocles in Spain, and the only notes on them in that country which he seems to have printed are in ‘ The Ibis’ for 1866 (p. 879). ] [§ 2881. Lhirteen.—Southern Spain, 1882-3. From Lord Lilford, 1884. ] PTEROCLES ARENARIUS (Pallas). § 2882. Zhree.—Tz'har, Algeria, 4 or 5 June, 1857. From Mr. Salvin. A complete nestful taken by Mr. Simpson. [Mr. Salvin has a very brief note on this species in‘ The Ibis’ for 1859 (p. 553). | § 2883. Three.—Tz'har, 3 to 5 June, 1857. . From Mr. Simpson. From, apparently, different nests taken by him. ; ; pees a2 ‘ § 2884. One.—Ta‘har, 4 June, 1857. From Mr. Tristram. Taken by Mr. Simpson. [Canon Tristram has some interesting notes on the breeding of this species in ‘ The Ihis’ for 1860 (pp. 69, 70).] i la od ~ ~ th (§ 2885. Three.—Tw'har, 4 or 5 June, 1857. From Mr. Salvin. , A complete nest taken by Mr, Simpson and Arabs.] TETRAO UROGALLUS. eS f§ 2886. Zhree—Taz'har, 4 June, 1857. From Mr. Tristram. A complete nest. | [§ 2887. Three.—Arganda, Madrid, 13 June, 1867. From Mr. Dresser, 1868. Taken and marked by Manuel de la Torre. | [§ 2888. Mre.—Southern Spain, 1882. From Lord Lilford, 1884. | = TETRAO UROGALLUS, Linneus. CAPERCALLY. § 2889. One.—From Mr. Reid, 1844. A well-marked specimen, evidently genuine. § 2890. Zwo.—Pited Lappmark, 1850. From Mr. Lawrence Heyworth. Mr. Heyworth brought home eight eggs of the Zjdder, which he got in a house near Arjeploug, but almost every house had or had had some, as the Lapps collect great numbers for eating. He saw the birds plentifully on the banks of the Great Lake [Horn Afvan, out of which the Skelleftea River runs] on which Arjeploug stands, near the Arctic Circle. He shot here, and elsewhere, with the assistance of a little dog, eight or uine—mostly hens, while the people hunt the cocks most, as they sell best. Most of the eggs he had shewed that “smudged ” or wiped appearance which is probably caused at birth, while the markings are as yet very soft and unfixed. The Zjdder is almost or quite extirpated between Stockholm and Gottenburg, which the people attribute to the operations of Mr. Lloyd, On one of these eggs is, in Mr. Heyworth’s writing, ‘ Nordanas.” (Mr. Lloyd doubtless shot many Capercallies, but it is, of course, ridiculous to suppose that he made the species scarce in any part of Sweden. | 16 TETRAO UROGALLUS. § 2891. Zwo.—Juoksengi, Kast Bothnia, 7 June, 1853. Brought with eggs of Orre [Greyhen] and Ripa | Willow-Grouse]. § 2892. One.—Cifvre Muonioniska, June, 1853. Out of six brought to me here, by a person who had taken them some days ago. He said that they were those of Tjader hana [é.e. hen Capercally]. They had been sat upon for a short time. § 2893. Three.—Kiutkiisuando, 29 May, 1854. Out of six brought to me on the 30th. The Black Grouse is not found within many miles. § 2894. One.—Kuttainen, 5 June, 1854. ° Kuttainen, two miles to the south of Kaaressuando, on the same side of the river, is probably the most northerly spot in this direction where the Capercally breeds. It is rarely seen at Kaaressuando. I do not know when these (six) eggs were taken. They were brought to me by Puno [i.e. red] Johan, an elderly man. [The remaining five eggs are not forthcoming. | § 2895. Ligit.—Viksi, 5 June, 1854. Found by Anton at the end of Umarainan-uoma. ‘The bird flew up from the nest, which was under a little Norway pine just in the angle, or nearly so, made by an old tree that lay on the ground. The bird flew away very slowly. 15 October.—-I have seen the nest just as Ludwig described it, except that there were two little logs forming an angle with the tree. The nest, as usual, near a Norway fir, in a damp hollow or thicket. § 2896. Zwo.—Mielmooka-vaara, 9 June, 1854. Out of seven which Salomon Hietalla brought on the 11th June, and Ludwig blew them—large young inside. At Stevens’s, 26 January, 1855, three were sold to Mr. Bond. {The missing two I cannot account for. } TETRAO UROGALLUS. La § 2897. Zwo.—Jerisjarwi, June, 1854. Out of seven, by the //okkun [sexton | Joel, brought to Muoniovara, 13 June, one being broken. At Stevens’s, 26 January, 1855, two sold to Mr. [afterwards Sir William] Milner, and two to Mr. Robson. § 2898. Oxe.—Rowa, 1854. Out of five, of which two were white, by Puntz’s lads, wlio held the two white eggs to be some unknown kind of Falé, till at last when laughed at they began to say they were perhaps Koppelo’s. It is not improbable that they took them from the old birds’ insides ; for Ludwig has heard that they are in the habit of snaring the mother on her eggs about Kittila. [One of these given to Dr. David Walker for the Belfast Museum in 1860. | § 2899. Fouwr.—(CEfvre Muonioniska, 13 June, 1854. Out of five, which Kokko Colly brought from the Cifvre-byn to Ludwig, on the 18th June. § 2900. One.—Kera Sieppi, F., 1854. Out of two from Kera Sieppi’s gubben [old man] at midsummer. § 2901. One —Nialima, 1854. Out of four from Kaiungi Johan, at midsummer. § 2902. One.—Sirka, 1854. Out of five from Sirka by Keimio Mickel. § 2903. One.—Katkasuando, 1855. Out of three from Veliitallon Zacharias, on the lst of August. § 2904. Zhree.—Salmojarwi, 1855. Out of seven from Simon on the 28rd of June. PART III. C 1s TETRAO UROGALLUS. § 2905. Zwo—Salmojirwi, 1555. Out of seven from Matthias. [Three of these were sent to Dr. Heermann, in 1861. § 2906. Zhree.—Muonioniska, 1555. Out of four from Piko Heiki. § 2907. Zwo.—Muonioalusta, 1895. Out of six from Lassi Johan. § 2908. One——Muonioalusta, 1855. Out of seven. § 2909. Zwo.—Salmojirwi, 1855. Out of six from Johan. § 2910. Zwo.—Rowa, 1855. Out of seven, brought by Johan Eric, on the 23rd of June. § 2911. Zhree.—Muonioalusta, 29 May, 1855. Out of five from Johan Taipalen-suu, otherwise Moaku, brought on the Ist of June. He said he took them because they were so near the track, that otherwise some dog would certainly have killed the mother. § 2912. Zwo.—West Finmark, Norway, 1855. Out of nine, brought to Anton in 1856 by a Lapp from the Lyngen country. § 2913. One—Modas Lombola, 3 June, 1856. Out of six brought on the 24th of June by Adam Triomph, who said he took them that day three weeks back. TETRAO UROGALLUS. 19 § 2914. Zhree.—Toras Sieppi, 8 June, 1856. Out of seven, brought by young Johan on the 21st of June, and blown by him. § 2915. One.—Sarkijarwi, 1856. Out of four brought by Piko Heiki on the 23rd of June. § 2916. Zwo.—Aitavaara, 7 June, 1857. Out of four. Joel, son of Niilima Niku, brought them on the 18th June. § 2917. One.—Sieppi, 1858. Out of six, from Matthis Hendrik, on the 19th of June. [One of these given to Mr, Graham Manners-Sutton, in 1864. | § 2918. One.—Kemisaisinvaara, 15 June, 1858. Out of six found by Pehr Matthisson Ranhula, and brought on the 23rd. § 2919. Oxe.—Junkijarwi-imaa, 1 June, 1859. Out of six found by Heiki, and brought on the 4th. [§ 2920. One.—Sweden. From Mr. A. D. Bartlett, 1851. I believe this was sent to Mr. Bartlett by Mr. Charles John Andersson. | [§ 2921. Zvo.—Taymouth, Perthshire, 1854. From Mr. Peter Robertson. Sent with some others, all of which were broken. Peter had these eggs to put under Greyhens at Inveroran. ] [§ 2922. One.—Salmojiirwi (Goshawk’s nest), 18 June, 1861. This egg, which Knoblock did not recognize, was brought, with many others, to Muonioyara, on the 22nd June, 186], by Hendrik Salmojirwi, who said he co Cw 90 TETRAO TETRIX. found it in a Goshawk’s nest about three fathoms from the ground. He did not see the Goshawk, but he knew that the nest was of that bird. The egg seemed to me the immature product of a Capercally, and on my enquiring about it more particularly, Knoblock wrote to me (6 July, 1862) that Martin Piety told him he had seen a Goshawk carry a living hen Capercally into its nest, and suggested this as an explanation of the egg being found there. I know no better one; but the matter must remain uncertain. | [§ 2923. Four—Pulju, 1862. Brought by Johan Johansson. One of them almost pear-shaped. | TETRAO TETRIX, Linnzus. BLACK GROUSE. § 2924. One.—From Mr. Hancock, 1846. § 2925. Zhree.—Switzerland. From M. Nager, of Andermatt, 1847. § 2926. Mine.-—Juoksengi, 7 June, 1853. Brought with eggs of Tjdder and Ripa [§$§ 2891, 2952]. § 2927. One.—Salmojarwi, 5 June, 1857. Out of eight found by Hendrik in Saidanletti. [Two from this nest were sold at Mr. Stevens’s, 30 May, 1860, to Mr. Gould. } [§ 2928. Zwo.—Paultons, Hampshire, 1852. ‘Taken, I believe, on the property of Mr. Sloane-Stanley. | [§ 2929. Zwo.—Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, May 1851 and June 1852. From Mr. R. W. Hawkins, 1852. [§ 2930. Scv.—Dumfriesshire, 1854. From Mr. W. G. Johnstone. | TETRAO MLOKOSIEWICZI.—BONASIA SYLVESTRIS. A | [§ 2931. One—Longshaw, Derbyshire, June, 1856. From Mr. O. Salvin. | [§ 2932. our.—Bloxworth Heath, Dorset, July, 1872. Taken by the gamekeeper, who had known of the nest for some time; and, though he found the Greyhen sitting upon it, thought that there was no chance of her hatching a brood. I picked out these four, from the number he brought me, and next day blew them, when to my surprise I found the young in them alive, and there can be no doubt that if he had left the nest alone, a very respectable family would have been brought off. The other eggs he took away with him. Black Grouse are not numerous in Dorset, but I knew of several spots affected by them, where one could most generally see two or three, and sometimes more. | TETRAO MLOKOSIEWICZI, Taczanowski. [§ 2933. One.—Lagodechi (?), Russian Georgia. From Count Branicki, through Mr. H. E. Dresser, 1875. The habits of this beautiful species are fully described by its discoverer, after whom it is named, in notes sent to Dr. Taczanowski, and communicated by him to Mr. Dresser, who printed them in his ‘ Birds of Europe’ (vii. pp. 219-221), and very kindly gave me one of the eggs, which he had received from Count Casimir Branicki, presumably taken in the locality where the first specimens of the bird seen by ornithologists were procured. | BONASIA SYLVESTRIS, Brehm. HAZEL-HEN. § 2934. Siv.—Tranevar, Calmar Lan, Sweden, 3 June, 1856. coy W..and. W. HS." [These eggs were not entered in his book by Mr. Wolley, but Mr. Hudleston’s journal, kindly placed at my disposal, shews that a boy at the post-house at Tranevar took those gentlemen “to a nest of Hjerpe, which had been discovered, in consequence of a new fence having been made into the forest.” The place is near Ryssby. | 22 BONASIA SYLVESTRIS.—LAGOPUS SCOTICUS. ~ § 2935. Mve.—Kongiis in Kittila, 16, 17 June, 1856. Light eggs: the nest found about two miles from the church towards the north in low land a little burnt out. The bird very tame. [One of these eggs was sold at Mr. Stevens's, 12 May, 1857, to Mr. Milner, a second, 80 May, 1860, to Mr. Salvin, and a third was sent by me to Dr. Heermann in 1861. This was the first nest of the species of which Mr, Wolley had knowledge in Lapland. § 2936. Zhree.—Kalangi, June, 1859. Brought to Muoniovara, by Hendrik’s wife, 23 June. [§ 2937. Four—Nolangi-selka, 30 June, 1860. Out of eight found by Nicolai Wassara. The other four I sent to the Smithsonian Institution in 1803. One of these is curiously under-coloured. | LAGOPUS SCOTICUS (Latham). RED GROUSE. § 2938. Zwo—England, not later than 1843. Obtained by George Wolley. [Most likely from some Derbyshire moor. } § 2939. four.—Glasnevin, Sutherland, 25 May, 1849. Given me at Inchnadamph by a shepherd, who had just brought them in; the mother had been killed by a cow. Glasnevinis a hill in Assynt. I could not find a nest myself in all my rambles over the moors. § 2940. Seven—Orkney, 1850. From Mr. George Harvey, of Stromness. The Ptarmigan, as I learn from the histories of Orkney, is not found in these islands, so these eggs are Grouse beyond the possibility of mistake. There is very good Grouse-shooting in Orkney. No Grouse in Shetland. LAGOPUS SCOTICUS. 93 § 2941. Seven.—Sutherland, 1850. Out of thirteen, several of which are badly broken and some evidently from a deserted nest, as their upperside is bleached by exposure to weather, received from Mr. John MacGregor. One of them is less than any of the six Ptarmigans’ sent at the same time [§ 2992], and others are of the same size as Ptarmigans’. § 2942. Zwenfly.—Moorfoot Hills, Mid Lothian, 1851. Out of two dozen sent me by Mr. Daniel M. Falconer, of Loanhead, who wrote that “they were taken from the Heriot Moor, Moorfoot Hills—the most of them I took myself.” § 2943. Mourteen.—Orkney, 1851. From Mr. George Harvey. Out of seventeen—two of them, with very few spots, are marked “Grouse” by Mr. Harvey. [Two others given to Dr. Heermann in 1861. ] § 2944, One.—Scotland. From Mr. John Evans, of Darley Abbey, 1853. From Mr. Roberts, of Scarborough, to whom it had been sent by Adams, the keeper of the Bass Rock. [This seems to have been kept on account of its large size: 2°1 by 134 inch. ] § 2945. Zwo.—lIreland. From Dr. Frere, 1853. Marked in Dr. Frere’s book “ Davis of Clonmel.” These are of a singular variety. [These, like the two sparsely spotted specimens from Orkney in 1851 above noted (§ 2943), shew considerable similarity to eggs of Tetrao.} [§ 2946. One.—Fingal, Yorkshire, 1842. | [§ 2947. One.—Leadenhall Market, 1844. Perfectly formed but uncoloured, and evidently taken from the body of the parent. | D4, LAGOPUS SCOTICUS.—L. ALBUS. [§ 2948. One.—Scotland. From Mr. R. J. Thompson, 1846. ] [§ 2949. Hight—Gordon Castle, Banftshire, 1554. From Lord March. | [§ 2950. Two.—Dumfriesshire, 1854. From Mr. W. G. Johnstone. | [§ 2951. Seven.—Gartan, Donegal, 8 May, 1863. From Mr. Robert Harvey. Mr. Harvey wrote that “this nestful was taken by my son in the mountain of Derryveagh, close to the spot where Murray (Mr. Adair’s shepherd) was murdered three years ago. | LAGOPUS ALBUS (Gmelin). WILLOW-GROUSE. § 2952. One.——Juoksengi, 7 June, 1853. At Juoksengi,7 June, two Tyider’s eggs, and afterwards some nine Orre’s and eleven Ripa’s eggs were brought, those of the last two sat upon [$§ 2891, 2926]. The species from the aspect of the country is doubtless Dalripa { Lagopus albus, otherwise saliceti]. § 2953. Hive.—Muonioniska, June, 1853. Brought to me at Herr Forsstrém’s. § 2954. Mve.—tKaaressuando, 2 June, 1854. No doubt Tetrao saliceti, which I am assured is the only species at Kaaressuando. We saw very many and shot some cock birds. I took these eggs. On my first visit there were only four; by the side of a birch: not much nest, and the eggs covered with dried birch- leaves and mixed with them. § 2955. Seven.—Portavaara, 3 June, 1854. Found by my men on the Finnish side on or near Portavaara. co) Ot LAGGPUS ALBUS. § 2956. Mve.—Enontekis Lappmark, 9 June, 1854. Willow-Grouse found by myself: the bird flying from its nest just before me, in a kind of mere near the river-side, between Nyimakka and Mukka-uoma. § 2957. Aleven.—Lapland, 1854. Obtained on the 17th of June from Anders and his son Lars, two Lapps, at Rowtio, seven miles south of Nvimakka. They live or were living at Wokases. I picked these eleven eggs out of some three dozen, all said decidedly to be Riekko [| Willow-Grouse] and not Kiiruna | Ptarmigan], of which they had found none. § 2958. Heven.—Tore Sieppi, 15 June, 1854. Taken by Sieppi’s Karl, the second boy. § 2959. Five.—Kaaressuando, 6 June, 1854. Annonti’s Josa found these curious eggs near Kaaressuando, and said they were Willow-Grouse. Aiéiruna or Mountain-Ptarmigan is not about Kaaressuando, in the summer at least. [These eggs (one of the six originally obtained not being forthcoming) are warmly coloured, and somewhat closely freckled, but in a way that can be matched by many others. | § 2960. Zwo.—Mukka-uoma, 12 June, 1854. Found by Elias under my eye in a plain above Mukka-uoma. Decidedly Datlripa. § 2961. Siv.—Kaaressuando, 1854. Out of some fourteen or fifteen brought in 1854, and at the time believed by me confidently to be those of 7. saliceti, though I do not now (August, 1855) exactly remember the particulars. I sent some to Herr Carl Hartman at Gefle. § 2962. Four.—Wassara, 1856. Brought to Muoniovara 12 July by Nils Wassara, found by his brother Anders. 26 LAGOPUS ALBUS. § 2963. Seven.—Nilima, 1556. Out of ten from Salomon Hictalla, in a district where there are no Mountain Ptarmigan. [An eighth given to Dr. David Walker for the Belfast Museum in 1860. ] § 2964. Zwo.—Lapland, 1857. Brought to Muoniovara, 6 July. [Three more given to Mr. Crowfoot in 1855. ] § 2965. Three.—1858. Out of eleven found by Mikel Mikelsson Kyré, while employed on daily wages in various places, and blown by Piko Heiki, but the exact locality not written down. Brought to Muoniovara, 6 July. [One, given by Mr. Wolley to Mr. Tristram, passed with his collection to Mr. Crowley, and appeared at Mr. Stevens’s rooms, 5 June, 1902, when it was bought by Mr. Ticehurst. | § 2966. Nine.—Koskiniska-vaara, 15 June, 1858. Found by Mikel Tepasto, and brought to Muoniovara, 6 July. §. 2967. Mve.—16 June, 1859. Out of nine found by Karl Liljela near his homestead and brought to Muoniovara on the 20th. [The remaining four I sent to Dr. Heermann in 1861.] § 2968. Mne.—Kilangi, 1859. Out of eleven brought to Muoniovara 23 June by the wife of Sadekorwa Hendrik. The other two thrown away. [§ 2969. Sta.—Mortensnias, Kast Finmark, June, 1855. Brought to us while staying at Herr Nordvi’s house, but by whom there is no record. | L$ [$ L§ L§ LS LAGOPUS HEMILEUCURUS. we ~2 2970. Two.—Hast Finmark, 1856. | 2971. One.—Marainen, June, 1863. Brought to Muoniovara as a Hawk-Owl’s, but it is evidently the premature ege of a Lagopus, and, from the locality, Z. albus. | 2972. Hight——Anderson River, Arctic Coast of America, 8 June, 1863. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Prof. Baird, 1870. The label shews that these were from a nest of nine, on which the hen bird (no. 85914) was snared, taken by Mr. R. W. MacFarlane, who states (Proce. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiv. p, 450) that this species was exceedingly abundant on the Lower Anderson River, and in the wooded country to ‘the eastward.” In the course of his five years’ exploration he obtained nearly five hundred nests and over three thousand eggs. | 9973. Wine.-—Anderson River, 9 June, 1863. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Prof. Baird, 1870. According to the label the hen bird (no, 85911) was snared by Mr. MacFarlane. | 2974. Hight.—Wilmot - Horton River, Arctic Coast of America, 27 June, 1863. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Prof. Baird, 1870. The label states that the cock bird was seen and heard by Mr. Macfarlane. | LAGOPUS HEMILEUCURUS, Gould. 2975. One—lIce Sound, Spitsbergen, June, 1855. From Messrs. Edward Evans and Wilson Sturge. This is one of the two eggs obtained by the gentlemen above named, and kindly given to me, on their return from the somewhat hazardous voyage on which Mr. Hudleston and I saw them embark. They brought back but one skin (and that in very poor condition) of the bird, which at my request was subsequently placed in Mr. Gould’s hands, and he described it forthwith as a new species (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1858, p. 354), which it certainly was, though it had before been figured in the Atlas to the work, published by the French cw 6) ¢ LAGOPUS HEMILEUCURUS.—L. RUPESTRIS. Government, on the Expédition Scientifique du Nord under the direction of M. Gaimard, under the title of “ Zagopus alpina, var. hyperborea.” In ‘ The This’ for 1859 (pp. 169, 170), Messrs. Evans and Sturge, writing of their stay in Ice Sound, state that ‘one of us found a nest of this bird—if nest it conld be called, being formed only of a few long stems of dry grass bent down in a trench-like hollow in the barren fjeld (or high tableland), where the snow had been thawed, or perhaps been blown away, which latter might have been the case, so bleak and exposed was the situation. There were two eggs, which resemble those of others of the genus. One of them measures 1°6 inch in length by 1:22 inch in transverse diameter.”’] [§ 2976. Zwo (fragmentary)—Wide Bay, Spitsbergen, July, 1873. From Mr. A. E. Eaton. Mr. Eaton’s notes on this species (Zoologist, 1874, pp. 8807-8809), as observed by him when with Mr. Leigh Smith in Spitsbergen, unfortunately contain no mention of the nest whence these remains were obtained. | LAGOPUS RUPESTRIS (Gmelin)!. § 2977. One.—Iceland, 1844. From Mr. Hancock, 1846. § 2978. One.—Oefjord, North Iceland. From Mr. Proctor, 1844. [§ 2979. Fowr.—North Iceland. From Mr. Proctor, 1851.] [§ 2980. Zwo.—North Iceland, 1852. From Mr. Proctor, 1853.1] [§ 2981. Fowr.—North Iceland. From Mr. Proctor, 1856.] [§ 2982. One.—Merkines, South-west Iceland, June, 1858. Sent to Mr. Wolley and myself at Kyrkjuvogr on the 20th June by some man who ate the remaining eggs of the nest. ] = ‘ It will be borne in mind that the specific name rupestris was first applied to the bird from Hudson’s Bay ; that of Iceland is the Tetrao islandorum of F aber, and that of Greenland the 7. reinhardti of Brehm. To me all seem to belong to the same species. ; LAGOPUS RUPESTRIS. 29 [§ 2983. Mve.—Kyrkjuvogr, South-west Iceland, 4 July, 1858. aN. From a nest of eleven shewn to us by one of the Kyrkjuvogr people. It was placed in a rather exposed position on the slope of an old lava-stream, but with a good deal of vegetation around, at least for this district. Above the nest on the bank was a large patch of the very striking-looking moss, which I take to be the Trichostoma canescens mentioned by Sir W. Hooker (Tour in Iceland, p. 68 ; ed. 2,1. p. 85) ; below it some crowberry, dwarfed, as is everything hereabouts. The man tried to catch the old bird by throwing his jacket over her as she sat, but she jumped off with a cry of remonstrance as he did so. We then walked away from the nest, and the poor old thing accompanied us in a direction parallel to the one we were taking, and not keeping more than ten yards from us. After a time I fired my gun, thinking that the noise would make the cock crow; however, it only had the effect of sending the hen back to the nest, which she reached by flying most of the way, if not all. After waiting for her to settle herself, the man tried again to catch her as before, but unsuccessfully, and she flew off calling out. The cock bird almost immediately joined her. The eggs were on the point of hatching, several of them being chipped by the young. One was addled, though it had been fertile. The remaining six eggs from this nest, which were Mr. Wolley’s share of it, are unfortunately not forthcoming, and I do not know what became of them. | [§ 2984. One—Greenland. From Sysseimand Miiller, 1859. Given to me at Copenhagen by Mr. Woiley’s old Froese friend, whom I found there attending the Rigsdag as representative of his native islands. He assured me he had received it direct from Greenland. ] [§ 2985. One—“) Jericho, 138 March, 1864. -From Mr. ‘Tristram. [§ 3036. Zwvo—Mount Quarantania, Jericho, 1 April, 1864. J The Canon’s note states that the first of these was from a nest of nine, and the remaining two from a nest of twenty-seven; but sixteen of them were of the preceding year and addled! Both nests in holes in the rocks in the side of Mount Quarantania, near Jericho. The second nest was inside an old hermit’s chapel-cave. Further particulars are given by the Canon in ‘The Ibis’ for 1868 (p. 214). ] 35 CACCABIS RUFA.—C. PETROSA. CACCABIS RUFA (Linnzus). FRENCH PARTRIDGE. § 3037. One.—Cambridgeshire (?). From Mr. Sadd, 1843. § 3038. One.—From Mr. Thomas, of Liverpool, not later than 1843. § 3039. Zwo.—Trumpington, Cambridgeshire, 1852. From Mr. John Baker. [§ 3040. One.—Elveden, before 1S48.] [§ 8041. One.—Elveden, 1848. | [§ 3042. Four—HElveden, 1851. ] [§ 3043. One.—Elveden, 1852. | [§ 3044. Mve.—HElveden, 1853. From two nests. ] [§ 8045. Scv.—Elveden, April, 1863. ] § 3046. “Heven.—Sparham, Norfolk, July, 1875. From Mr. | ) Norgate. | CACCABIS PETROSA (J. F. Gmelin). BARBARY PARTRIDGE. § 3047. Zhree.—From Mr. Argent, 1847. § 3048. Mve.—Tangier. From M. Favier, 1847. Two given to Dr. Brewer and Mr. Wilmot respectively. CACCABIS PETROSA, 39 § 3049. Stz—Kef Laks, April, 1857. From Mr. Tristram, 1858. All from different nests. § 3050. Stv—tkKef Laks, Algeria, 15-20 April, 1857. From Mr. Salvin. From several nests. The only species, and many were shot. Mr. Salvin has picked these eggs as varieties. They lay some eleven to fourteen eggs. [Mr. Salvin’s notes on this species are in ‘ The Ibis’ for 1859, p. 353.] § 3051. Stwv—kKef Laks, April, 1857. From Mr. Simpson. From four nests. In the district whence these eggs came, Mr. Simpson was very sure there was no other species of Partridge. [§ 3052. One.— Mogador, Morocco. From Dr. Frere, 1850.] [§ 3053. Zwo—Algeria, 1856. From Mr. ‘Tristram. ] [§ 3054. Fouwr—kKef Laks, April, 1856. From Mr. Salvin. From different nests. | [§ 3055. One.—Valley of the Medjerdah, Algeria, 7 April, 1857. From Mr. Tristram. | [§ 3056. Five—Kef Laks, 16-20 April, 1857. From Mr. ‘Tristram. From different nests. | oA [§ 3057. Zwo.—Kef Laks, 16 and 19 April, 1857. From Mr. Simpson. From different nests. | [§ 3058. Zwo.—Laghouat, Algeria, April, 1870. From Mr. J. H. Gurney. | 40 CACCABIS SAXATILIS.—TETRAOGALLUS CASPIUS. [§ 3059. 7wo.—Tangier, 1886. From Professor Moseley. Obtained from an Italian employed in the Custom ITouse there. } CACCABIS SAXATILIS (Wolf & Meyer). § 3060. Three. Switzerland. From M. Nager, 1847. [§ 3061. Aive.—Tzipiana, 6 May, 1859. From Mr. Simpson. Mr. Simpson (now Hudleston) has a few notes on the breeding of this species in Western Greece in ‘ The Ibis’ for 1860 (p. 388). | [§ 3062. Five—* Turkey.” From Mr. Robson, of Ortakeuey, 1867. ] CACCABIS CHUKAR (J. E. Gray). [§ 3063. 7wo.—Mar Saba, Palestine, 830 March, 1858. From Mr. Tristram. [§ 3064. Stv—Jericho, Palestine, March, 1864. From Mr. Tristram. The Canon’s notes on the Red-legged Partridge of Palestine, and especially its eggs, are in ‘ The Ibis’ for 1868 (pp. 218, 214). He plainly saw its distinct- ness from the allied European form, but calling that C. greca, he applied the name C. savatilis, a synonym of the last, to the former, which is now recognized as identical with the eastern C. chukar. | TETRAOGALLUS CASPIUS (S. G. Gmelin). § 3065. Oxe.—Bulgar-dagh, Taurus Mountains, 23 April, [ gar-dag I 1876. -%C. G. D.” — From’ Mrs Dantord 1877. Given to me by Mr. Danford as the egg of what was at the time supposed to be a new species of 7'etraogallus (7. tauricus, Dresser, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1876, p. 675), but subsequently shewn by him (Ibis, 1877, pp. 258, 254) to be identical with the long-known Tetrao caspius of 8S. G. Gmelin. Myr. Danford’s account of the taking of this nest, which contained six eggs, by himself and party is given in ‘The Ibis’ for 1878 (pp. 80, 31). | FRANCOLINUS VULGARIS.—PHASIANUS COLCHICUS. 4] FRANCOLINUS VULGARIS, Stephens. [§ 3066. One—Smyrna. From Dr. Kriiper, through Herr Seidensacher, 1865. | L§ 8067. One.—Trikhomo, Cyprus, 24 April, 1875. From Lord Lilford, 1876. Lord Lilford wrote to me, 11 February, 1876 :—‘ There is an egg of Francolin at ‘the Den’ at your disposition, if you have not already gathered it. It is one of a nest taken with these hands (the female bird shot from it by a Cypriote in my sight) containing eleven eggs hard-set, and placed on the ground in the centre of a densely matted lentisk-bush, in a valley about two miles north-west of the village of Trikhomo, near the south-east corner of Cyprus, 24th April, 1875.” The egg was received by me at No. 6 Tenterden Street, on the 15th March, 1876.] PHASIANUS COLCHICUS, Linnzus. THE PHEASANT. § 3068. Zwo.—Ditton, Buckingbamshire, not later than 1842. These eggs I, in company with Sir Francis E. Scott and W. G. Mount, found in a plantation of Lord Montague’s in Ditton Park, near Windsor. We nearly trod upon the mother, who rose directly from the nest, as she always does that there may be no tracks about it. We took only four of the eggs, which we agreed to keep as mementoes of our Sunday walk, two falling to my share. § 3069. Zwo.—kKton, not later than 1842. From a batch of eggs brought by 'T. C. Garth to put under a hen of Trotman’s [at Eton]. Two of these only were hatched, and of the young, the rats took one and the cat the other. § 3070. Four—Wigwell, Derbyshire, not later than 1843. George [Wolley] and Biden found these on the banks of a pond at Wigwell near Wirksworth. 42 PHASIANUS COLCHICUS.—TURNIX SYLVATICA, [§ 3071. Zhree.—Elveden, before 1848. ] [§ 3072. One.—Hiveden, 1852. | [§ 3073. Zwo.—kElveden, 1856. | [§ 3074. One.—Elveden, June, 1857. ‘“ E. N.” | (§ 3075. Four.—Hlveden, 1846-51. Three are dwarfs, the smallest measuring but 1:02 by ‘88 inch; the fourth pear-shaped, with the shell imperfect at one end. ] [§ 3076. CGxe.—Culford, Suffolk, 1852. A dwarf, constricted near the middle, so as to be flask-shaped. ] TURNIX SYLVATICA (Desfontaines). § 3077. One—Algeria ? From M. Parzgudaki, 1858. Given to me by M. Parzudaki. Mr. Simpson tells me the bird breeds in confinement, and he knows that there are many eggs got about in this way. However, this one agrees exactly with those of a nest found by Mr. Tristram’s party in Algeria. gos, more than fifty in number, [This is most likely to have been one of the e laid by a bird kept in confinement by Captain Loche, as mentioned by him in the ‘ Exploration Scientifique de l’ Algérie’ (Oiseaux, ii. p. 247).] [§ 3078. One.—Forest near Koleah, Algeria, 11 July, 1857. From My, ‘Tristram. This egg is from a nest which, according to Canon Tristram’s note com- municated to Mr. Hewitson and by him published in ‘The Ibis’ for 1859 (p. 80), was, so far as is known, “ the very first froma bird in a state of nature,” and was taken by Captain Loche as above stated. ‘ The nest contained seven eggs, nearly fresh. It was placed on the ground in the midst of a dense thicket of underwood, most ingeniously concealed, and where no dog could penetrate to put up the bird .... I was out with Capt. Loche when he discovered this nest, of which he kindly allotted me three eggs.” The remaining two eges were CREX PRATENSIS, 43 figured by Mr. Hewitson (Ibis, tom. cit. pl. ii. figs. 4,5). He remarked that they “bear but little resemblance to those of other galiinaceous birds. The shell is delicate and thin, and touched with a neutral purple tint, which gives them some likeness to those of the Pratincole.” No mention of this particular nest is made by Captain Loche in the work above referred to, but he describes (tom, cit. p. 245) the bird’s mode of nesting in terms very similar to those used by the Canon. | CREX PRATENSIS, Bechstein. LAND-RAIL or CORN-CRAKE. § 3079. Two.—Beeston, Notts. not later than 1843. The Corn-Crake breeds rather plentifully about here. These obtained from John George, who mowed over them. I have seen the bird as it sat on a bough ina sallow bush uttering its crex, crex. It may be heard all the night long in the early part of summer. The markings as well as the ground-colour of the eggs vary very much; they are generally darker than in the Water-Rail. § 3080. One.—Yorkshire (?). From Mr. Arthur Strickland, of Bridlington, before 1843. § 3081. Zhree.—Dunrobin, Sutherland, 1850. From Mr. Bantock. A fourth given to Mr. L. Heyworth [§§ 1225, 2890]. § 3082. Zhree.—Beeston, 1851. § 3083. Mve.—Beeston. [§ 3084. Zwo.—Shetland. From Mr. Robert Dunn, 1850 and 1851.| [§ 3085. Zwo—Devizes, Wilts. From Mr. A. ©. Smith, 1852.] Ad, CREX PRATENSIS.—PORZANA MARUETTA. [§ 3086. One.—Burlingham, Norfolk, 1852. From Mr. Gurney. | | § 3087. Two.—Belrath, County Meath, 1852. From Mr. Newcome. | [§ 3088. Zio.—Hornby Castle, Yorkshire, 1853. From Mr. Newcome. | [§ 3089. Four.—Rugeley, Staffordshire, 1853. From Mr. Hawkins. (Different nests.) | [§ 3090. Five. From a nest of seven brought by Balam, the hurdle-maker of Fakenham. ] Sapiston, Suffolk, 1854. [§ 3091. Zwo.— Hockwold, Norfolk, 1861. From Mr. Newcome. | [§ 3092. One.—“< South Russia.” From Herr A. Heinke, of Kamuschin, through Dr. Giinther, 1863. | PORZANA MARUETTA (Leach). SPOTTED CRAKE. § 3093. Oxe.—From Mr. Mansfield, not later than 1843. § 3094. Siv.—Ramsey Hern, Whittlesey Mere, 1843. Out of eight, all from the same nest. I had them from the cottage of Will Searr at Ramsey Hern. I sent one to the Scarborough Museum. PORZANA MARUETTA. 4D § 8095. One.—Whittlesey Mere. From Mr. Osborne, of Fulbourne, 1843. Osborne snared the old bird on the nest. § 3096. Zhree. [Probably from East Norfolk. | From Dr. Frere, 1852. [§ 3097. One—England? From Mr. R. Reynolds, not later than 1848. | [§ 3098. One.—Whittlesey, 1849. From Mr. John Baker. | [§ 3099. One.—Valkenswaard, North Brabant, 1850. From Mr. A. Bots. ] [§ 3100. Seven.—Valkenswaard, 1851. From Mr. A. Bots. Selected from a large number. Two are very small, one measuring only bf Ss a 1:1 by ‘83 inch. | [§ 3101. Zwo.—Whittlesey, 1848. From Mr. Thomas Smith, 1851. Selected from a good many, obtained by Mr. Thomas Smith, who was the butler of Pembroke Hall and used to receive many eggs from the Whittlesey district (ef. § 3123). ] [§ 3102. Oze.—Valkenswaard, 1856. From Mr. John Baker. A yery abnormally-coloured specimen, approaching those of Zapornia intermedia or Z. parva. | [§ 3103. Owe.— South Russia.” From Herr A. Heinke, of Kamuschin, through Dr, Albert Ginther, 1863. | [§ 3104. One.— Norfolk? From the late Mr. Scales’s Collection, 1885. ] AG ZAPORNIA INTERMEDIA. ZAPORNIA INTERMEDIA (Hermann). BAILLON’S CRAKE. § 3105. Ziwo.—From Dr. Pitman, 14 March, 1846. § 3106. Four.—vValkenswaard, North Brabant, 1851. From Mr. A. Bots. [Only one of these was ever actually in Mr. Wolley’s possession. TI let Mr. Green, the dealer, have two of them in 1852, and Mr. Wolley seeing them in his shop, and recognizing my marks upon them, immediately bought one of them. The other I lost sight of for nearly forty years, when in 1891 Mr. Leopold Field, into whose possession it had come, recognizing my marks upon it, most kindly restored it to me—an additional proof, if that were needed, of the advantage of inscribing eggs in ink. The remaining two eggs never left the collection of my brother and myself. All four were received by us in 1851, direct from Arnold Bots, of Valkenswaard, who sent with them the skin of the bird, which is now in the Cambridge Museum. | § 3107. Zwo.—Klincorken, River Dommel, North Brabant, 1857. From Mr. John Baker, 1858. These are extreme varieties which I saw (2 March, 1858) in a lot of from ten to twenty eggs of the same bird left in Mr. Baker’s hands. One is a rather large specimen with unusually distinct markings on a light ground, but not (as at first sight might appear) faded. The other is a very dwarf specimen, but otherwise ordinary in appearance. Baker says he has several times had such dwarf eggs of Baillon’s Crake. He has met with no trace of the Little Crake in Holland. He says they were taken at a place called Klincorken, about twenty miles from Valkenswaard, on the Dommel, which is the river flowing from that place to Bois-le-Duc, where it joins the Meuse. They were sent to England after he had left the country, where he supposes they were taken in July, 1857. [These eggs measure 1°15 by ‘87 and ‘91 by ‘62 inch respectively. } [§ 3108. Zwo.—East Norfolk?, 6 June, 1858. From Mr. John Baker. One of these eggs was given to me in November, 1858, by Mr. Baker, the other, bought of him about the same time by Mr. Sealy, was given to me by the ZAPORNIA INTERMEDIA. AT latter, 20 July, 1898. There is no doubt that they are both from the same nest, which is alleged to have been taken on the 6th June, 1858, and the eges, six in number, received by Mr. Baker on the 12th of July, as Mr. Sealy marked on the box containing the egg he gave me, though Mr. W. Farren declared that they did not reach Cambridge till November, when he saw them freshly blown. Owing to the jealousy existing between these two dealers, neither of whom would give the name of the person or place by whom and at which their respective nests were found, the history of each is defective. Mr. Sealy, who had most to do with them. and published a note about them in ‘The Zoologist’ for 1859 (p. 6329), was quite sure that they had been taken in this country, and so far as I know they are the first that have been produced in it. I think it possible that if I had been living at Cambridge at the time, I might have made out more particulars, for My. Sealy was not a very persistent enquirer. My, Baker sold the remaining four eggs of this nest, but to whom I never heard. | § 3109. Zwo.—‘‘Isle of Ely,” August, 1858. From Mr. W. Farren, through Mr. J. D. Salmon, 1859. [One of these was given by Mr. Salmon to Mr. Wolley, and the other to myself, being from a nest of seven eggs brought with the hen bird by a fenman to Barton, a tradesman at Ely, from whom Mr, Farren had them. My. Salmon seems to have bought all of them, reserving three for his own collection, and giving the remaining two to Mr. Bond and Mr, Salvin respectively. Mr, Sealy saw these eggs and the bird while they were in Mr. Farren’s possession and wrote in the ‘ Zoologist ’ (ut supra) that this “ second nest was discovered in the first week of August, and in this instance the hen bird was taken on the nest; the eggs, seven in number, had been sat upon for some time, and had lost the usual fresh bloom, yet still are very characteristic specimens.” In his Fee-book Mr. Wolley has copied a letter from Mr. Farren to Mr, Salmon concerning these eges, but it gives no further information. | [§ 3110. Lhree—Valkenswaard, 1855. From Mr, J. Baker. From two nests. | [§ 38111. Four.—North Brabant ?, 1857. From Mr. J. Baker. From three nests, most likely out of the same lot as the two sold to Mr. Wolley (§ 8107).] [§ 3112. Scz—North Brabant? From Mr. J. Baker. Selected from a considerable number, obtained in Holland by Mr. Baker, and no doubt from the same district as the above (§ 3111). ] 48 ZAPORNIA INTERMEDIA.—Z. PUSILI.A. [§ 3113. One.—Potter-Heigham, Norfolk, 9 June, 1866.. From Mr, W. M. Crowfoot. Mr. Crowfoot wrote to me on the 12th July :—“On the 9th of last month a labouring man discovered at Potter-Heigham, in Norfolk, a nest of Baillon’s Crake containing four eggs. These he sold to a lad named George Smith, a shoe-binder at Yarmouth, who had been in the habit of collecting local ecgs for some years, and whom I had employed to collect Reeves’ eggs for me. I first saw them afew days after he had blown them. He was, of course, quite ignorant as to what they were; but thought they must be very rare as he had never seen any like them before. After considerable bargaining and some expense I managed to secure three of them—the fourth being still in Smith’s possession. If you would like a British specimen of this rare egg, I shall be happy to send you one of those which I have.” Naturally, I wrote accepting this kind offer, and on the 24th July Mr. Crowfoot wrote again :— “The following meagre particulars are all that I have at present been able to learn respecting these Cralie’s eggs. ‘They were found during the first week in June at Potter-Heigham, near Hickling in Norfolk. The old birds were observed, but, of course, not recognized. The nest, which contained four eggs, was placed in a patch of reeds growing in water about a foot in depth. It was very small and loosely made, composed of dry rushes. My informant, G. Smith of Yarmouth, visited the place for the purpose of securing the nest; but found that the reeds had been cut and the nest spoilt. These particulars I received by letter.” Again, on the 12th September, Mr. Crowfoot wrote :—“I have just sent off to you one of the Baillon’s Crake’s eggs taken at Potter-Heigham this year, which I hope you will receive safely. The only additional fact which I have been able to ascertain respecting these eggs is the exact day on which the nest was found, viz. the 9th of June.” This nest was recorded in ‘ The Zoologist ’ for 1866 (pp. 389 and 442). ] ZAPORNIA PUSILLA (Pallas). [§ 3114. Zwo.—Siberia. From Dr. Dybowski, through M. Jules Verreaux, 1873. These were sent, the one under the name of “ Ortygometra pygmea” (= Zapornia parva), the other as “ Rallus bailloni,” of which the R. pusillus of Pallas is the Eastern representative. It would seem from Dr. Jaczanowski's latest work (Faune Orn. Sib. Orient. ii. p. 997) that the former of these species does not occur in the part of Asia where Dr. Dybowski’s collections were made, and hence that both these specimens must be referred to the latter. An examination of the passages in the former writings of these two naturalists, to which reference is given in Dr. Taczanowski’s volume just cited, shews that considerable confusion had existed in their minds as to the species ; but it would seem that the egg figured to illustrate their remarks in the ‘Journal fiir Ornithologie’ for 1873 (pp. 106, 107, tab. iii. fig. 32) must be that of the present form, of which HH. Dybowski and Parrex had already in the same journal for 1868 (p. 388) stated that they had found eggs. | ZAPORNIA PARVA.—RALLUS AQUATICTS, 4.9 ZAPORNIA PARVA (Scopoli). LITTLE CRAKE. [§ 3115. One.—From Herr Méschler, through Mr. Wheelwright, 1861. [§ 3116. One.—Sarepta.” From Herr Moschler, 1862. [§ 3117. Mour.—* Volga.” From Herr Moschler, through Mr. Norgate, 1869. All the above were sent out by Herr Moéschler under the name of “ Radlus pusillus,” which he, following the example of Bechstein, Brehm, Naumann, and others, misapplied to the present species. | [§ 3118. One.—Cottbus, Brandenburg, 21 May, 1863. From Dr. Kutter, through Mr. Dresser, 1903. Given to me by Mr. Dresser, having been taken as above stated by Dr. Kutter, apparently from the nest of eight slightly incubated eggs which he found and described in the ‘Journal fiir Ornithologie’ for 1865 (p. 340). A very brief abstract of Dr. Kutter’s paper is given by Mr. Dresser (B, Eur, vii. pp. 287, 288). | [§ 3119. Zico—Lower Volga. From Dr. Stader, through Mr. Dresser, 1903. Sent to Mr. Dresser by the Doctor with the birds. | RALLUS AQUATICUS, Linnzus. WATER-RAIL. § 3120. One.—Whittlesey Mere, 1843. ‘“‘J. Ww.” Mr. Hewitson considered this a rare egg, until I informed him PART III. E at 0 RALLUS AQUATICUS. that it is very plentiful in Cambridgeshire!. Mr. Yarrell also mentions the difficulty of procuring specimens. Harvey [of Bait’s Bight] valued the eggs of the Land-Rail four times as much as these. They are less than Corn-Crakes’, and the marks not so generally distributed in streaks. The ground-colour varies from a white to a rich cream-colour, and the markings vary from small and numerous to large and thinly distributed spots. § 3121. Mneteen.—1843. (Most, if not all, from Whittlesey Mere in 1848, during Mr. Wolley’s first visit there. | § 3122. Seven.—Cambridge or Huntingdonshire, 1844. I have seen great numbers of Water-Rails’ eggs this year. They breed much earlier than the Corn-Crake, and winter in the Fens. [Apparently obtained from Osborne of Fulbourne, who no doubt got them from the Whittlesey neighbourhood, where they were then so abundant, and, like those of the Spotted Crake, called “ Dotterels.”] § 3123. Fourteen—Whittlesey, 1848. From Mr. Thomas Smith, through Mr. A. Newton, 1801. I value these eggs as perhaps the last we shall obtain in this country, for Whittlesey Mere is drained. (These from a number which I bought in 1851 from Smith, the butler of Pembroke Hail (cf. § 3101). He gave fourpence each for them to Tom Rawlinson (§ 1096). The draining of the mere was completed in 1851. I let Mr. Wolley have eight of them, keeping six for our own collection. } 1 (This should rather be Huntingdonshire, but at the time Mr. Wolley perhaps hardly appreciated the difference. In the account of this species published in 1845 in the second edition of his work (Kegs Br. B. i. p. 822) Mr. Hewitson wrote :-—“ Mr, Wolley, to whom I am indebted for a large series of the eggs, tells me they are so abundant in some parts of Cambridgeshire that the dealers sell them for one-third less than those of the Cornecrake; that one man near Cambridge had no less than fifty ; and that he has seen many on those strings of birds’ eggs which are hung up in the houses as a trophy of the bird-nesting exploits of the boys of the country.” —Ip. | RALLUS AQUATICUS. Dd] § 3124. One.—Zana, Algeria, 16 June, 1857. “ W. H. S.” From Mr. Simpson. [Said by Mr. Salvin (Ibis, 1859, p. 860) to have been common at Zana. | § 3125. Zwo—lceland. From Herr Cristian Zimsen, 1858. [Bought by Mr. Wolley and myself. They are from the only egg-collection we found in Iceland. One of them is inscribed “ Wandrisk’—a name not otherwise known to me. | [§ 3126. Zwo.—Whittlesey, 1849. From Mr. J. Baker, 1851.] [§ 3127. Zwo.—Whittlesey, 1850. From Mr. J. Baker, 1850. ] [§ 3128. Mine.—Downham, Suffolk, 15 May, 1853. Taken near the bank of the Little Ouse, by a warrener named ‘Burgess. We had never known the species to breed there hefove. | [§ 3129. One—Feltwell Fen, Norfolk, 8 June, 1853. From Mr. Newcome. From a nest of six, taken by a man named Ketteringham. Like the fore- going, one of the results of the Great Flood of the preceding winter, which induced so many of the long-lost species of Fen-birds to stay and breed. | [§ 3130. Seven.—Rathlin, Ireland, 16 June, 1863. From Mr. R. Harvey. Mr. Harvey wrote that the nest was taken in Alle Lough, by a son of Billy Anderson. } [§ 313]. Oxe—South Russia. From Dr. A. Heinke, of Kamuschin, through Dr. Giinther, 1563. ] [§ 3182. ght.—Hickling, Norfolk, May, 1877. From Mr. Norgate. | EF 2 a2 RALLUS AQUATICUS.—GALLINULA CH LOROPUS [§ 3133. Zwo.—Hickling, 8 April, 1879. From Mr. A. H. Evans. Out of a nest of nine eggs taken by Ralph Nudd, very slightly incubated. | [§ 3134. 7wo.—Heigham Sounds, Norfolk, 13 May, 1884. ch. N” From two nests. My brother wrote that going in a boat with a man “he shewed me a Water-Rail’s nest, all the eggs of which had been sucked by rats, he supposed, and the shells were in the nest or close by. The nest was well concealed in some thick low sedge, eighteen inches high. A little further on he shewed me a ‘Reed Pheasant’s’ [Panurus biarmicus| nest. The old bird was on it and flew up close to us, so that I could see her well. She flew some three or four yards above the sedge and dropped within ten yards, The nest was well concealed and only exposed by pulling the grass and sedge aside. There were five eggs, and I left them.” Later in the day he “returned across the north end of the mere, and getting near where we had seen the Water-Rail’s nest in the morning, we met a man who had found two other nests, which he shewed me. One contained six eggs, hard-set, and the other three fresh. I took one of each, but in neither case did I see the old bird. Both nests were well concealed in a narrow strip of tallish grass and sedge, a foot or so wide, which had escaped mowing, and were not more than one hundred yards apart.” | GALLINULA CHLOROPUS (Linneus). MOORHEN. §.3135. Zen—Warwickshire, not later than 1843. These Moorhens were taken by George [Wolley] near Rugby, where they are very plentiful. They are, however, common throughout the country, frequently being found with the Coot in a state of semi-domestication. In this neighbourhood [Beeston] they are in some numbers at Mr. Lowe’s pond, and also about Clifton. One is a variety frequently met with, all the eggs in a nest being sometimes of this form. The Water-Rail’s has also a tendency to lengthen out in a similar way. § 3136. 7wo.—Kton, not later than 1843. Abundant about Eton. GALLINULA CHLOROPUS. 93 [§ 3137. One.—EHlveden, 1845. William Napthen. | [§ 3138. One.—Barnham, Suffolk, 1547.] [§ 3139. Four.—Barnham, 1848. ] [§ 3140. Zwo.—Elveden, 1849. | [§ 3141. Oxe.—Elveden, 1851.1 L§ 3142. Zhree—Holland, 1851. From Mr. A. Bots. | [§ 3143. Zwo.—Elveden, 1853. | [§ 3144. Zwo.—Culford, Suffolk. ] [§ 3145. Zwo.—Dalswinton Loch, Dumfriesshire, 1854. From Mr. W. G. Johnstone. | [§ 3146. Zwo.—Elveden, April, 1856. “A. & E. N.”] [§ 3147. Zwo.—Elveden, April, 1857. “EF. N.”] [§ 3148. Ove.—Elveden, 10 June, 1857. “HE. N.”| [§ 3149. One.— South Russia.” From Herr A. Heinke, of Kamuschin, through Dr. Albert Giinther, 1862. | [§ 3150. Siz.—Gartan, Donegal, 15 May, 1863. From Mr. Robert Harvey. | [§ 3151. Stv.—Bluestone Wilderness, Heydon, Norfolk. From Mr. Norgate, 1875. | Db PORPHYRIO CARULEUS.—FULICA ATRA. PORPHYRIO CHRULEUS (Vandelli). § 3152. One.—Tangier. From M. Favier, through Mr. Wilhams, 1847. § 3153. Ove.—Zana, Algeria, June, 1857. From Mr. Salvin. Brought by Arabs from the marsh of Zana. Mr. Simpson took a nest. § 3154. One.—Ain Zana, 15 June, 1857. From Mr. Simpson, 1858. [§ 3155. Oue—Zana, 20 June, 1857. From Mr. Salvin. From a nest of four eggs. Notes on this species in Algeria by Mr. Salvin and Canon Tristram will be found in ‘The Ibis’ for 1859 (p. 861) and for 1860 (p. 159}. ] FULICA ATRA, Linneus. THE COOT. § 3156. Zhree—Clifton, Nottinghamshire. Not later than 1843. From Cutts [gamekeeper at Clifton], who gave them to my brother. In ponds where they are not disturbed they increase rapidly and become very tame. Near Eton at Salt-Hull, Two-mile- brook, and Ditton park they are in abundance. § 3157. Three.-—Whittlesey Mere. From ‘Tom Rawlinson, about 1845. § 3158. One. [There is no note of this egg, except that it has a label marked “ Coot,” apparently in Mr. Wolley’s writing. It is of normal coloration, but measures only 1:7 by 1:27 inch, and has doubtless been kept on account of its small SIZE, | FULICA ATRA. 5G § 3159. HMive.—Orkney, 1851. From Mr. G. Harvey, of Stromness. § 3160. Siv—Hastern England. From Dr. Frere, 1851. From a great number, I could pick out no better varieties than these. It is an egg that varies very little. [§ 3161. Zhree.—Kast Yorkshire. From Mr. Jones, of Brid- lington, 1851. | [§ 3162. One—Hockwold Fen, Norfoik, June, 1853. From Mr. Newcome. Taken by one of the Spencers—a relict of the great flood of the preceding year. | [§ 3163. Siv—Kast Wretham, Norfolk, 10 June, 1853. hee, BON | [ § 3164. One.—Dalswinton Loch, Dumfriesshire, 1854. From Mr. W. G. Johnstone. | [§ 3165. One.—* South Russia.” From Herr A. Heinke, of Kamuschin, through Dr. Gunther, 1863. | [§ 3166. Hight—Gartan, Donegal, 7 May, 1863. “R. H.” From Mr. Robert Harvey. Mr. Harvey’s note is:—“I got this nestful myself on the small lake at Gartan, commonly called Marshall’s Lake, about eight miles from Letterkenny, in the heart of the mountains. | [§ 3167. Mve.—Barton Broad, Norfolk, 12 May,1875. From Mr. Norgate. | DH [$ LS LS FULICA ATRA.——F. CRISTATA, 3168. Siv.—Hickling, Norfolk, May, 1877. From Mr. Norgate. | 3169. One—Ranworth Broad, Norfolk, 11th April, 1884. Ne Taken by my brother from a nest of two in the course of a voyage on the Broad in company with Mr. Southwell and Mr. Clement Reid of the Geological Survey, the nest being shewn to them by the gamekeeper of Mr. Gurney Buxton, who had the shooting of the Broad and strictly preserved the bjrds upon it. | 3170. Seven.—Séborg Mosse, Denmark, 8 May, 1892. From Herr Regenburg. Given to my brother Edward at Copenhagen. ) I g FULICA CRISTATA, Gmelin. § 3171. Zhree—Tangier. From M. Favier, through Mr. Williams, 1847. [Of this species M. Favier, in his manuscript volume on the Birds of Tangier (kindly given by Colonel Irby to the Cambridge Museum), says that it breeds in that neighbourhood, where it is much more numerous than Fulica atra, with which it constantly consorts and sometimes pairs. He describes, evidently from his own observation, its mode of nesting and eggs, which seem not to differ from those of its congener. These specimens were labeiled by him ‘ Fulica carrongulata’’—an obvious misspelling of earun- culata, by which trivial name (as Canon Tristram has pointed out to me) the species was noticed by Mr. G. W. H. Drummond-Hay ' (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1840, p. 155), only by accident referred to the genus 7ringa. It is also the Foulque caronculée of M. Barthélemy, who was the first to record it as a European bird (Rev. Zool., Oct. 1841, p. 307), though speedily followed by Lonaparte (Fauna Ital. i. Uccelli, Introd. p. 1), who without citing Barthélemy’s note repeated its substance, adding instances of the bird’s occurrence in Liguria and Sardinia, on the authority of the Marchese Carlo Durazzo. | 1 [Mr. Wolley has mentioned (supra, vol. i. pp. 1,2) M. Favier’s having been emptoyed by Mr. Edward Drummond-Hay, the former British Consul at Tangier. Mr. G.W.H, Drummond-Hay, his son I believe, gives the Arabic name of the species as “ Ll Gor,” which seems to identify his 7. carunculata with F. cristata—Ep.] GRUS COMMUNIS. 57 Srol72. %eo—Lae Halloula, Aleemay 1856) “HB. T.” From Mr. Tristram, 1858. Mr. Tristram’s note is “ taken at Halloula, a very local bird, but plentiful at Halloula, where [1] found no Common Coot. At Zana is only Common Coot. At Halloula and Fetzara the Crested.” [The Canon’s notes on this species are in ‘The Ibis’ for 1860 (pp. 157, 158). Neither Mr. Salvin nor Mr. Simpson ever saw Lulica cristata, to their knowledge, in Algeria; but they did not visit Halloula. | [§ 3173. One.—Lac Halloula, 1856. From Mr. Tristram, 1858. Lot 245 at Mr. Stevens's rooms, 9 February, 1858. | GRUS COMMUNIS, Bechstein. THE CRANE. § 3174. One.—From Mr. Green, 1852. § 3175. Three —FK rom Dr. Frere, 1853. These, I find on reference to Dr. Frere’s book, were from Herr Brandt, the Hamburg dealer, but the Doctor has had others from M. Nager- Donazain. He does not know whence they come. ‘These four eggs are all of a different ground-colour, (In a contribution to ‘ The Ibis’ for 1859 (pp. 191-198), Mr. Wolley gave the results of his observations “‘ On the Breeding of the Crane (Grus cinerea) in Lapland.” Though written with his usual happy power, and abounding in masterly touches, I do not reprint it here, for nearly all the facts it records are contained in the extracts from his Egg-book given below, and these, noted almost at the time, naturally possess a greater freshness than the more considered ccmpusition. There is also the less need for its insertion here, since the greater part has been reproduced by Mr. Dresser (Birds of Europe, vii. pp. 346-350) and Mr. Saunders (Yarrell, Brit. Birds, ed. 4, iil. pp. 183-188). Though too late to procure Cranes’ eggs in his first summer, I believe that Mr. Wolley’s having ascertained their mode of breeding and the condition of their newly-hatched young caused him as much pleasure as any of the successes which he achieved in that year. Continental orni- thologists, with the exception of Naumann (Naturgeschichte der Vogel Deutschlands, ix. pp. 376-331), who gave a good and fairly circumstantial 58 GRUS COMMUNIS. account of the bird’s habits 1, had not done much in this way, and what he had written was hardly known to any in this country. Mr. Wolley himself, I am pretty sure, was not aware of it. Indeed it is most likely that no English naturalist since the days of William Turner, more than four hundred years before, had seen a Crane’s nest, while it is certain that if one had done so he had kept the information to himself. Though Evelyn in his Diary (17 October, 1671) credits Sir Thomas Browne with the possession of Crane’s eges taken in Norfolk, Sir Thomas only mentions the species as a winter visitant to that county. ] § 3176. Fragment from hatched-out nest—I|so-uoma, 15 June, 1853. This fragment of Crane’s egg was in an old nest in the marsh [Iso-uoma] opposite to Muonioniska. We took a man with us to shew the part occupied by Trana, or Kurki in Finnish. We found the marsh with a network of strips of firm ground, perhaps three or four feet wide, covered with dwarf birch a foot high, and straggling Andromeda, sallow and other things’, the spaces between these were only just passable with pieksu [half-boots], being very swampy and soft, with a few Carices or such plants growing upon them. Our man wanted to go back, as he was sure we should find nothing ; but we had not gone far before I came across, upon the strip on which I was walking, an old nest which I at once felt sure was a Crane’s, from the number of small sticks used in its construc- tion. Upon it were lying two large weather-beaten leathery egg- linings, and pulling the nest to pieces I found fragments of egg-shell, of which this is one. The sticks of which it was made were very small twigs, and were intermingled with grass. The nest, perhaps two feet across, was five or six inches in depth. We had not gone many yards beyond, when I saw a Crane stalking in a cross-direction among some small birch-trees, now appearing to stoop somewhat and then holding its head and neck upright, as it paced leisurely. 1 (Some of his information was presumably from his own observations, though he says he did not live near enough to nesting Cranes to make out as much as he would have liked. Other particulars he obtained from Herr von Seyftertitz. It is curious that he describes the down of the newly-hatched young as being “grey” or “ grey-brown,’ whereas it is certainly tawny or pale chestnut in colour.—ED. | 2 (In his ‘Ibis’ article, beside the Andromeda polifolia, My. Wolley also names Ledum palustre, Vaccinium utyinosum, and Rubus chamemorus. “There were also a few bushes or treelets of the common birch,” Betula alba, one of which served, as will be seen, a useful purpose subsequently.—Ep. | GRUS COMMUNIS. 59 Presently the boys called out that they had found some young Cranes. Running up I saw a Crane rise just before me from among some thick bushes, not twenty yards from where the boys had been shout- ing for some time. I found the little bird standing upright and walking or running about feebly, but with some facility, and chirping. The old birds were now flying at a little height from the ground in a great circle round us, more and more distant, flapping their wings with rather a curious rhythm, throwing them suddenly, in making the return-stroke, more over the back than usual. They first made a kind of clattering noise, and then trumpeted occasionally, flying of course with legs and neck stretched out. The young were tawny beneath, changing to buff (or chestnut) upon the upper parts. They held themselves up well. As I played with one, he soon became friendly and pecked at gnats on my fingers, and when at last I went away, he followed me about half as quick as I walked for some distance, no doubt taking me for one of his long-legged parents. At a little distance I found a third young one’. They could not have been hatched many days. All our efforts to find the nest were vain. When I got to some distance I saw one of the parent birds alight near where the young were left; but returning in half an hour I could not hear or see the least trace of any of the family, though before the young had been chirping (like other young birds) so as to be heard at certainly one hundred yards’ distance. It is evident that these birds run as soon as they are hatched, and now the old egg- skins lying in the nest is explained. We lay for many hours just by where the young had been, partly I by myself and partly with the four other people, indeed we made a bivouac on the spot and a rendezvous for the receipt of provision from the by [village]. I should add that a piece of long down in the nest, evidently [not ?] a Goose’s or Swan’s, strengthened my conviction that it was a last year’s Crane’s. § 3177. Fragment from hatched-out nest.—\Warto-uoma, 29 June, 1853. The principal object of my going to the marsh [Karto-uoma] to-day was to see the Crane’s nest, which had been found by Herr Salomon 1 [This seems to have been a mistake, and Mr. Wolley must have come across one of the birds he had seen before, which had shifted its position. There was certainly not a second pair of Cranes in the marsh, and there is no evidence that the brood ever exceeds two in number.—Ip. | 60 GRUS COMMUNIS. the day previously*, and which I had known to be Crane’s by the fragments of egg which he brought home. I found it precisely lke the old nest in lso-uoma [§ 3176], situated upon one of the ridges elevated not more than two or three inches above the level of the swamp. The nest composed of twigs at the bottom, covered with grass and hay, altogether scarcely two inches deep. It is three of my spans across in one direction and three and a half in another. I take away a bundle of the material. Half of one of the egg-skins with fragments of the shell attached is lying in the water near, and in the nest are many little bits of egg-shell. There are lying near so many feathers, principally large wing-feathers and such, that I almost doubt whether some large bird-of-prey has not killed the old Crane, the more so as we see no Cranes in this Karto-uoma. The position of the nest in the fen is a central one, rather towards the south end of it. Upon the ridge grows moss, a little grass, buck-bean, dark bog- Potentilla (?), and other things, also the little dwarf birch, not more than a foot or so high, with the branches inclined. About one hundred yards off are a few scattered birch bushes, eight or ten feet high. § 3178. Zwo.—lIso-uoma, 20 May, 1854. “J. W. tpse.” ©. W. tab. E. On Friday afternoon I went with Ludwig by land to Iso-uoma to try to find the Crane’s nest, for I believe only one pair frequent it. I could not see or hear a bird of the kind, but determined carefully to beat over the strips of land westward from Trast-skog (my name), where we had found the nest last year [§ 3176]. We marked each strip as we entered and as we left it. No encouragement; but at last I suddenly saw the two eggs lying on an adjacent strip. They were placed parallel to each other, and just so that there would be room for a third egg between them. The nest was little more than two feet wide, quite flat, made of somewhat matted light-coloured grass or hay, about a couple of inches in thickness, and raised only two or three inches from the general surface of the swamp. There was higher ground close by, and many spots apparently more convenient in the immediate neighbourhood. It was just at the edge and rather under cover of the strip. There was no tree or bush very * “When I was not with the party.” GRUS COMMUNIS. 6] near, but some steps to the west was a nearly dead birch. On a branch of this I hung a strip of white bark, and took a line that I might know the exact position from Thrush-wood. I had previously walked round, expecting that the bird might be crouching near, though indeed there was scarcely any cover. On feeling at the eggs I found them quite cold. I saw that there was scarcely anything between them and the rising ground of the wood, and I thought I might even see them with a glass therefrom. Quickly leaving the place, we went up and made a hut of fir-branches in which I was to lie well concealed, and so placed that as I lay upon the ground I could rest my glass on a log and watch the nest at my leisure. I had taken one of the eggs in my hand, and I wished to see whether the bird would detect the handling, and whether she would carry them off under her wing to another place, as Cranes are said todo. Inow crept into my den. Ludwig gave the finishing touch, and went to the other side of the wood, where he was to make a fire to sleep by, but on no account to come to me, for fear it should just be at a critical moment. There were a good many birds about—flocks of Ruffs, one of which, with a white frill, at first seemed to me in the distance an unknown bird. Wood-Sandpipers were piping, and I once or twice heard the keet-koot of a Snipe. ) [It measures 1:92 by 1:3 inch, which is less than one obtained later (§ 3679). | § 3654. One.—Modas-lompalo, June, 1855. Out of three brought to Ludwig by Modas Olli on the 10th June, perfectly fresh, but two of them broken. The fourth egg Olii had completely smashed and thrown away. He found them on a palo-maa [burnt ground], and the bird was very noisy. He knows the Spotted Redshank well. (Two of them were sold at Mr. Stevens’s rooms, 7 March, 1856, to Messrs. Hewitson and Bird, for Mr. Wilmot and Lord Garvagh respectively. | § 3655. Four.—Keras-sieppi, 13 June, 1855. ‘‘ Bird snared, 1. Ms Found by Ludwig near Keras-sieppi. He and Piko Heiki were TOTANUS FUSCUS. 149 walking on a cow-track, when the bird got up a couple of yards from the track, so Ludwig saw there were four eggs. Then they set four snares, two in each stick, for they set up two like gateposts, with the snares meeting in the middle, and then they made a hedge round the nest. They went away and ate, and when they came back the bird was strangled. It is now (15th August) before me, a black cock bird. Ludwig saw the hen also. Two of the eggs had already holes in them, the beak of the young bird shewing. § 3656. Four.—Rowa, June, 1855. Brought by Nils Punz on 23rd of June—a fine nest. § 3657. Oxve.—-Peldouoma, 1855. Out of three brought by Michael Sadio. [Another was given to Mr, Wilmot, the third I cannot trace. | § 3658. Four.—Meras-jarvi, 1855. Brought by Christine Andersdotter Blind, a Lapp girl, -on the 23rd June, under the name of Tiuttz. § 3659. Zhree-—Wassara, 1836. Out of seven, which seem to be from three nests, mostly broken, He brought them on the 12th July, and called them Mustatiuttz. § 3660. Four.—Salmojirvi, 1856. Brought by Fred on the 23rd June. He said they were Muséa- tiutti. § 3661. Hour.—Sadio, 1856. Brought by Michael. § 3662. Four—Mielmuka, 13 June, 1856. Found by Solomon IJlietalla, who lives at Mielmuka-uoma, where I was two days ago looking for bears’ spoor. He brought them to Ludwig as Mustatiutti on the 24th. 150 TOTANUS FUSCUS. § 3663. Four.—Toras-sieppi, June, 1856. Brought by Toras-sieppi’s girl on the 23rd June, soon after they were taken. Large young inside. § 3664. Four.—Kaaressuando, 1856. Two or three of them badly broken. Found by Pieton Josa, and obtained by Ludwig on 27th July. Josa called them Mustatiutti, as they evidently are. § 3665. Four.—Marranen, S. Obtained by Ludwig in Kuttainen, 26th July. They were found by Anti, a lad of Rodos-niemi’s gard, in Marrases, which lies two Swedish miles to the west of Kuttainen. § 3666. Four.—Muoniovaara, 6 June, 1857. Found by Herr Forsstrém’s drdng [servant], Abraham Wollsson Kangosjirvi, as he was leading horses, in the south end of Muonio- vaara, near the marsh which is on the Muonioalusta winter-road. The bird flew up, but he did not recognize it. He put them in his handkerchief, and two are slightly dented. They are evidently Spotted Redshank’s and were slightly sat upon. § 3667. Four.—Salmojarvi, 1-6 June, 1857. Brought on the 10th of June by Hendrik, with the name Riivattu, but found by his brother Matthias. Paly-marked eggs and small; but seem probably right. The colour, a greenish ground, and the early date of the capture are favourable. § 3668. Four.—Salmojirvi, 8 June, 1857. rought with the last by Hendrik Salmojirvi, but found by himself in Ahven-kielinen on Sirkijarvi river-strand. The bird rose two ells from his feet, crying ¢jut, tjut, and he knew with certainty that it was Riivattu. Though the eggs are so small I have little doubt that they are, as stated, Spotted Redshank’s. I have fonnd the lad trustworthy, so far as can remember, He spoke with TOTANUS FUSCUS. Toil an air of certainty and of truth. As the eggs lie before me (11th June) fresh blown, their greenish colour seems to exclude Redshank from the question. They have not the style of Reeves’ and they are too large for Snipes’. The season, too, is unusually late. § 3669. Oze—Niuvunki, 21 June, 1857. Of four brought with other eggs to Knoblock by Piko Heiki on 11th July, and laid aside, as containing large young, to be blown by me. Found by Ankkuri-Niemin Johan’s son Matthias, on the 21st June in Korkia-maa, between Niuvunki and Sarki-lompalo. He saw the bird and knew it to be Mustatiutti. [One of them was sent by Mr. Wolley to the Museum at Berne. | Mellavaara, 22 June, 1857. § 3670. One. Out of four found by Niemi’s Abraham [Apoo] on Mellavaara as late as the 22nd of June. I myself saw birds at Saivoi very late, but apparently scarcely yet breeding. Abraham said he saw Mustatiutti near the nest; but also some other kinds of swamp-birds. I have blown these eggs with the exception of one, that I failed in. [I know not what is become of the remaining two. | § 3671. Four. Ounas-tunturi, June, 1857. § 3672. Four. | Found and named by the Lapp, Johan Eric Marti (brother of the well-known Martin Piety), as he himself told me at my visit to his kota [hut] in June. He had sent off these eggs a day or two before by the hand of Joel, son of Nalima Niku, who brought them to Knoblock on the 5th July. Four were broken on the way by the carelessness of a woman, and these [broken] four, according to the boy, were a complete nest ; but it is evident by the character of the eggs that he was wrong, and that the nests were as I have classed them—the ground-colour and the character of the spots both shew this. A very trustworthy Lapp; he said he recognized the birds of both nests. [As Mr. Wolley rightly determined, two eggs of each nest have been injured. | low TOTANUS FUSCUS. § 3673. Four.—Kaaressuando, June, 1857. Received by me at Kaaressuando of Picton Josa, and called Musta- kuovi [Black Whimbrel] by his lad Josa, who found them himself some weeks before midsummer on Sirma-vaara on the way to Sya- jarvi, in Finland. It is over a mile from Kaaressuando, on the top of a hill under a little juniper—reindeer-moss ground. § 3674. Four.—Pulju, 1857. ‘* With bird.” Brought 4th August, by Sadio Michael. They came with Johan Johansson Pulju to Sadio while Michael was away, with the skin of the bird now in my possession. § 3675. Four—Peldo-uoma, June, 1857. “ With bird.” Brought to me 18th June at Peldouoma, by Peter Angili, with the bird snared from the eggs. § 3676. Four.—Kattila, 1857. Brought to Muoniovara on 5th August, by Carl Johansson Nulusjirvi, the post-lad for the occasion. He received them in Rauhula of the Kittila postman, who had brought them from Sirkka, and said they belonged to Johan Mathila there. § 3677. Four.—Palovaara-lompalo, 4 June, 1858. Brought to Muoniovara, 6th June, by Ligawaini Eric’s daughter, who said they were Mustatiutti, which the girl Stina had found as above on dry burnt ground (fért). There was nothing else in the nest than dry leaves, and forest round about. The bird flew up from the nest and cried ¢jut, tjut. § 8678. Two.—Kyro, 7 June, 1858. / Out of four sent to Muoniovara, 4th July, found by Olaf Johan Kyré in Lantantakki-pulasta. The other two broken. TOTANUS FUSCUS. Las § 3679. One.—Pippo-uoma, 8 June, 1858. Out of a nest of three brought to Muoniovara on the 24th by Martin Pekka, and found on the 10th on the shore of Pippo-uoma. (This seems to be the largest eg¢ in the whole series, measuring 2°5 by 13linch. The other two from this nest were given to the late Mr. Newcome and Mr, A. C. Smith. ] § 3680. Mour.—Pippo-uoma, 10 June, 1858. Brought with the last and taken at the same place on the 10th. § 3681. Four.—Pippo-uoma, 9 June, 1858. Brought to Muoniovara, 4th July, as Mustatiutii. Found by Brita, the wife of Hendrik Kaukaniemi. § 3682. Four.—Pissivaaran-tiwi, 10 June, 1858. Brought to Muoniovara on the 6th July by Piko Heiki. Found as above by Abraham Korkela. § 3683. Four.—tKangosjirvi, 13-19 June, 1858. Brought to Muoniovara on the 26th by Olaf Ollila Kangosjirvi ; found between the 13th and 19th at Kiima-leikki, between Kangosjarvi and Huippu. § 3684. Four.—Willimaa, Rowa, 14-19 June, 1858. Brought on the 23rd June to Muoniovara by Petter Rowa [other- wise Punz or Punch], who said that they were found between the 14th and 19th in Willimaa and were the eggs of Mustatiutti, but gave no other information, and Knoblock thought they were not rightly ascribed. ‘They contained large young. {I see no sufficient ground for Knoblock’s doubt. | § 3685. Four.—Rowa, 1858. Brought on the 15th June by Aron Palojocnsu, but found by Isaak Johansson of Rowa. 154 TOTANUS FUSCUS. § 3686. Four.—Hatta, 24 June, 1858. Brought by Nils Petter on the 11th July, having been found as above on the other side of Hiitta lake. § 3687. Four.—Wuontisjarvi, 1858. Brought, 4th July, by Aron Wuontisjirvi, found there near the river-shore. § 3688. Four.—Rowa, May, 1859. Brought by Nils Rowa on the 23rd June, found two or three weeks before the 6th. § 3689. Four.—Ounas-tunturi, 8 June, 1859. Brought to Muoniovara, 26th June, 1859, found on the 8th by Martin Piety and his boy: Petter at Sittila sallenjanka, while employed at daily wages. § 3690. Two.—Wassara, 13 June, 1859. Out of four, brought to Muoniovara, 25th June, 1859, by Johan Petter Wassara, who found them about the 13th on the shore of Aven-uoma, “ full of young.” [Another was broken, the fourth given to Mr. Salvin. ] § 3691. Mour.—Sieppi, June, 1859. Brought to Muoniovara, 5 July, by the wife of Sieppi’s Pekka, having been found by her daughter Greta before midsummer, § 3692. Four.—Kyro, 1859. Brought to Muoniovara on the 3rd of August by a man from Jacob Kyro. [These were thought by Knoblock possibly to belong to Iso-Tatvaanjaara (that is Scolopax major, of which he had heard tell) ; but there is no evidence of the occurrence of that species in the district. ] [S L$ TOTANUS FUSCUS. 155 3693. Four.—Ounas-tunturi, 3-9 June, 1860. Brought to Mnoniovara, 2 July, 1860, by Martin Pekka; found, apparently by himself, at Kulmesaja by Ounas-tunturi between the 3rd and 9th June. | 3694. Four.—Pippo-uoma, 3-9 June, 1860. Brought with the last and found about the same time, but on the shore of Pippo-uoma. | [§ 3695. Four.—Kertavaara-aldu, Kyr6, 7 June, 1860. [S [§ [§ L$ LS Brought to Muoniovara on the 15th by Per Ratamavaara from Kyyro, haying been found as above. | 3696. Four.—Wassen-tieva, Katkassuando, 9 June, 1860. Brought to Muoniovara on the 24th, having been found by Johan Petter, the son of Petter Pekkola, as above. | 3697. Mour.—Hirsi-maa, 10-16 June, 1860. Brought to Muoniovara, 30 June, by Maria Muotkajarvi. } 3698. Four.—Muoniovaara, 15 June, 1860. Brought this same day by Tiberg’s Johan, who found them at Kaakkuri- lammas. | 3699. Four.—Kyro, 1860. Brought to Muoniovara, 23 June, 1861, by Johan Salanki of Kyr6, but found the sumnier before in Majtajarvi strand, and blown out by himself. } 3700. Four.—Wassara, 5 June, 1861. Brought to Muoniovara, 22 June, by Nicole} Wassara, having been found on the 5th in Suopa-uoma. | 5701. Four.—Katkassuando, 6 June, 1861. Brought to Muoniovara on the 8th June by Petter Fredriksson Alatalla, who said that they were Mustatiutti, found on the 6th, when there were two eggs in the nest, and that the bird was black. Knoblock wrote :—* I cannot myself be quite certain about these eggs, for they are thicker than thuse of 156 TOTANUS FUSCUS. [§ [§ Mustatiutti’s commonly are: but the boy asseverated that he knew Musta- tiuttt well, and found it three times on the nest, so must I trow that these are its eggs. He described the bird’s cry. The boy is little, and I cannot think him to have been instructed by anyone.” These eggs are curious enough to have justified Knoblock’s doubts, but I see no reason why the boy’s story should not be believed. | 3702. Four.—Wassara,:10 June, 1861. 3rought to Muoniovara, 22 June, with those of the 5th (§ 3700), having been found in the same place, but on the 10th. } 3703. Four.—Ounas-tunturi, 10 June, 1861. Found by Martin Piety on Russis-rowa-weri. ] [§ 3704. Mowr—kKyro, 12 June, 1861. [$ L$ Sent to Muoniovara by Martin Piety from Matthis Mattheson Kyré, havir g¢ been found on Rutima-uoma. } 3705. Zwo.—Mellavaara, 29 May, 1862. Brought to Muoniovara, 9 June, by Olaf Johansson Mella, found by him near his gard. | 3706. Four. Pippo-uoma, 5 June, 1862. 3707. Four. Two nests found by Johan Ericsson Kyréd and brought to Muoniovara, 2 July.) [§ 3708. One.—Tepasto, June, 1862. Brought 2 July, found by Mikel Hendrik Tepasto. ] [§ 3709. One.—Siivomutka, 28 May, 1863. Brought on the 31st, by Anonis Calli, found near Siiyomutka. ] — TOTANUS FUSCUS.—T. CALIDRIS. je [§ 5710. Fouwr.—Muoniovaara, 14 June, 1863. Found and brought the same day by Petter Persson behind Meoniovaara. The ground-colour of one of these eggs is of a very pale greyish blue, with what would have become the deeper markings faintly indicated in cloud-like fashion, as though the egg had been prematurely laid: yet the shell is strong. | [§ 3711. Three.—Sodankyla, June, 1863. Brought by Martin Piety from Sodankyla.] [§ 3712. Four—kKatkassuando, June, 1863. Brought on the 6th of July, having been found near Katkissuando, about three weeks before, by Pekkola of that place.] [§ 3713. Zwo.—Kyré, June, 1863. Brought on the 16th July by Martin Piety from Johan Erik Martensson. ] [§ 3714. Four.—Kyré, 12 June, 1864. Brought by the same, found on Kylimesen-jirvi. } [§ 3715. Four.—Kyro, June, 1864. Brought with the last, but from Johan Erik Kyri.] TOTANUS CALIDRIS (Linnzus). THE REDSHANK. § 3716. Two.—Whittlesey, not later than 1844. From Osborne, of Fulbourne. They breed regularly at Whittlesey Mere. § 3717. Oze.—From Mr. Yarrell, 1845. A beautiful variety. 158 TOTANUS CALIDRIS. § 3718. Zwenty.—From Dr. Frere, 1849, 1850. Bought in Leadenhall Market. [Most of the Redshanks’ eggs in those days that found their way to Leaden- hall Market came, I believe, from the Netherlands, and in hundreds. It was thought, though wrongly, that the species had then ceased to breed in the southern parts of England. } § 3719. Four.—Orkney, 1850. From Mr. George Harvey, of Stromness. Entered in his list as “Red Legs,” and evidently little valued; still they are of interest to shew the locality. § 3720. Mght—1851. These I bought in Leadenhall Market, at the end of May, mixed up with Reeves’, Godwits’, and perhaps other eggs. Many of them were nearly rotten, and I blew them at 4 Holles Street, where I was staying with Mr. Edge and Sysselmand Miller. § 3721. Thirty—Orkney, 1851. From Mr. George Harvey, as before. Two of them are very large. § 3722. Hight.—[ Not later than 1851.] [These were apparently picked out by Mr. Wolley for a cabinet series; but there is nothing to shew whence they were obtained. | § 3723. Zwelve—From Dr. Frere, 1852. These selected from a very great number in Dr. Frere’s duplicate drawers. All probably from Leadenhall Market. § 3724. Four—Spynie, Sutherland, 4 May, 1853. From Mr. Hancock, 1854. Given to me by Mr. Hancock, 24 August, 1854. They were taken at Loch Spynie, near which Mr. St. John lives. TOTANUS CALIDRIS. 159 § 3725. Two.—Varanger Fjord, June, 1855. Brought to Mortensnas by a Lapp, 25th June—half-grown young inside. Herr Nordvi had an interview with the man and came to the conclusion that they were the eggs of 7itanus calidris. I have seen the bird hereabouts. § 3726. One.—Gaudo-jaure, East Finmark, 28 June, 1855. So VV Ses Found by Mr. Simpson [Hudleston] alone in the night. [This lake is about three English miles to the north of Mortensniis, where we were staying at the time. | § 3727. Four.—Fora, Giland, 6 June, 1856. “J. W.” No doubt Redshanks’, of which several pairs were complaining about the marsh when I took these eggs. § 3728. Four.—Iceland. From Herr Cristian Zimzen, 1858. [§ 37 29, One.—Valkenswaard, North Brabant, 1851. ] [§ 3730. Fouwr—Hockwold Fen, Norfolk, 17 June, 1853. ue NN. Watching from the top of a straw-stack, my brother saw the bird go to this nest, and walking up to it she rose at his feet. | [§ 3731. Lwo.—Hockwold Fen, June, 1853. From different nests. Attracted by the great flood in this district, which followed the bursting of the river-bank in November 1852 and lasted for half the following year (Trans. Norf. & Norw. Nat. Soc. v. pp. 560-568), a good many pairs of Redshanks appeared, and, for the first time for many years, even bred. Most of the nests were taken, but my brother and I knew of one, at Wangford in West Suffolk, which escaped, for we heard a young bird, which we were unable to find, call to its parents, who were piping in great excitement round us. | 160 TOTANUS CALIDRIS. [§ 8732. Four—West Norfolk, 1854. From Mr. Thomas Southwell. | [§ 3733. One—‘ South Russia.” From Herr A. Heinke, of Kamuschin, through Dr. Albert Giinther, 1863. | [§ 3734. Four.—Salthouse, Norfolk, 14 May, 1875. From My. F. Norgate. | [§ 3735. Four.—Barton, Norfolk, May, 1877. From Mr. F. Norgate. | [§ 3736. Four—Aldeburgh, Suffolk, 27 April, 1878. “A. & BLN’ From a nest shewn to my brother Edward by one Fisher, a man some thirty years old, and by his own account a great “egger” at and about the place, of whom we heard on our arrival there the day before. The nest was on the border of the “haven” or “mere” to the north of the town, between the marsh-land and the beach or “craig-path.” I went with my brother and the man to see it and we took the eggs, The nest seemed to have had a good many fingers in it aud was, I believe, deserted. It was deep in a tuft of coarse grass and rushes, but on quite dry ground, and formed of a good deal of dry grass. We were shewn also another nest with two eggs, in a “whin”-bush (the first time I have met with the word whin, for furze, in Suffolk), and also on dry ground, between the marsh and the “craig-path.” We saw some Red- shanks about, but no great number, though more of them than of Lapwings. The next day we walked to the wet ground, to the westward of the railway, and saw at least twenty-five pairs of Redshanks. To the southward we walked some three miles and a half, between the sea and the river, and saw only two pairs, but Fisher told us that had we gone a little further we might have picked up Redshanks’ eggs as fast as we liked. On the 25th, between Brightlingsea and Wyvenhoe, we had counted twenty-six Redshanks from the railway carriage as we went along. | [§ 3737. One.—Hickling Broad, Norfolk, 13 May, 1884. ee. Nez From a nest shewn to my brother. There had been four eggs, but three were found to have been sucked by rats when he went to it. The egg was about half-incubated. The nest was about thirty yards from the Broad, and well concealed in a tuft of coarse grass. There were a few Redshanks flying about. | TOTANUS FLAVIPES.—T. STAGNATILIS. Low [§ 3738. Two.—From the late Mr. John Scales’s Collection, 1885. Most likely Norfolk specimens. ] TOTANUS FLAVIPES (Gmelin). YELLOWLEGS (§ 3739. Two.—Barren Ground, Anderson River, 25 June, 1863. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Prof. Baird, 1866 P. Z. S. 1867, p. 166, pl. xv. fig. 5. The label accompanying these eggs shews that they were from a nest of four, very near which the female bird (no. 36095) was shot by Mr. R. MacFarlane. They were exhibited by me at a meeting of the Zoological Society in 1867, and one of them was figured in its ‘ Proceedings’ asabove. Mr. MacFarlane himself states of this species (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiv. p. 428) that it is “Probably the most abundant and certainly the noisiest of all the waders met with. Nests were found at Tort Anderson, on the Lower Anderson, in the wooded country to and along the rivers which flow through the Barren Grounds. In many instances the male bird was seen perching on trees in the vicinity, but when young were present both parents were particularly noisy, and did all that was possible to attract away intruders, while the former soon learned to run and screen themselves from view in the grass. Over thirty nest entries are recorded, while it is among the earliest of the waders which arrive and breed in the region.” | TOTANUS STAGNATILIS, Bechstein. MARSH-SANDPIPER. § 3740. Two.—“ Hungary.” From Herr Méschler, 1862. ears) | Herr Moschler wrote to me, on my remarking on the close resemblance between the eggs ascribed to this species and those of Terekia, that he did not believe the latter ever bred in Hungary, whence he received the present specimens. | [§ 3741. One.—Apa], Pester Comitat, Hungary, 1855. From Mr. Dresser. Mr. Dreszer informed me that he obtained this egg at Buda-Pest in 1866 PART III. M 162 TOTANUS GLAREOLA. from Herr Johann von Frivaldsky. In 1902 Mr. Dresser himself took eggs of this species in the same county, as he mentions in ‘The Field’ newspaper of 7 March, 1903 (p. 398):—“ The nests were on a grassy patch between two small pieces of water... . Each nest was a cup-shaped depression in a tuft of erass, scantily lined with a few dry bents.” The eggs vary greatly, even those in the same nest differing from each other. | TOTANUS GLAREOLA (Gmelin). WOOD-SANDPIPER. § 3742. One.—Valkenswaard, North Brabant, 1851. From Messrs. A. & EK. Newton. This supposed egg of Totanus glareola J received from Mr. Alfred Newton, who [with his brother] had obtained direct from Holland a number of eggs [§ 1466], and among them about a dozen marked “ Whitestart Sandpiper,’ which Mr. Yarrell, Dr. Frere, and I have pronounced to be Dunlins’, and five others sent as “ Grey-legged ”’ and “ Red-legged ” Sandpiper, four of which Mr. Yarrell and others believe to be 7. glareola, and one which he decided to be a Common Sandpiper’s ; but I incline to the belief that all are 7. glareola. Mr. Newton writes of these last :—‘“‘They are like what I have received in other years as Whitestart Sandpipers’, and have hitherto believed to belong to T. ochropus. No skin of the last has been sent, but several of 7’. glareola.” [There has been no question for a long while that this and some of the eggs sent with it, four of which are entered below (§ 3775), are Wood-Sandpipers’. They all came to us direct from Arnold Bots, the old falconer, well known to Mr. Hoy, who himself found the species breeding in the district, though he obtained only one nest with eggs (cf. Hewitson, ‘ Brit. Ool.’ ili. text to pl. cl. No. 37, published 1 June, 1858) ; but Bots got them from the country-people, who were not careful to distinguish the different nests, and so the eggs were mixed with those of the Snipe, Redshank, and Dunlin. As the great amount of variation to which Wood-Sandpipers’ eggs are subject was not appreciated in 1851, the hesitation expressed by Mr. Yarrell and others as to these specimens is not surprising. | § 3743. Four.—Muonioniska, 16 June, 1853. These eggs were brought to me by a little boy as belonging to “* Ranta-tiutti’’ |Shore-Sandpiper]. He had found the nest a week TOTANUS GLAREOLA. 163 ago. I went with him to the spot, and saw that it was very simple and slight in its construction, on a raised sod or tuft, with two or three sallow-sprigs near. The boy declared the bird which belonged to it was of the same kind as one whose nest he found three or four hundred yards off later in the day, as hereafter related, from which I shot it. Iam bound to mention that during his first summer in Lapland (1853 co Mr. Wolley thought that the Sandpiper which was so numerous there was T. ochropus, and marked its eggs accordingly; but, having been careful to } ’ ota) Ord 3 9 te) procure and preserve specimens of the bird, the mistake was easily rectified. | § 3744. Four.—Muonioniska, 16 June, 1855. “J. W.” These were found by the same boy as the last, I being in company. I did not see the bird at the first visit, nor at one perhaps an hour later; but going up a third time, the bird was sitting upon the top of a little fir-tree near, and I saw her clearly with my glass, indeed she allowed me to appreach within a few yards. She sat with one foot placed higher than the other, and piped constantly. Still an hour or so later I again visited the nest, and saw that the bird was on it. Though her eye was full upon me, she allowed me to approach within a yard, when she flew off a few paces and settled, and then a few paces further. I shot her to preserve proof of the eggs. The nest was slight, but still with a good deal of material for a bird of this kind—mostly short pieces of bent—and I have kept it. Im the same marsh, at no great distance, a nest of three eggs nearly hatching was trodden upon, which appeared to be Reeve’s, and a bird like a Reeve flew overhead, Whimbrels were there sitting on tree-tops, and perhaps 7. fuscus, and I thought I heard (and am pretty sure rightly) the Common Snipe, both clicking and bleating. It rained heavily, a very good time for finding Waders on their nests. § 3745. Four.—Muonioniska, 17 June, 1853. “J. W.” I did not myself flush the bird, but the boy was sure it was the same as that whose nest I took yesterday. While at the nest | several times saw the bird fly round and alight at a short distance, so that I could see as well as possible what kind it was. I did not therefore attempt to shoot it. ay 164 TOTANUS GLAREOLA. § 3746. One.—Muonioniska, June, 1853. Of four eggs which we found collected for us on our return to (E(vrebyn, 27 June. They were taken by one of the two girls who brought the eggs of Redstart [$ 1410]. [The three other eggs of this nest were sold at Mr. Stevens’s rooms, 17 February, 1854, to Lord Garvagh. | § 3747. Four.—Kaaressuando, 5 June, 1854. Found to-day by a Lapp boy near Maunu. He calls them Liro, that is Wood-Sandpiper. § 3748. Four.—Muoniovaara, 6 June, 1854. Found by Anton in Kaakkuri-lammas, at the back of Muoniovaara. He tried in vain to snare the bird. § 3749. Four.—Muoniovaara, 8 June, 1854. Found by Anton in a marshy spot, a few ells across, near the other house. The bird flew up, and he thought nothing of it till afterwards, but then he went back. [These eggs have a pale green ground. | § 3750. Mour.—Muoniovaara, 14 June, 1854. Apparently Wood-Sandpiper’s, found by Andragards Maria [Maria of the other house] and blown by Ludwig during my absence— largish young inside. The nest was on a tuft just by the fence. I often see birds there. § 3751. Fouwr.—Muoniovaara, 15 June, 1854. Found by Ludwig just at the back of the fence, between Herr Forsstré6m’s house and the lake. The bird he was sure was Liro, which he knows well, and I see the birds about there every day and hear them at this moment that I am writing (5 July). Ludwig laid snares, and three Fieldfares’ eggs in the uest, all blown and filled with water. He saw a Hawk-Owl almost directly afterwards fly to the nest and carry off an egg—a dainty meal | TOTANUS GLAREOLA. 165 § 3752. Four. — Muoniovaara, 22 June, 1854. “ Bird snared.” | By Ludwig in Kaakkuri-lammas, The skin of the bird iies before me. [These eggs have a very conspicuous zone. | § 3753. Four.—Palojoki, June, 1854. From Johan Matthias Johanenpoika of the gédstgifvaregard at Palojoki. I got them on the 22nd of June, on my way southward, but did not see the lad himself. P.S. 6 Nov. Wood-Sandpiper’s. § 3754. Four.—Katkassuando, 1854, Liro’s eggs from Anna Greta. § 3755. Mour.—lIso-uoma, 19 June, 1855. ‘ Bird snared. es MK Found by Anton and Ludwig just after they got into the myr from Akka-Mella. He shewed Mr. Newton and me the exact spot when we were in the myr with him [in August]. They laid a fence with snares round the nest, and caught the bird in little more than an hour. Its skin is here. § 3756. One.—Abkis-lompalo, 1855. Of three brought by a lad, Henrick, on 28 June. On comparison with a series of 28 Wood-Sandpipers’ eggs, these three look so large as to suggest the idea of a distinct species. [The alleged discovery of Totanus ochropus breeding in Lapland always rendered Mr. Wolley suspicious of eggs which might belong to it, until Ludwig’s expedition to Kop Vand in 1857 put an end to all uncertainty on that point. Though some eggs of the Wood-Sandpiper closely resemble those of the Green Sandpiper, this one shews no particular similarity. | § 3757. Four.—Mukka-uoima, 1855. From Josa’s wife, in a marsh near the house. Apparently Wocd- Sandpiper’s, but an interesting Ring-Dotterel-like variety. 166 TOTANUS GLAREOLA. § 3758. Four.—Nilimaa, June, 1856. Wood-Sandpiper’s, brought to Ludwig on the 26th, by Salomon Pehrsson. § 3759. Four.—Nyimmakka, 1856. Found on Kivi-ranta, Vittangi-jarvi near Nomnablas § 3760. Four,—Lapland, 1856. Seem to be Wood-Sandpiper’s. They have been kept separate, and Ludwig is pretty sure that they are the four entered in his book as found on Kivijarvi-strand in Vittangi—the Vittangi near Nyimakka [cf. § 3759]. § 3761. Four.—Nyimakka, 1856. Found near Nyimakka. § 3762. Four.—Sadio, 1856. Said to be Liro’s, but probably Common Sandpiper’s, though they are of somewhat unusual appearance. [To my eye they are much more like Wood-Sandpiper’s, and I have little compunction about entering them here as such. | § 3763. Four.—Mielmuka-uoma, 23 June, 1857. Brought by Teuran Anti’s lad, Johan, on the 24th. He called them Mustatiutti [Black Redshank]. The nest was on a tuft. From the appearance of the eggs, as well as the locality, there can be no reasonable doubt that they are those of Totanus glareola. § 3764. Four.—Tanan-anti, June, 1857. “ With bird.” Laid separate with the bird, in the same tray with two other birds and nests, namely, one of Common Sandpiper [$ 3820] and one of Ring-Plover [§ 3490]. [It is not stated by whom these birds were snared and their nests taken. Mr. Wolley must have obtained them on his way to Norway. The Wood- Sandpiper’s eggs are very warmly coloured specimens. | TOTANUS GLAREOLA. 167 § 3765. Four.—Katkiassuando, 1857. Brought on 5th July by Anna Greta Frederiksdotter, belonging to Khas Vanha-piha, who said he did not know what they were. § 3766. Three——Meras-lompalo, 7 July, 1857. Brought on the 19th, and said to have been Vikla [Greenshank], found in a myr as above. Olaf has since told me that it was he who found them. ° § 3767. Three.—Utkaniemi, West Bothnia, 7 June, 1858. [Brought, as Jack Snipe’s eggs, to Knoblock on the 15th, by Lars Larsson, of Muonioalusta, who said he found them on the 7th in a myr on the Swedish side near Utkaniemi, and that he saw the bird, which flew not far from the nest, and he knew it was not a Reeve. Knoblock seems to have been in doubt as to what these eggs were, and there is nothing to shew what Mr. Wolley thought of them, but I have no hesitation in ascribing them to the Wood-Sandpiper, though they are remarkable eggs, with a very fine deep green ground-colour. | § 3768. . Ziree.—Perila-uoma, 10 June, 1858. [Brought to Knoblock on the 19th, by Simon Peter Salmojirvi, who said he found them in a myr as above, and that he saw the bird, which he knew to be Liro (that is, Wood-Sandpiper). The fourth egg was broken, These are also remarkable specimens, of a pale, almost white, ground-colour. | § 3769. Four.—Lompalo-uoma, 3 June, 1859. { Brought, 6th June, by Oluf Olufsson Hietases, as Greenshank’s, found as above; but Knoblock rightly judged them to be Wood-Sandpiper’s. | § 3770. Three—Kyro, 11 June, 1859. Brought by Kyré Niku, who found them by the shore of a lake. § 3771. Four—Muoniovaara, 13 June, 1859. Brought the same day by Tiberg’s Carolina, who found them in a myr behind the enclosure. 168 TOTANUS GLAREOLA. § 3772. Four.—Pippo-uoma, 12-18 June, 1859. Brought by Martin Pekka on the 25th of June, having been found as above, apparently by his daughter Elsa. § 3773. Four.—Wirne-uoma, 23 June, 1859. Brought on the 25th by Carl Liljela, found as above. [§.3774. One. Given to us by Mr. Newecome, who himself brought several eggs of the ‘“Whitestart Sandpiper” (which in those days we took to bs Totanus ochropus) from Holland, whither he had been for the hawking at The Loo. | Valkenswaard, 1848. From Mr. Newcome. [§ 3775. Fouwr.—Valkenswaard, 1851. These are from the number, already mentioned, received by us direct from Arnold Bots, of which we gave Mr. Wolley one (§ 5742). There can be no doubt as to their being Wood-Sandpipers’; but one of them is that which Mr. Yarrell thonght was a Common Sandpiper’s. | [§ 3776. One.—Paddeby, East Finmark, June, 1855. [§ 3777. Zwo—Nyborg, East Finmark, July, 1855. These brought to us at the places named. Totanus glareola was by no means uncommon on the higher part of the Varanger Fjord, and Mr. Hudleston caught a young bird not many days old, which he brought for me to sketch.j [§ 3778. One—Heeze, 13 May, 1856. ) From Mr. [§ 3779. One.—Valkenswaard, 20 May, 1856. + John Baker, | 1857. [§ 3780. One. These three eges were bought at Mr. Stevens’s rooms, where Mr. Baker had a sale, on the 24th July, 1857, by mv brother, who obtained the particulars above given from Mr, Baker a few days after (cf. §§ 1470 and 1600). ] Domel, 6 June, 1856. ) TOTANUS GLAREOLA. 169 [§ 3781. Hight. — Jutland, May, 1859. From Pastor Theobald. Mr. Theobald’s note is :—“ Twelve eggs of Totanus glareola, collected by an honest man in the northern part of Jutland in the middle of May, 1859.” In one of the collections (Mr. Fischer’s, I think) at Copenhagen, where these eggs were put into my hands, I saw some wonderful varieties of this bird’s egg. Four of the twelve I sent to Dr. Heermann. | [§ 3782. Zhree.—Jutland, May, 1861. From HH. Erichsen, Fischer, and ‘Theobald. The note accompanying these states that they were from one nest, “ taken by a collector of Mr. Fischer’s, a true man, in Jutland, at the end of May, 1861.” [§ 3783. Oxe.—Norway, not later than 1840. From the late Mr. Dann’s Collection, 1888. Bought for me by Mr. Edward Bidwell at the sale of Mrs. Wise’s collection at Mr. Stevens’s rooms, 12 March, 1888, being lot 191 of the Catalogue, which consisted of a Broad-billed Sandpiper’s egg (§ 4174) and this, the Catalogue stating that “ Both these eggs were given to Yarrell by Mr. Dann.” The present egg also is inscribed, in handwriting to me unknown, “ R. Dann— Yarrell,” shewing that its former possessor had tried to preserve its identity, and J think successfully. In this case it must be the specimen mentioned by Mr. Yarrell (Brit. Birds, ed. 1, 11. p. 536) in his work as follows :—“ One ego of the Wood-Sandpiper in my own collection measures one inch seven lines in length, by one inch and half a line in breadth; pointed in shape, of a pale greenish white, spotted and speckled, particularly over the broad end, with dark reddish brown. This rare egg was given me by Richard Dann, Esq,, who obtained two or three in Norway, with the eggs of some other very rare birds to be hereafter referred to.” This description accords well with the present specimen, though I find the transverse diameter to be almost precisely one inch. At the sale of Mr. Yarrell’s collection, 5 December, 1856, when this egg was presumably bought tor Mrs. Wise (then Miss Holland), Lot 380 con- sisted of two eggs of the Wood-Sandpiper, the second of which was very likely one which he had from my brother and myself, for Iam pretty sure we gave him one of those we had trom Valkenswaard in 1851 (§ 3775). At any rate, J -ee no sufficient reason for doubting the identity of this egg with that given to Mr. Yarrell by Mr. Dann, and this is an additional reason for regretting that so little is known of the latter’s achievements in Scandinavia. He must have obtained this not later than 1840, as the description of it appeared in » Part xxiii. of Mr. Yarrell’s work, published in March, 1841.] 170 TOTANUS OCHROPUS. TOTANUS OCHROPUS (Linneus). GREEN SANDPIPER. [Notwithstanding all his efforts, Mr. Wolley was unable to obtain any trace of this species in the parts of Lapland visited by himself or his collectors—though the most careful of them, Ludwig Knoblock, was especially sent to examine the valley of Kop Vand in Nordland, which we had been assured was a certain locality for the Green Sandpiper. Whatever might have been asserted to the contrary, Mr. Wolley was confident that it does not occur there, nor in any of the valleys in Norway, Sweden, and Finland within the Arctic Circle, and I believe this confidence was well grounded, since it has been confirmed by the equally negative evidence of more recent investigators’. On his first arrival in Lapland, being but little familiar with this species or the Wood-Sandpiper, he thought he had found it breeding about Muonioniska, and even marked some eggs accordingly, but his regular practice of procuring the bird from the nest, and so determining the eggs, enabled the mistake into which he had fallen to be corrected, for on the skins of the specimens he obtained being sent home and examined they proved to belong to Totanus glareola, which he subsequently found to be perhaps the most abundant and widely-spread species of the group in Lapland. Other travellers, less cautious, may have made the same mistake without being able to rectify it. I think I may also state, without fear of contradiction, that the breeding-habits of the Green Sandpiper were at that time absolutely unknown to any person in this country, and to very few on the Continent. On a former occasion I gave some account of them (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1863, pp. 529-532), and as they are, so far as | know, almost singular among those of the whole group of Limicole*, I may perhaps be excused from recurring to the subject—the more so since some of the eggs to be presently mentioned were obtained by two of the three men who, each in- dependently of the other, made this very remarkable discovery—Herr W. Hintz and Mr. Wheelwright. In ‘Naumannia’ for 1851 (Heft ii. p. 50) Herr Passler ' (I myself doubt whether the species ever reaches lat. 62° N. Herr Wallengren (Naumannia, 1855, p. 137) gives lat. 67° as its northern limit, but cites no authority for the statement. The district assigned to it, between Bodé and Qvikjock (ef. Hewitson, Eggs Br. B. ed. 3, ii. p. 334*), has since been explored by Ludwig, as above, the Messrs. Godman (Ibis, 1861, p. 87), and Mr. Wheelwright (Spring and Summer in Lapland, p. 850), without meeting with the bird, and, from what we now know of its nesting-habits, is wholly unsuited for it. In Russian Lapland the birds observed by Mr. Henry Pearson’s party and attributed to this species (Ibis, 1896, p. 212) really were Wood-Sandpipers, as he has since stated (Beyond Petsora Eastward, pp. 12, 318), though unfortunately the error has misled some recent authors. It is very desirable that the northern limit of the Green Sandpiper’s breeding-range in Scandinavia should be known.—Eb. |] > [There are the exceptional cases of 7. glareola recorded by Mr. Popham (Ibis, 1897, p. 104); and, as I revise this sheet, news comes that the American T. solitarius has the same habit (Ottawa Naturalist, 1904, p. 135).—Ep.]} TOTANUS OCHROPUS. 17 mentioned that he had, through the Oberforster Wiese, obtained an egg of Totanus glareola, with the remark that this species ‘ nested upon trees”; but in the same periodical for 1852 (Hefti. p. 95) he stated that Herr Eugen F. Homeyer had informed him that the egg in question was not that of 7. glareola but of T. ochropus, and added that during his stay at the Haff, in Pomerania, he had seen many nesting-places of the latter, which were on the borders of Elsenbriiche '—alder- swamps, in the middle of the forest, where the trees stand upon hillocks. In the ‘ Journal fiir Ornithologie’ for 1855 (p. 514), writing on the birds of Pomerania, this same Herr Wiese (grown to be a Forstinspektor) stated that he had heard from an old Jiéger that this species laid in Thrushes’ nests, but naturally did not believe his informant. However, some time after, in 1845, he obtained from the same man four of its eggs, from a nest in a beech-tree, and next year he himself had the pleasure of finding a nest with four eggs in a pine-tree some twenty-five or thirty feet from the ground. Similar evidence was offered in ‘Naumannia’ for 1856 (p. 84) by Dr. Altum, and that magazine for the next year contains a valuable series of observations on the birds of Western Pomerania by the Forester Hintz I., in which he said (p. 14) that in May, 1855, he found three eggs of 7. ochropus on an alder-tree in an old nest which he thought was a Dove’s, though it might have been a Jay’s. Formerly, he added, he had only observed this Sandpiper to breed in old nests of the Song-Thrush. Not long after appeared the fourth part of Herr Badeker’s ‘Kier der Europaischen Vogel,’ treating of this bird (pl. xxx. no. 5), wherein a brief and imperfect statement to the foregoing effect was given, and a notice of this in ‘ The Ibis’ for 1859 (p. 405) first made known the curious facts to English readers. In 1860, Mr. Wheelwright, writing in ‘The Field’ newspaper * of 18 August (p. 146), under his well-known pseudonym of “The Old Bushman,” described his own experience in Sweden, which was precisely similar. The then natural-history editor of that paper (the late Mr. Edward Newman), not knowing of the German evidence, expressed his scepticism on this subject, whereupon Mr. Wheelwright reiterated his statement (Field, 15 Sept. p. 228, and 10 Noy. p. 393), saying that “there is no doubt about the matter,” and added that he “ never took the nest on the ground’’*. A further most interesting com- munication was made by Herr Hintz to the ‘ Journal fiir Ornithologie’ for 1862 1 (I originally mistranslated this phrase, and now correct the mistake.—ED. ] 2 (To Mr, Harting I am indebted for some of the references to ‘ The Field.’ —Ep.] ° [The assurance was of course accepted by Mr. Newman, who briefly mentioned the facts in an article in‘The Field’ of 9 December, 1865 (p. 425), of which a translation appeared in the ‘Svenska Jagarférbundets Nya Tidskrift’ for 1866 (pp. 84-89), and seems to have been the first publication of this peculiar habit in Scandinavia, though the Editor of that journal added in a footnote (p. 86) that it had been before observed in Sweden—several times by the Jigmiaster Lundborg, who on one occasion at least obtained eggs of Totanus ochropus from a nest apparently a Squirrel’s. This was referred to by Herr Westerlund in 1867 (Skandinavisk Oologi, p. 201) and in 1870 by Herr Holmgren (Handbok i Zoologi,— Skandinaviens Foglar, ii. p. 81), since when it has no doubt become generally known, though Mr. Wheelwright’s connexion with it and that of Herr Hogdahl (of which more presently) have been ignored.—L. | lie TOTANUS OCHROPUS. (pp. 460, 461) !, wherein he stated that he had known of this remarkable habit of T. ochropus since 1818, in which year he had discovered it, but having in those days no correspondents with whom to exchange eggs, he had contented himself with taking only a few for his own collection, and, as it would seem, never gave publicity to his observations 2. Even when this wonderful habit of the bird did become known it seems to have excited little interest among the ornithologists of his country. Equally obscure are the facts of the independent discovery, made, it would seem, by Mr. Wheelwright, who in his ‘Ten Years in Sweden,’ published in 1865, says (p. 373) :—“I do not believe any naturalist had seen the really authentic egg of this bird until I discovered its breeding habits [in Varmland] some few years since. In Sweden the Green Sandpiper never makes a nest on the ground, like the nest of its congeners, but invariably lays its four pyriform large eggs ... in an old deserted nest of a Squirrel, Jay, or Crow (I have, however, seen them in a new common Thrush’s nest) in the forest, often far from water, always in a fir tree, sometimes forty feet from the ground.” In what year that capital observer first ascertained this fact I know not, but it was certainly unknown to Professor Nilsson in 1858, when the third edition of the ornithological portion of his ‘ Skandinavisk Fauna’ appeared, for he was particularly unhappy in the account he eave (Foglarna, ii. p. 220) of the nidification of this species. Dr. Printz, of Valders in Norway, may, however, have anticipated Herr Hogdahl and Mr, Wheelwright, but his reticence on the subject seems to have been complete. | § 3784. Z7wo.—* Virmland,’ Sweden. From Dr. Kjerbolling, 1857. P. Z. 8. 1863, p. 582. Exchanged with me [at Copenhagen, 6 October, 1857] by Dr. Kjer- bélling for a Greenshank’s egg. He says that the name “ Totanus glareola” on one of them is through the ignorance of the collector, who has succeeded the more knowing Apothecary Hoégdahl in Varmland. (When Dr. Kjzrbélling wrote his account of this species for his ‘ Danmarks Fugle’ (p. 292), published in 1852, he evidently had no knowledge of its peculiar breeding-habits; nor could he, five years later, have mentioned them to Mr. Wolley, or the latter would have been sure to notice them in this entry. Herr Hégdahl, who lived until 1904, as I learn from Dr. Ottosson, never published anything on the subject. | [§ 3785. Onxe.—From Mr. Tristram, 1858. Mr. Tristram told me that this was one of those taken by him in Norway in 1852, of which some were sold at Stevens’s, 9 May, 1854, and was one of 1 [It appeared in Heft vi., which was only received in England in 1863,—Ep.] 2 [His silence has since been redeemed by a series of exceilent annual Reports on the birds of his neighbourhood, published in the ‘ Journal fiir Ornithologie,’ reference to several of which is made further ou.—Eb. | TOTANUS OCHROPUS. ie the four eggs which he retained and afterwards sent to Mr. Hewitson, who figured three of them in March 1855 (Eggs of Br. Birds, ed. 3, pl. xl*.). Those three remained in Mr. Tristram’s cabinet. The present egg has been blown at the ends, and had no mark upon it until I inscribed it. I think that on a former occasion Mr. Tristram told me that he had bought some Green Sandpipers’ eggs of Dr. Kjrbilling or some other dealer, and from the mode of blowing and the absence of identifying marks this may be one of those so obtained. It appears from the catalogue of the sale just mentioned that six specimens of this bird’s egg were put up (Lots 135-140), of which Mr. Gurney bought two, and the remaining four were, I suspect, those which I saw in Mr. Tristram’s Collection at Castle Eden, 5 August, 1858, this being one of them. | [§ 3786. 7wo.—From Dr. Kjerbdlling, 1859. P. Z. S. 1863, p. 582. Bought by me at Copenhagen, 24 October, 1859, of Dr. Kjzerbolling. One of them bears the name of “ Printz” written by him, as well as a ticket with “Tand” onit by an unknown hand. In the bill he has put down “ Norge”’ as the locality for this egg, and, as I found afterwards, Dr. Printz was a resident in the district in that country known as Valders, from which Land, on the Rands-fjord, is not far distant; but when I first saw Dr. Kjerbdélling, he said “‘ Pommern,” and assured me that they were from the forester who first discovered this bird’s eggs, as recorded by German writers (ut supra) some years ago, namely Hintz—but from the similarity of sound perhaps he confounded the two names. These eggs are possibly referred correctly to T. ochropus, but there are some varieties of those of T. glareola which are very like them. I should, however, imagine that the eggs of one species would be as liable to variation as those of the other. These were the only eggs attributed to 7. ochropus that the Doctor then had.] [§ 3787. Four.—Cartzin, Pomerania, 9 May, 1861. From Forester Hintz, through HH. Erichsen, Fischer, and Theobald. P. Z. 8. 1863, p. 531. In sending me these eggs Pastor Theobald copied the account given to him in 1861 by the Forester Hintz, as already published (Proce. Zool. Soc. 1863, pp. 581, 682) :—* This year I succeeded in finding the nest of Totanws ochropus. On the 9th of May I took four eggs of this bird (with my own hand’) ; they were found in an old nest of Turdus musicus, and seemed to have been incubated about three days. The very same day there were brought to me four other 1 [The words within the parentheses were omitted by an oversight from the paper as printed.—Ep. ] 174 TOTANUS OCHROPUS. eggs of this bird, also found in a Thrush’s nest. ..... The 10th of May there was shewn to me a nest, thirty feet high, in an old birch, the bird having chosen the decayed nest of a Squirrel. This nest was the highest I have ever seen. Three young ones had just been hatched; in the fourth egg the bird was about to break the shell. One jumped down and concealed itself on the edge of a water-pool. The 11th of May a nest with four fresh eggs was found, but they did not come into my hands; this was in an old Pigeon’s nest on a Pinus rubra, and full of dry pine-leaves. The 20th of May two eggs, almost burst by the young, were found in an old Thrush’s nest, the two missing birds having most likely already left the nest. The 22nd of May four young ones, apparently but a few hours old, were found in the old nest of a Lanius collurio, in a juniper three feet high. The 24th of May four young ones were found in the hole of a Populus tremula thrown down by the wind. The year before Muscicapa luctuosa had its nest in the trunk as it lay on the ground; this year Totanus ochropus had chosen the same opening. When I approached the trunk, the young ones, perhaps four-and-twenty hours old, jumped away and hid themselves in the grass among the branches. All these nests were near the water—two on the edge of. a rivulet, the others on wet morasses, the distance from the water being at most six feet.” Pastor Theobald further wrote that the Forester added :—“ Knowing now better the breeding places and time, I hope to be next year more successful in getting their eggs, but I am almost inclined to think, that on an area of 26,000 acres of woodland all the nests of 7. ochropus that were there this year have been discovered.” The nest of the 9th of May is recorded by Herr Hintz in the ‘Journal fiir Ornithologie’ for 1863 (p. 428), and the eggs said to have been incubated about three days. They are dark full-coloured specimens. | [§ 3788. Four.—Cartzin, 13 May, 1862. From Forester Hintz, through HH. Erichsen, Fischer, and Theobald, 1863. Herr Theobald’s note is:—‘“ Taken in Pomerania by the Forester Hintz in the very same old nest of Turdus musicus in which there were found four eges the year before.” These eggs have all the appearance of being, as is said, from one nest, but I think they were not laid by the same bird as the preceding, being pale in colour, somewhat resembling Woodcocks’, and one leaning towards a Common Sandpiper’s. ] [§ 3789. Four.—Cartzin, 25 May, 1862. From Forester Hintz, through HH. Erichsen, Fischer, and Theobald, 1863. The Pastor wrote that these were from the same source, and were found in an old nest of Turdus musicus. They are doubtless the produce of one bird, and are more like Wood-Sandpipers’ in appearance. The Forester’s notes on the breeding of this species in Pomerania in 1862 were printed in the ‘ Journal fiir Ornithologie’ for 1864 (pp. 108, rectiws 92, & 99 bis). He found four nests in 1862 against six in 1861. ] TOTANUS OCHROPUS. 175 [§ 3790. Mour.—Cartzin, 26 April, 1863. From Forester Hintz, through HH. Erichsen, Fischer, and Theobald, 1864. Herr Theobald informed me that these were also found in an old nest of Turdus musicus, adding that ‘The Forester has promised to send me one or two old nests, in which the eggs of Totanus ochropus were found, and you will get them later.” Herr Hintz’s notes on the nesting of this bird in 1863 are in the ‘Journal fiir Ornithologie’ for 1864 (pp. 186, 193). He seems to have found six nests in 1865 and four in 1862.] [§ 3791. Four.—Gardsjé, Varmland, ) 28 May, 1863. | | From [§ 3792. Four.—Gardsjé, 6 June, 1863. [ Mr. Wheelwright. | J [§ 3793. Four.—Gardsjé, 8 June, 1863. P. Z. 8. 1863, p. 502. All the above I had from Mr. Wheelwright not very long after they were taken. Those of the first nest (§ 3791) were sent by him to Mr. Stevens to be included in a sale of birdskins and eggs on the 7th July, 1863, but arriving too late were obtained from him by me without going through other hands: of the remaining eight eges, being the contents of two nests, seven came to me direct, and the eighth, which Mr. Wheelwright at first thought too much damaged to send, followed shortly after. Writing to me from G&rdsjé near Carlstad in Sweden, on the 7th of June, 1863, he said :—“ Now as regards the Green Sandpiper, they went to nest very early this year, and now most of the eggs are hatched off. I got one fine nest and four eggs just when I came home” (towards the end of May) “and shot both old birds ....... Last week we got two more nests of four eggs and shot both old females. They were all so hard sat on that the bills of the young birds in one or two were protruding. I managed, however, with much trouble to pick the young out of six, only with large holes, and when laid in the nest the blemish is not apparent...... The nests are very shabby, one apparently an old Squirrel’s.” On the 2nd of August he wrote that he had that day sent off to me these “two old nests and seven eggs of Green Sandpiper, with two old female birds, and in each nest is written full particulars of its taking, &c.”’ These duly reached me, but I found to my regret that all the eggs bore the same number, whence I fear that they may have been mixed, and the particulars were very scanty, being merely to the effect that the nests were in fir-trees in Bakka Wood, which is part of the forest near G&rdsj6, from twenty-five to thirty feet from the ground, One of them looked like a Dove’s, being wholly of fir-twigs, the other was mostly of moss and a mere ruin. The skins were undoubtedly those of Totanus ochropus. The eighth egg, or what remained of it, came subse- quently. The nest with the eggs which I received through Mr. Stevens had a coarse foundation of green moss, and might well have been a Squirrel’s. j 176 TOTANUS OCHROPUS.—T. BREVIPES. [§ 8794. Four.—Pomerania, 5 June, 1865. From Forester Hintz, through Herr Theobald, 1866. The Pastor wrote:—“I am elad to send you another nestful of Totanus ochropus, with the nest of Turdus in which the eggs were found. They came from the Forester Hintz in Pomerania, and he is of opinion that they belong to a second breeding. I am inclined to think the nest is that of Turdus merula.” The nest does look like that of a Blackbird, as the Pastor suggests. In this year Herr Hintz obtained seven nests of this species between the 30th of April and the 8th of June (Journ. fiir Orn. 1866, pp. 151, 158).] [§ 3795. Fouwr.—Pomerania, 5 May, ) 1866. | From Forester Hintz, > through [§ 3796. Four—Pomerania, 12 May, | Mr. H. 8. Hawkins. 1866. ) These two complete nestfuls were sent me by Mr. Hawkins, who received them direct from Hintz, whose handwriting they bear. From his ‘ Bericht’ (Journ. fiir Orn. 1867, pp. 170, 175) it appears that he got only four nests of the species in 1866—the first on the 15th of April and the last on the 17th of May. | [§ 3797. Four.—Gardsj6, 2 June, 1867. From Herr O. E. Stenstrom, 1868. Given to my brother Edward with the information that they were taken as above from an old nest of Columba palumbus built in a Scotch-fir twenty-five feet from the ground. Herr Stenstr6m continued to avail himself of the services of some of the lads or men whom Mr. Wheelwright used to employ, and the bird was well known to them, so that there is no doubt about the genuineness of these specimens. | TOTANUS BREVIPES, Vicillot. [§ 3798. One.— Hakodadi, Japan.” From Mr. H. Whitely, through Mr. J. E. Harting, 1870. Though I am inclined to believe that this specimen is genuine, I un- fortunately failed to get any further particulars of it, and though it was doubtless sent to Mr. Whitely from Hakodadi, it does not at all follow that it was taken there or even thereabouts. I have not seen or even heard of any other specimen with which I could compare it. Through his son, who joined ————— eo eS Se eae ee LC ACTITIS HYPOLEUCA. yey Capt. Blakiston in Japan in 1864 (Ibis, 1867, p. 193), Mr. Whitely continued for several years to receive collections of birds and eggs from that country, even after his son quitied it. This egg, clearly that of a Limicoline bird, does not closely resemble that of any other that I know. It has a pale clay-coloured ground with many (though not large) blotches and spots of two shades of liver-brown, and a few of greyish-lilac—the whole somewhat recalling the look of eggs of Scolopar or Actitwrus, but the shape is truly pyriform, and it measures 1:68 by 1:2 inch. ACTITIS HYPOLEUCA (Linneus). SUMMER-SNIPE or COMMON SANDPIPER. § 3799. One.—Sedberg, Yorkshire. Not later than 1843. Found by Mr. Biden, of St. John’s Coliege. He saw the bird on the nest. § 3800. Ove.—Assynt, Sutherland, 22 May, 1849. “J. W. ipse.” I went with the landlord’s boat and two hands to examine the islands of the loch. Found some old Goose’s eggs, and a nest of Gobarleery, as the Common Sandpiper, from the noise it makes in the breeding-season, is called in Gaelic in Sutherland. At a second visit in the evening the bird was on the nest, and allowed me tc approach to within a foot of it. The eggs I marked, and I saw the bird quite distiuctly to be the Common Sandpiper. § 3801. Zwo. Assynt, 23 May, 1849. § 3802. One. From two more Gobarleerys’ nests, off one of which I saw the bird fly. § 3803. Three —Inchnadamph, Sutherland, 1849. 3rought to me. IPANIRAM JOE N 178 ACTITIS HYPOLEUCA. § 3804. Four.—Inchnadamph, 1850. From Mr. John McGregor, brother of the mn-keeper at Inchna- damph, and the person who, according to Mr. St. John [‘ Tour in Sutherland,’ i. p. 16], looked like a spider at the end of its thread. He is now a Veterinary Surgeon, and dates his last letter from Dingwall. § 3805. Zhree.—Assynt, 1851. From John Sutherland. J found the bird breeding very abundantly in Assynt in 1849, and no other species except the Dunlin, of which I saw only one small flock. § 3806. Stiv.— Orkney, 1851. From Mr. George Harvey, of Stromness, apparently the “ Stone- turners”’ of his list. § 3807. Zwo—Kiuhlangi, 10 June, 1853. “J. W.” These were slightly sat upon. I saw the bird leave the nest, a neat hollow among two or three short willow-sprigs in a little meadow, a few yards from and above the edge of the river. A man at the gdstgifveregard took me to the nest, which he had found a day or two previously. Kihlangi is the last stage, seven Swedish miles, below Muonioniska. This bird is abundant on the Tornea and Muonio rivers, and also further south. The Finns call it Ranta-tirra, and up here Szpz. § 3808. Zwo—Jorakovaara, 1853. Collected for me during my stay in the north. When I called on my way down, they had also some Teals’ eggs beside these. The Sandpipers’ were found by children, and called Ranta-tirra. I saw many of the birds about, indeed it is the commonest bird on the Tornea and Muonio rivers, and its note is very characteristic. § 3809. Zwo.—Muonioalusta, 7 June, 1854. Found by Piko Heiki. ACTITIS HYPOLEUCA. L179 § 3810. Houwr.—Torvi-koski, Jerisjoki, 16 June, 1854. From Likavainio Erky: the nest under a juniper-bush. § 3811. One.—Palojoki, 1954. Found by the two boys, Heiki Ollenpoika and Zacharias Johanenpoika. § 3812. Zwo.—Torasieppi, 1854. Brought at midsummer by the lad Johan. § 3813. Scv.—Enontekis, 1854. Apparently Common Sandpipers’, found about Kaaressuando, of which the old name is Enontekis. The Pastor calls the eggs Iso Liro’s, evidently mistaking them for those of the Wood-Sandpiper. { Recent maps shew that the name Enontekis has now been transferred to a site on the northern shore of Ounasjarvi. ] § 3814. Seven.—Lapland, 1854. Apparently Common Sandpipers’: many of them brought to me under that bird’s name— Sip. Many others thrown away— unblowable. § 3815. Mour.—Patsjoki, 11 June, 1855. “J. W.” I saw the bird distinctly, as it was leaving the nest, on an island in the river below the Russo-Finnish frontier, § 3816. Fowr.—Enara, 14 June, 1855. I took this nest myself on an island in the river, under a bush still without leaves, a short while before getting into the lake. § 3817. Four—Patsjoki, June, 1855. “J. W.” [Not entered in the Egg-book by Mr. Wolley, but the inscription shews that they were taken by him on his journey to or from Lake Enara.} N2 180 ACTITIS HYPOLEUCA. § 3818. Mour.—Sadio, 1855. § 3819. Four—Nyimakka, 1856. § 3820. Four.—Tanan-anti, 22 June, 1857. [Obtained by Mr. Wolley, during his journey to East Finmark. | § 3821. Three.—Repo-niemi, 15 June, 1857. § 3822. Hour—Repo-niemi, 19 June, 1857. Both the above nests brought to Muoniovaara on the 23rd of the month by Oluf Hendriksson Vettainen. § 3823. Zhree-—Haapasaari, Kangosjirvi, 18 June, 1857. Found by Ankkuri-niemi Johan’s boy Matti, as above. § 3824. Three.—Jerisjoki, 25 June, 1857. Found by Valus Lars’s boy Johan. § 3825. Three.—Nieriranta, 28 June—4 July, 1857. Brought by Isak Aransson Nulisvaara, taken as above. § 3826. Mour.—Katkassuando, June, 1857. Brought on the 24th, by Pekkala of Katkassuando. § 3827. Four—Near Mukka-uoma, 7 July, 1857. Brought by Ludwig on his return journey from Norway. The nest on the shore [of Peranjarvi, apparently], under a birch-bush. § 3828. One.—Kahlangi, 1857. [A specimen remarkable for the large blotch of colour it bears. ] ACTITIS HYPOLEUCA. 181 § 3829. Hour.—Jerisjirvi, 1857. § 3830. Oxe.—Sodankyla, 1857. [Apparently one of five, sent by Karl Leppajirvi, together with the first eges of Mergus albescens obtained by Mr. Wolley (Ibis, 1859, pp. 69-76.] § 3831. Four. Katkassuando, 1857. § 3832. Four. | From three nests found by Elias’s son Lars, each nest marked by the lad. [The third nest given to Mr. Salvin. | § 3833. Zhree.—Kitkissuando, 1857. Received by me of Elias, ready blown. § 3834. Seven.—Muonioniska, June, 1857. From three nests found by Joel’s boy Abraham, before St. John’s day. § 3835. Zwo.—Nulusjarvi, 10 June, 1858. Brought under the name of Tyllikké; found by Abraham, of Nulusjarvi, on an island in the lake. [ Tyllikkd is more properly Afgialitis hiaticola (cf. §§ 3488, 3485).] § 3836. Four.—Palaraisen-oja, 10 June, 1858. Brought on the 20th by Johan Larsson, of Muonioalusta. § 3837. Four.—Muonioniska, 13 June, 1858. Brought by the shoemaker’s boy Salmon, found by him on the bank of the force. 182 ACTITIS HYPOLEUCA., § 3838. FMour.— Utkujoki, 18 June, 1858. Found and brought by Pawe Motka’s widow. § 3839. Three.—Kangosjirvi, 18 June, 1858. Found and brought by Hendrik of that place or Haapasaari. § 3840. Zhree—Muonioniska, 19 June, 1858. Found on Kaivasesta and brought by Niva Louisa. § 3841. Hour.—Muonioniska, 1858. Brought on the 4th of July under the name of Tyllikkié by Johan Ratama’s daughter. § 3842. Zhree.— Lapland, 1858. Brought by Mikkel Mikkelsson Kyr6 on the 6th of July. § 3843. hree.—Kyro, 1858. Ly Per Matthisson. § 3544, 7wo.—Kautokeino, 1858. From Lars Jensen Keino, but unknown to him. § 3845. Four.— Mukkauoma, 1859. Sent as eggs of Suokulainen [Reeve], but properly thought by Knoblock to be Common Sandpiper. § 3846. Hour.—Kangosjarvi, June, 1859. Brought by Ankkuri Heiki. § 3847. Four.—Lapland, 1859. Brought, 5 July, by Mikkel Vettainen. ACTITIS HYPOLEUCA. rss [§ 3848. Oxe.—Swalwell, Durham. From Mr. J. Robson, through Mr. Reynolds, before 1848. ] [§ 3849. Ziree.—Bearpark, Durham, 29 May, 1851. From Wie Proctor, | [§ 3850. Oze—Durham. From Mr. Proctor, 1853.] [§ 3851. Onve—Cumberland. From Mr. T. C. Heysham, 1854. | [§ 3852. Fowr.—-Banffshire. From Mr. T. Edward, 1855.| [§ 8853. MMve.—East Finmark, 1855. These picked out from a great many that were offered to us at several places, from Vadsd to Nyborg, by the children, who gather numbers by the sides of the streams, for the bird is very common. | [§ 3854. Mour.—Gartan, Donegal, 5 June, 1862. From Mr. Robert Harvey. | [§ 3855. Fowr.—Alkala-saari, Muonioniska, 19 June, 1862. Brought by Carl Villika. ] [§ 3856. Fowr.—Kaaressuando, 1862. From Peters Johan. | 3857. One.—) ’ pitiskynen {Water-Swallow], swimming about. The eggs fresh. § 3925. Four.—Nyimakka, 1854. Brought to Ludwig by Nyimakkas Hendrik, under the Finnish name of the bird, Pohjasen Uima [-lintu, Northernmost Swimming- bird]. § 3926. Two.—Kaarejarvi, 1854. Out of five found by the boy Tuorimaa Fricka on an island in a lake called Kaarejirvi, to the north or north-west of Kaarevaara, * [This name (ef. §§ 3926 and 3933); taken down no doubt by ear, and in each case wrongly spelt, troubled me much, till Dr. Ottosson, from a correspondent in Finland, kindly supplied the probable orthography and meaning as given above. It seems to be unknown to Finnish ornithologists. —Eb. | o2 196 PHALAROPUS HYPERBOREUS. being on Kaarejoki. From two nests blown by the Pastor [Engelmark] or his children, and called by him Pohjasen Uima. ‘I ‘saw the birds on another small lake by Kaarevaara in June. § 3927. Two.—Sandskjer, Varanger Fjord, 23 June, 1855. “JW.” Out of a nest of four found by Mr. Simpson [Hudleston], who was so placed that he saw the bird fly up from the sea on to the nest in the grass. Both birds were very tame, and I examined them carefully with and without the glass, to ascertain the species, thinking the situation might suit the Grey Phalarope. We were watching for a Turnstone’s nest [§ 3271]. {I well remember this nest, the first Phalarope’s I ever saw. The other two eggs are in Mr, Hudleston’s collection. } § 3928. Four.—Varanger Fjord, 28 June, 1855. “ With bird.” The first was shot by the Lapp schoolmaster (the artist), who brought it to me with the eggs. It is a female. He found it something like a Norwegian mile from Nyborg. [The same man brought also a Dotterel and its eges (§ 5413), obtained on the same excursion. | § 3929. HMour.—Varanger Fjord, June, 1855. A nest brought to Nyborg by a Lapp woman on or about the 29th June. § 3930. Mive—Muna-lanta, Nyimakka, 1855. No doubt Red-necked Phalaropes’, for Peter says they are those of Vesi-pdtskynen from the same pond where I took a nest last year [$3923]. § 3931. One.—Enontekis, 1856. An incomplete egg from the inside of the bird, which is sent with it by Markinas Johan. . PHALAROPUS HYPERBOREUS. 197 § 3932. Zwo.—Saarijarvi, 1856. Out of eleven, found by Hendrik Tuorimaa about Saarijarvi and Roiska-jarvin-ranta, eight miles north of Kaaressuando. Ludwig received them from Hendrik himself on the 28th of July. [One of these was sold at Mr. Stevens’s, 23 February, 1858, to Mr. Shepherd. Four I sent to Dr. Heermann in 1861.] § 3933. Zhree—Nyimakka, 1856. From a myr at the back of Nyimakka by Peter, and sent under his name of Pohjasen Uima. § 3934. Zwo—Orkney, 1856. Sent by Mr. Kirk, 17 November, 1856, and no doubt taken in Sanday. § 3935. Four.—Tatcha-jarvi, 2 July, 1857. Found by Johan Mukka-uoma, by the lake-side. [Very dark-coloured specimens. } § 3936. Zwo.—Kolpojarvi-saari, 13 July, 1857. Found by Ludwig on his journey back from Norway. The nest of old hay-stalks in a hillock close to the water. The young ready to hatch. He had to wade to the islet up to his arms, and so could not take a gun to shoot the bird, which walked and crept about the nest. § 3937. Hour.—Nyimakka, 1857. Found shortly before I came to Nyimakka in a myr not far from the house. Had large young inside. | saw birds in Muna-lanta there both this year and in 1854 [§§ 3923, 3930]. § 3938. Four.—Kast Finmark, 1857. “J. W.” (Not entered in the Egg-book by Mr. Wolley, but certainly belonging to this year and taken by himself near the Varanger Fjord. | 198 PHALAROPUS HYPERBOREUS. § 3939. Four.) | Sandgerdi, South-western Iceland, 18 June, § 3940. Pour. + 1858. “J. W” | § 3941. Four.) § 3942. Four.—Sandgerdi, 6 July, 1858. WS § 3943. Four—Sandgerdi, 12 July, 1858. “J. W.” [All the above (§§ 3939-3943) taken by Mr. Wolley himself, but not entered by him in the Egg-book. I was with him on all these occasions, and took eggs of this species on two of them (§§ 8948-8951). One of the egos in the nest taken by him on the 6th of July is very abnormal. } § 3944. Seven.—Sandgerdi, 1858. [I do not know how these eggs came to be mixed ; but a note in Mr. Wolley’s handwriting, in the box with them, states that he saw the bird fly from the nest which held the three largest. } [§ 8945. Zwo.—Orkney, 1850. From Mr. Robert Dunn. Almost unquestionably from the Sanday locality.] [§ 3946. Aive.—Iceland, 1851, 1852. From Mr. Proctor. I believe that all Myr. Proctor’s specimens came from the north of the island. | [§ 3947. Four—Revo, Varanger Fjord, 27, 28 June, 1855. “SATIN I found and took this nest on a little island on the south side of the fjord, about midnight. Mr. Wolley and I had crossed over from Nyborg, to see what we could find, but the only other thing of interest that presented itself was a grand old Sea-Fagle, which, with its head looking almost white in the sunlight, sat motionless on a low rock at the eastern point of the islet, and I watched it for some time with my glass, until the approach of one of our boatmen made it take flight. ] PHALAROPUS HYPERBOREUS. 199 [§ 3948. Four.—Saudgerdi, 18 June, 1858. “A. N.” Though I waited for some time without seeing the bird come to this nest, I have no doubt as to the species to which it belonged. Phalaropus hyper- boreus was very plentiful at Sandgerdi, as shewn by the fact that, even so early in the season, we found seven completed nests, besides two or three wore containing one or two eges. LP. felicarius we had seen nothing of, and the bird which seems to answer to its description comes, according to the son of the bonde, not sooner than Jénsmessa (24 June). This nest was some eighty yards from the place where we found so many, and nearly in the middle of a large grassy expanse. | [§ 3949. Four—Sandgerdi, 18 June, 1858. “A. N.” A complete nest from which I saw the bird run off, with comparatively light head, and small patch of red on the neck, smaller and more striped on the back. This nest was ona small islet in the mere, only to be reached by bridging over the intervening channels by a plank. There were at least two other nests on the same islet, besides several Kider-Ducks’. 1 plucked away some of the grass and herbage to enable me the better to see the bird leave the nest. Ido not know whether this nest was linown before to the proprietor’s son as the last was. | [§ 3950. Four.—Sandgerdi, 18 June, 1858. “A. N.” 1 could not be quite sure that I saw the bird run off this nest; but I certainly saw a pair of Phalaropus hyperboreus within a few feet of it, and no other species about which could have been the owner of it. The eggs of this and the two preceding nests I marked, as I took them, with the first three letters of the alphabet, and these marks are, as I now write, sufficiently distinct. I therefore know they could not have been mixed, Mr. Wolley marked his nests with numbers. ] [§ 3951. Four.—Sandgerdi, 6 July, 1858. “A. N.” A complete nest of four eggs, shewn to me by a little girl, daughter of the bonde, as that of Odinshani (P. hyperboreus), which it undoubtedly is. The people declared that they had not seen Raudbrystingr, as they there call P. fulicarius, this year, nor had we seen it there, though we did see two pairs the day before and that very day at U'tskalar (ef. § 3958). | [§ 8952. Zhree—Yukon, 16 June, 1861. Mr. Kennicott, through the Smithsonian Institution, 1863. Professor Baird wrote that with these eggs the parent bird was sent (no. 27694), snared. | 200 PHALAROPUS HYPERBOREUS.—P. FULICARIUS. [§ 3953. Zhree.—Egedesminde, North Greenland, 1864. From Pastor Theobald, 1866. The Pastor wrote that these were taken by Herr Zimmer, with his own hands, and sent as being from the yery same locality as the eggs of the other species (§ 3959). | [§ 3954. Four.—Benbecula, Outer Hebrides, 12-15 June, 1868. From Captain Elwes. A complete nest taken by Murdoch Macdonald at the little marsh. ] [§ 8955. Hour.—Anderson River, Arctic America, June, 1863. Smithsonian Institution, through Prof. Baird. From Mr. MacFarlane's spoils. The ticket bears the remarkable statement : ‘Parent no. 36033 shot on tree near nest.” Nothing, however, as to the, so far as I know, hitherto unrecorded, fact of a bird of this species perching on a tree is said by him in his notes (Proc, U.S, Nat. Mus, xiv. pp. 425, 426). ] PHALAROPUS FULICARIUS (Linnezus). GREY PHALAROPE. [§ 3956. Three-—Egedesminde, North Greenland, 1861. From Prof. J. T. Reinhardt. Prof. Reinhardt wrote to me, 14 December, 1861, that he had no doubt as to the authenticity of these eggs, as he had the greatest confidence in the correspondent from whom he received them. I confess that I was not satisfied with their appearance, for 1 thought them too small, whereupon, though still convinced of their correctness, he was so good as to send me the two next to be entered. He did not name his correspondent to me, but it was probabiy Herr Zimmer (cf. §§ 8953, 8959). ] |§ 3957. Zwo.— Hunde Eiland, Disco Bay, July, 1861. From Herr Olrik, through Prof. J. 'T. Reinhardt, 1862. Sent, as above stated, in consequence of the doubts I had ventured to entertain as to the preceding. Professor Reinhardt wrote to me, 3 June, 1862, that these were received at Copenhagen, 17 December, 1861, from Herr Olrik, the Inspector or Governor of North Greenland, who was positive in stating these to be really the eggs of the greater species; but it does not PHALAROPUS FULICARIUS. 201 appear that he took them himself, and I consider there may still be some hesitation as to accepting them as genuine. Still it would seem from the testimony of others that there is really no constant difference in appearance between eggs of these two species, which is curious when the manifest difference in structure is considered. These specimens did not come into my possession till some time after those mentioned in the next section, which I take to be genuine. Herr Herluf Winge (Grénlands Fugle, p. 175) states that the Royal Museum of Copenhagen received eggs of this species from Hunde Eiland takenin July, 1861. | [§ 3958. Four.—vU'tskalar, South-western Iceland, 1862. From Pastor S. B. Sivertsen. P. Z.S. 1867, p. 165, pl. xv. fiz. 1. Sent to me by the Pastor and referred to in his letter of 3 July, 1862, That they are really eggs of this species I have scarcely a doubt. On the 5th and 6th of July, 1858, I found two pairs of this bird by the side of the tarn at U'tskalar', close to the parsonage. I watched them for several hours and reluctantly came to the conclusion that neither pair had a nest. They were exceedingly tame as they ran on the short turf or occasionally swam on the water. I took the Pastor and others to look at them, and bade them observe the difference between these birds and the common Odinshani, or Red-necked Phalarope, though, indeed, they seemed to be well-known to everyone, and were called by the name Raudbrystingr—which, I believe, is more commonly applied to the Knot, but its meaning (Redbreast) suits either species in breeding- plumage. I kept up communication with the Pastor from time to time and besought him to obtain me egys of this bird, which was believed to breed there in some seasons, though not regularly. On the 15th August, 1862, I received from him the letter above mentioned, which Mr. Ik, Magnussun subsequently translated for me as follows :— “JT have been very desirous of being able to accomplish your request in getting and despatching the eggs of Phaluropus platyrhynchus, for which the late Mr. Wolley reiterated the request in a letter to me of 13 May, 1859; but in this I have not succeeded until this hour, for the bird is very cautious and does not breed except in small hillocks in bogs near lakes or pools, and there- fore the eggs are not at all easy to be discovered. Now this spring I charged several peopie to search both here and at other places, and one night they at last succeeded in finding one nest containing four eggs; but, strange to say, 1 (It was at Sandgerdi (which he writes Sangjer), a little to the southward, where we saw only P. hyperboreus (§ 3951), that Faber (Prodromus der isliindischen Ornithologie, p. 88 ; Isis, 1824, p. 462; and ‘Dag-Bok’ MS. p. 567), 22 June, 1821, found some pairs of this species breeding, Eggs he did not then get, but the people living there (who called the bird by the same name as they used for it to us) told him they were very like those of the other species, only a little bigger. On the 9th of July following, being near Eyrarbakki, he shot a cock-bird anxiously tending the newly-hatched young, which were able to run and hide in the grass,—Hp. | 202 PHALAROPUS FULICARIUS. the next morning, when I intended to take them away, they had disappeared. Two days later another nest was found with three eggs, which I ordered the discoverer to take away immediately. This done, I packed them in a tin box and smooth ashes, and sent them to Reykjavik. But when my son had opened the box in Reykjavik, to pack the eggs, according to Geir Zoega’s! directions, they were all broken on account of the oscillation caused by forwarding them on horseback. When I heard this I was vexed and ordered a new search on the spot where the birds had been seen. At last after considerable trouble one nest and three eges were found, of which I was very glad. To-day I send these eggs to Keflavik together with a letter to Zoega, in case there should be communication by sea with Reykjavik, and I have asked him to pack them up better, and take care that they may reach you as soon as possible...... I should like to hear from you and know if this packet reaches you all safe. * Your friend, ““S. B. S1vERTSEN.” Four eggs, however, arrived, whence I conclude that Geir Zoega thought that one of the first lot was good enough to send, but they were in a deplorable condition, unblown and half putrid, and as I was immediately leaving home for the continent I put them into spirit, where they remained until the following summer, when Mr. Salvin took them in hand, and mounting their shattered shells on eggs of Temminck’s Stint, selected to fit them, made very respectable specimens of them. I exhibited them: at a meeting of the Zoological Society, 24 January, 1867, and one of them was afterwards figured in its ‘ Proceedings’ (ut supra). I mentioned them also in the ‘‘ Notes” which I contributed to Mr. Baring-Gould’s ‘Iceland, its Scenes and Sagas’ (London : 1863, p. 412).] [§ 3959. Zhree.—Egedesminde, June, 1864. From Herr Zimmer, through Pastor ‘heobald, 1866. P.Z.S. 1867, p. 166. The Pastor wrote :—* You will find three eggs of Phalaropus rufus, with the birds, in the box. They are from Egedesminde, a station in the northern part of Greenland, where this species is the most common. Mr, Zimmer, formerly Administrator of the above-named Danish colony, brought them from that place last year. Inhabitants, instructed by him, caught the parent birds on the nest, at the end of June 1864, and there cannot be the least doubt that they {the eggs] are well authenticated and identified. They were laid in a separate box together with the birds. Besides, Mr. Zimmer is a very honest man and a good friend of Mr. Erichsen. As the skins are of no value, in this case I thought it proper to let them [go] in company with the eggs. Perhaps the eggs and parent birds may still be interesting to you, although I think the egg is no rarity at all now.” Herr Theobald sent at the same time a nest of eggs of the other species of Phalarope, taken also by Herr Zimmer (§ 3953).} ’ [Our excellent guide and interpreter in 1858.—Ip,] PHALAROPUS FULICARIUS. 200 [§ 3960. Mowr—Upernivik, North Greenland. From Herr Olnk, through Mr. H. S. Hawkins, 1867. Mr. Hawkins wrote to me:—“ Among the eggs sent me, but not yet arrived, though I am expecting them daily, are those of the Grey Phalarope, of which IT had especially asked Mr. Olrik, the Inspector of North Greenland, to try and get me as large a series as possible, thoroughly and carefully identified. This he tells me he has done, and that he can guarantee the eggs sent, the bird having been in every case carefully watched, and in most cases shot off the nest, and several skins are sent with the eggs. It has struck me that you might like to have some of these, as, if I remember rightly, you are not well off for this species. They are sent in nests of three or four eggs each generally.” . A few weeks after he wrote again :—“TI intend sending you to-morrow a box with the Phalaropes’ skins and one nest of eggs, off which two of the birds were shot—the taking of which nest Mr. Olrik particularly describes, so that if the skins are those of Ph. platyrhynchus there can be no doubt as to the eggs; but I am curious to hear from you when you have seen the skins.” The skins sent were unquestionably those of P. platyrhynchus or, to use the older name, P. fulicarius; but I do not feel so confident as to all the four eggs belonging to the same nest. | [§ 3961. Zhree.—Point Barrow, Alaska, 23 June, 1882, From the United States National Museum, through Prof. Baird, 1886. Sent by Capt. Bendire at Prof. Baird’s request. They had been received by the Smithsonian Institution from the United States Signal Service, as having been taken as above, and their catalogue number is 18654. In the account of the Birds observed by the International Polar Expedition to Point Barrow, under the command of Lieut. P. H. Ray, of the United States Army, which was contributed by Sergeant Murdoch, the Naturalist of the Expedition, to the ‘Report’ published at Washington in 1885, it is said (p. 115) of this species:— “The nest is always in the grass, never in the black or mossy portions of the tundra, and usually in a pretty wet situation, though a nest was occasionally found high and dry, in a place where the nest of the Pectoral Sandpiper would be looked for. A favorite nesting site was a narrow grassy isthmus between two of the shallow ponds. The nest is a very slight affair of dried grass and always well concealed. “Some of the pairs have their full complement of eggs laid by the middle of June, but others are much later, as fresh eggs were obtained as late as June 29, in 1882. Four is the usual number of eggs in a complete set, although sets of three incubated eggs are to be found.” Mr. Murdoch also states that “ The whole duty of raising and taking care of the brood, after the eggs are laid, falls upon the males, who hatch the eggs and take care of the young brood, while the female spends her time away feeding. We never found a female sitting on eggs, or took one with her breast plucked. It was invariably the male bird that was started off the eggs.” 204 PHALAROPUS FULICARIUS.—CALIDRIS ARENARIA. [§ 3962. Zwo.—Green Harbour, Western Spitsbergen, 3 July, 1894, - From Col. Feilden. Most kindly given to me by Col. Feilden, being some of the spoil he collected in Spitsbergen in Capt. Townley Parker’s yacht ‘Saide,’ R.Y.C. Shortly after his return he wrote (31 July) :—‘‘I was very pleased to have the good luck to get the Phalaropes’ egzs—only two—the one with a bird in it, the other fresh. The male does the sitting, his breast quite bare; the female, a fine lady, only drops the eggs, and apparently does not incubate. The pleasure of finding the eggs will only be equalled by your accepting them.” Avain a few days later he wrote:—‘ Herewith are the two eggs of P. fuli- carius. I also enclose the fragments of the lady who deposited them...... On landing on the west side of Green Harbour, 3rd July, where there were some smal] lagoons, I saw the bird, whose fragments I send, splashing by the side of the water. I ran towards her and shot her. On returning to the launch with the bird in my hand, the launchman gave me these two eggs, saying that he saw a bird like it leave its nest in the turf close to the launch, and took the eggs, two only, out of a small depression, and pointed out the bird itself. It was standing by the edge of the shore, close to the water. I shot it. It proved to be the male—breast bare from sitting. The female shewed no sign of sitting.” In the box with the eggs was a slip of paper stating that Col. Feilden had seen tavo pairs of birds at Green Harbour on that day; of the eges—one was fresh, the other much incubated. The skin of the hen bird, of which he sent me the remains, had unfortunately been torn to pieces by a cat, after his return home. Green Harbour is on the south side of Ice Sound, and is where Messrs. Birkbeck and Manners-Sutton found Grey Phalaropes, no doubt breeding, on 9 July, 1864, just thirty years before (Ibis, 1865, p. 205).] CALIDRIS ARENARIA (Linneus)'. SANDERLING. [§ 3963. One.—Iceland. From Herr Cristian Zimsen, 1858. This egg is out of the only collection which Mr. Wolley and I saw or heard of in Iceland. Some days before our departure from Reykjavik we were told of an egg-collector in the person of a young man in the employment of a merchant there. We called upon him and he shewed us what he had, the whole consisting, as he told us, of eggs taken in the island, Lut we refrained ‘ (I may here observe that the egg figured by Mr. Hewitson on plate lxxxiii. of his Second Edition as that of the Purple Sandpiper from Mr. Wilmot’s collection is now, With the rest of that collection, in the Museum of the University of Cambridge. Llis catalogue states that he had it, with another, “from Leadbeater, who had them CALIDRIS ARENARIA. 905 from making him any offer for it. Going to him socn after, on the 20th July, we found that he had parted with the greater portion of it to the mate of the steamer which was to take us back, but he gave us the choice of what was left, whereby we became possessed of a few useful specimens. But there were several we had seen on our first visit, which we should have liked to possess, among them two Water-Rails’ (§ 8125), and this egg, the parentage of which was very problematical, neither of us having before seen anything exactly like it. When we reached the steamer we soon arranged for the possession of the collection, which we divided, and this egg fell to my share. It had somewhat the look of a dwarfed Snipe’s, yet I could not believe it to be so, and both of us rather indulged the hope that it might be a Sanderling’s—a species which, there is every reason to think, may occasionally breed in Iceland. This hope I maintained until I received from Prof. Baird a Sanderling’s egg from the first known identified nest (§ 5964), when the want of resemblance between them seemed fatal ; but it was curiously revived and even rendered a certainty a few years after by the receipt through Dr. Finsch from the North German Arctic Expedition of a series of specimens (§ 3965) supplying the mean terms of which these had been but the extremes, Herr Zimsen was about sixteen or eighteen years of age, and was the only person we met in Iceland who shewed the least taste for ornithology. He had begun his collection about two years before, being incited thereto by Dr. Kruper, who left with him a manuscript list of the birds of Iceland. As a Reykjavik shopman he had no chance of indulging his taste, and was, I believe, glad to get rid of his collection, the possession of which, lovked on as a boyish fancy, vather injured him in his employer's opinion. | from Capt. Sabine after his return from an arctic expedition.” Now the last arctic expedition on which Sabine was engaged was in 1825, when he was landed from H.M.S. ‘Griper’ (Commander Clavering, R.N.) on the Pendulum Islands (lat. 74° 30' N.), one of which now bears his name, off the east coast of Greenland, for the second half of August. Notwithstanding the lateness of the season one may not unreasonably suppose that these eggs—perhaps from forsaken nests—were obtained during his stay at this place, which is that whence the Second German North-Polar Expedition brought eggs (§ 3965) that, by a process of exhaustion, cannot be other than Sanderlings’. Be that as it may, the ege figured by Mr. Hewitson, the connexion of which with Sabine need not be doubted, since I knew Mr. Leadbeater to be a trustworthy man, is quite unlike any Purple Sandpiper’s I possess or have seen, while it so closely resembles an ordinary Sanderling’s that I can hardly refrain from believing it to be one. The only account of this voyage that I know, and for a knowledge of it I am indebted to Col. Feilden, is Clavering’s “ Journal,’ communicated, after his loss at sea in 1827, by Mr. James Smith, of Jordanhill, to the ‘Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal’ for April-June, 1830 (vol. ix. pp. 1-30), and unfortunately the only birds there noticed as seen are Rock-Grouse and Swans (p. 23). But there is no mention of what Sabine may have obtained while separated from Clavering from the 16th to the 29th of August.—Ep. ] 206 CALIDRIS ARENARITA. [§ 3964. Oxe-—Barren Ground, Anderson River, 29 June, 1863. ‘“ Birdshot.” From the Smithsonian Institution, through Prof. Baird, 1870. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1871, p. 56, pl. iv. fig. 2. The label accompanying this egg shews that it was one of a nest of four, from which the hen bird was shot (no. 36080) by Mr. R. MacFarlane during his stay on the Anderson River. The nest is described as being of ‘‘ Hay and decayed leaves.” That gentleman’s note (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiv. p. 427) is as follows :—“ On 29th June, 1863, we discovered a nest of this species, ‘the only one at that time known to naturalists,’ on the Barren Grounds about 10 miles west of Franklin Bay. The nest was composed of withered hay and leaves placed in a small cavity or depression in the ground, and it contained four eggs, which were quite fresh. The female was snared. It is a very rare bird in that quarter, and we never afterwards succeeded in finding another nest.” The discrepancy of the statement as to how the hen bird was killed may have arisen from indistinct writing. Prof. Baird undoubtedly wrote in the first instance “ shot,’ perhaps a misreading of the word “snared,” which may have been less expected. It is, however, clear that this egg is from the first nest ever taken and identified by a competent authority, though I think not the first of the species ever figured. I exhibited it to the Zoological Society, 17 January, 1871.] [§ 3965. Zen.—Sabine Island, Last Greenland, 1870? From the Second German North-Polar Expedition, through Dr. Otto Finsch, 1871. Proe. Zool. Soe. 1871, pp. 546, 547. Zweite deutsche Nordpolarfahrt, ii. pp. 240-242. These, with other eggs (§§ 3419, 3512) collected by Dr. Adolf Pansch in the Second German North-Polar Expedition, were kindly transmitted to me by Dr. Finsch, with the assurance that they had been obtained on Sabine Island, where only four species of Limzcole—namely, A%gialitis hiaticola, Strepsilas interpres, Tringa striata, and Calidris arenaria—were observed. As they obviously could not belong to any of the first three, it followed they must be those of the fourth. Some of them correspond remarkably with the eggs from the first identified nest taken on the Anderson Riyer (§ 3964), while others shew, as already stated, a likeness to that which ww Wolley and I procured in Iceland (§ 38963). These eggs reached me in very bad condition—one had not been blown at all, and others were little more than half shells. They were taken in hand by Mr. Salvin, who, mounting the worst on selected Dunlings’ eggs, made their remains presentable. They were exhibited by me at a Meeting of the Zoological Society on the 20th of June, 1871, and are fully described in the Zoology of the Expedition (ui supra). Unfortunately Dr. Pansch seems to have made no notes concerning them, but a young half-fledged specimen obtained on Sabine Island in August, 1869, was included in the collection TRINGA CANUTUS. 207 formed as stated by Dr. Finsch (fom. eit. p- 204). All these eges also generally agree very well with the specimens obtained by Colonel Feilden, 24 June, 1876. (Cf. Nares, ‘Narrative of a Voyage to the Polar Sea,’ ii. pp- 210, 211, pl. i.)] TRINGA CANUTUS, Linneeus. KNOT. [§ 3966. Ore—Liiford Aviary, 14 June, 1893. From Lord Lilford. With this egg Lord Lilford wrote to me on the 14th June, 1893:—“I am sending you an egg found in the aviary this morning by Cosgrave. It is un- fortunately cracked, but what the dealers call a fair cabinet specimen. I fear that it must be a Reeve’s production, but it strikes me as very small for that species, and not like my recollection of its egg. The only other possible (parent) birds in the compartment are Knots, a pair of Australian Wattled Peewits (of which I sent you eggs last year), and a solitary Cayenne Lapwing, but I feel certain that this egg belongs to neither of the latter birds—can it be T. canutus?” Comparing the egg with a series of about one hundred and fifty Reeves’, I found, as indeed I had judged from the first sight of it, that it was not at all at home among them, and the nearest likeness I could see was to one or two very dark Turnstones’. The possibility of its being from either of the Plovers named was, of course, out of the question. I accordingly wrote to that effect to Lord Lilford, who replied the next day—‘* About the ege (which is yours, be it what it may) I have very little doubt, as although some of my teeves have laid in previous years, they have generally attempted some fashion of nest, and I have never seen an egg of theirs that in size or markings resembled this. I have only one Turnstone, and he, or she, is not in the compartment in which this egg was found. For the first time in my pretty long experience with Knots in the aviaries, I this year observed symptoms of sexual excitement among them, and they have all been here since December, 1884...... Per contra I have repeatedly seen the Rufls em coctw with their proper mates, and have net actually seen the Knots consummate the act.” On coming to inscribe this egr a few days after, I was sorry to see that it had lost much of the bright green hue it had when it first reached me, presumably the day after it was laid, when it reminded me as to ground-colour of a fresh Spotted Red- shank’s (the green form), and had now become more olive, though it was still a rather striking egg with a good deal of character about it. It was not only quite possibly a Knot’s, but I believe it was one, though proof may never be obtainable. It measures 1°65 inch by 1-2 inch or nearly so. . On the 6th of July, 1893, I was at Lilford, and visited the aviary in which this egg was laid. The Knots were about a dozen in number, none of them in very bright plumage, but still red enough. Cosgrave, the man who looks after the birds, whom his master considers a credible witness, told me that he had more than once seen Knots trying to tread, if not 7 co’tu. No Reeve had that year attempted to make a nest as they usually do, nor had the Australian 208 TRINGA CANUTUS.—T. MINUTA. Plover laid. This egg was empty when found, the contents having run out through the broken shell. It was lying in the grass, and how it came to be broken he did not know. He pointed out to me the individual Knot which he believed was the parent. In May, 1894, one of Lord Lilford’s Knots died, and he sent the body to the Museum here, asking that it might be carefully examined, for (as subsequently appeared) it was. the very bird that Cosgrave believed to have laid the egg the year before. Dr. Gadow willingly undertook the examination, and drew up a report, from which I extract the following :— “ Conditions of generative organs :—as usual, left ovary only developed, left oviduct contains a large number of the ordinary unripe eggs, but also a smaller number of eg¢s much further developed. These latter, however, were not intended to be laid this year, but indicate that some considerable propa- gative excitement had been passed through by this bird. Moreover, I feel justified in saying that it is my opinion that this bird has laid at least one egg, because of the presence of one calyx remnant in the ovary among the ovyula. Such a calyx indicates the previous bursting out and setting free of an egg. There may be several calyces in this ovary, but I have found only one. Lastly, the oviduct is so well developed that it might easily be supposed to have performed its function. However, all this must have happened several months ago, because ovary and oviduct have had time to return to their normal condition... . Swmmary: Although there are no absolute proofs, it is my opinion that the Knot sent to the Museum of Zoology and examined by me has some time ago laid one, or may be several eggs. “26 May, 1894. H. Gapow.” I was at Lilford again in July, 1895, and saw the remaining Knots, eight or nine in number, some of which were fairly red ; but Cosgrave said he had seen no indications of breeding in any of them. He had become positive that the bird that died in May, 1894, whose body was examined by Dr. Gadow, was the mother of the egg found in the aviary on the 14th of June, 1893, and sent to me the same day. The impression produced cn me at the first sight of the eez, even before the corroborative evidence of Cosgrave and Dr. Gadow was given, still prevails, and I believe it to be a Knots, for it is so unlike that of any Reeve known to me, and one or the other it must be; but I admit that I may be rash, in my ignorance of what a Knot’s egg is really like; for I have not sven one that can be indubitably declared to belong to that species. ] TRINGA MINUTA, Leisler. LITTLE STINT. [§ 3967. One.—Taimyr River, N. lat. 74°, 1 July, 1843. From Dr. von Middendorff, through Dr. Baldamus, 1861. Proc. Zool. Soe. 1861, p. 398. TRINGA MINUTA. 209 This from what was apparently the only nest of the species found by Dr. von Middendorff, who states (Sib. Reise, II. ii. p. 221) that on the Taimyr he first observed the species on the 17th June, but found almost complete eggs in a female then shot. On the 22nd what appeared to be a cock bird rose up before him and hovered like a Falcon, trilling its song, raising its wings high over its back and beating them down again. On the Ist of July he saw a hen, with pufled up feathers and head drawn in, run away from him. She was so hot in the defence of her nest that he was able to take off his game-bag and put it over her. The four eggs were found in a hollow in the moss of the swampy low ground, hardly twenty yards from a large pool. In the nest there were only willow-leaves as a bedding, and these seemed to have been blown by the wind, rather than collected by the bird. He goes on to say that the eggs exactly resemble those figured by Thienemann (Fortpflanzungs- geschichte der gesammten Vogel, Ixii. 1 a, 5) ; but it is to be remembered that, from what we know of the breeding-range of this species, it is hardly possible that Thienemann’s specimens could have really been those of 7. minuta, so that I cannot but regard Dr. von Middendorff as the discoverer. This was sent by him as an “ wnicum’’ to Dr. Baldamus, from whom I received it. I exhibited it at a Meeting of the Zoological Society on the 10th December, 1861], and should have had it figured, had it been in better condition. | [§ 3968. Oxe—Dvoinik, Lower Petchora River, North-east Russia, 22 July, 1875. “J. A. H.-B.” From Mr. Harvie-Brown, 1876. The cift of Mr. Harvie-Brown, being from a nest of four, the first of the species obtained by him and his companion Mr. Seebohm, and found simul- taneously by the former and Piottuch, their interpreter, who had been with Mr. Harvie-Brown on his former expedition to Northern Russia in 1872. That gentleman has been so good as to favour me with a copy of an extract from his journal, afterwards printed im extenso in ‘The Ibis’ (1876, pp. 3802, 303), whence it appears that having just found some young birds of this species “ we proceeded to search for another nest, or more young, offering Simeon two rubies if he found a nest of eggs. Almost immediately Piottuch and I ran forward, he being a little in advance, and in a trice we had three more young, a little older than the first. Within fifteen yards of where we got these, a bird rose and we again ran forward. ‘Hurrah! Monsieur, les ceufs! les ceufs!’ (cried he, joyously) and the next instant we were sitting one on each side of the nest, the (parent) birds of both eggs and young flying round us, and alighting within twenty paces, neither of them so tame and fearless as the parents of the first nest of young. And the eggs ?—miniature Dunlins’, three dark and richly marked, the fourth lighter and more faintly streaked, but also just like one Dunlin’s in our collection at home taken in South Uist. And the nest ?— rather untidy, rather rough and uneven round its rim, very shallow, sparingly lined with dry grasses, and a little leaf or two which might have been plucked by the bird as she sat on her nest. Round it a deep spongy, but not wet, yellow moss (Sphagnum), the dark green leayes and empty calives of the PART III. p 210 TRINGA MINUTA. Rubus arcticus, a tuft of round-stemmed green Carex (C. rariflora). A little further off, the now flowerless plants of the sweet-scented Ledum palustre, and branches and patches of long white grass, and plants of small Eriophoron vaginatum and E. polystachyon var. latifolium.... Simeon coming up again, having left in search of another nest, caught the fourth young of the other [pair of] birds. Mr. Seebohm had come up some time before, and we all four sat echoing the sentiments uppermost in our thoughts at the time. ... Both birds were shot, the bird of the nest with the eggs and the bird of the four young. The turf, a foot square, holding the nest, was cut out carefully with a knife, and the mass, including the Rubus arcticus, the yellow Sphagnum, and the tuft of Carex, placed carefully in a handkerchief, with a piece of cloth rolled up and put in the nest, and the three old birds put in paper bags care- fully numbered.” These last, I regret to say, perished in the fire at Dunipace, which in 1897 destroyed all Mr. Harvie-Brown’s fine collections, and it is sad to think that the present, and the Grey Plover’s eggs before entered (§§ 3365-8368), are all that remain of his Russian spoils. ] [§ 3969. Four.—South Goose Cape, Nova Zembla, 8 July, 1894. From Mr. Arnold Pike, through Mr. Tristram. These were given to me by Canon Tristram, with whom they had been left by Mr. Arnold Pike, and that gentleman subsequently wrote to me :—“ The Little Stints were breeding ona marsh, and also on a dry hill-side, near South Goose Cape, The nests containing three and four on July 9th. I took eleven eggs in the course of a short walk. I could doubtless have taken more had I wished to do so, as I saw more birds which were evidently breeding there. I saw none on the Northern Island; but I was ashore only along the coast about Admiralty Peninsula.” Canon Tristram informed me that with these eges Mr. Pike left with him for determination the skin of a hen Tringa minuta, marked ‘‘shot off the eggs sent” ; but it seems that the different sets were not kept separate, and it is therefore not certain that these four are from the same nest. The discrepancy between the 8th and the 9th July is immaterial, where an Arctic summer is concerned. | [§ 3970. Zwo—Golchika, Jennesei River, 19 July, 1895. From Mr. C. B. Hill. Mr. Popham, whom Mr. Hill accompanied on this occasion, wrote in ‘The This’ for 1897 (p. 105) of this species that it passes through Jenniseisk on the spring migration, and did not occur to them till latitude 71° N. was reached, when they captured down-clad young. “ Eggs and more downy young were afterwards found at Golchika, where the birds were fairly numerous and extremely tame.’’ He goes on to say that the eggs obtained differed a good deal from those of Tringa temmincki, which they found breeding further to the southward than 7. minuta, being of a much darker buff ground-colour, and slightly smaller. “ Of 7. minuta two females were shot from their nests.” ] TRINGA MINUTA. a fi | [§ 3971. Four—Dolga Bay, Waaigat Island, 6 July, 1897. From Mr. H. J. Pearson. Mr. Pearson wrote to me:—“ The egos I sent you were found by my men (crew) near ‘Stint Lake,’ so named from the number of this species we saw there, about two miles inland from Dolga Bay in the north-west corner of Waaigat. The nest in marshy ground among coarse grass: the eges fresh.” In his note on this species as observed during his voyage in 1897 (Ibis, 1898, pp. 209, 201), Mr. Pearson states that next to the Snow-Bunting it was the commonest in Waaigat, “and especially numerous at the heads of Dolea Bay and other inlets of the sea.” The birds “did not confine themselves to the neighbourhood of the shore, a number breeding round the lakes, two to three miles inland.” His party took 183 eggs, of which he figured a dozen as a frontispiece to his work ‘ Beyond Petsora Eastward,’ besides giving a view (plate 24) from a photograph of “ Stint Lake,” and in the narrative (pp. 88, 89) mentioned finding at least nine nests of this bird on the day this nest was taken. The series of Little Stints’ eges in his collection, obtained on this, as well as his voyage of 1895, which he was so kind as to shew me, is, of course, unrivalled. ] [§ 8972. Four. Matyushin Shar, Nova Zembla, 16 July, 1903. From Hill.” J. Koren. and HH, . 1. - Eh. [§ 3973. Four. Schaanning, through Mr. Marsden. In November, 1903, Mr. Marsden wrote to me that he was expecting some eggs of the Little Stint and other birds, taken during the last summer in Nova Zembla by two Norwegian collectors, and kindly offered to send me some on approval. I gladly availed myself of the opportunity, and in due course of time four complete nestfuls of this species reached me, from which I selected two and returned the others. He afterwards gave me the name of the collectors, and kindly sent me the copy of an interesting account of their doings by one of them, Herr Koren. Subsequently, through the kindness of Prof. Collett, who knew them both, I was able to enter into communication with the other, Herr Schaanning, who favoured me with the particulars I here translate from his letter :—“ These eggs were found on the 16th of July at Matotschkin Shar. They lay on a grassy marsh, beset with dry bare ridges, on which we obtained altogether seventeen nests with eggs—tilteen being found on the same night. The nests were spread about some 300 to 500 metres apart from one another. The eggs, which in all the nests were four in number, lay in a hollow furnished with fine dry grass-stalks, on one of the above-named bare ridges on the borders of the marshy tract. At each of the seventeen nests only one bird was observed and shot. In fifteen of them it was certainly the cock, and in two only the hen, and in three nests the eggs were almost fresh-laid. The hen at the nest was shy, always rising from it and flying a long way off, and was sometimes an hour before she came hack to the eggs. The cock, on the other hand, was extraordinarily little shy, but got off the nest and ran, sometimes walking, round it, and by P 2 ~ D112 TRINGA TEMMINCKI. sitting down close to the nest we caught several cocks with our hands, when they would again seat themselves on the eggs.” Of the two clutches of eggs which I chose, one is of normal appearance, the other remarkable for being con- spicuously undercoloured, though a single one of its eggs bears a large dark blotch on one side. ‘This very peculiar-looking specimen was noticed by both the collectors, Herr Schaanning writing to me, on the 2nd of January, 1904, that he remembered it well. It was taken by a little water-pool, where there were also two pairs of Phalaropus fulicarius and a pair of Cygnus bewicki breeding. These two collectors were menibers of the Norwegian Government Expedition, which, under the direction of Prof. Birkeland, wintered in Nova Zembla for the purpose of making observations on the Northern Lights; and most of the instruments used being automatic, they had plenty of time for natural history pursuits. They were exceptionally fortunate in that the summer of 1903 proved to be a great season for Lemmings, and consequently many kinds of predaceous birds abounded. } TRINGA TEMMINCKI, Leisler. TEMMINCK’S STINT. I have found it breeding in several localities north of the Bothnian Gulf; but it is scarce, and, as far as I have seen, confined to a few favourite spots. Grassy banks and pastures by the waterside are the kind of places where it takes up its breeding-quarters, and it seems to delight to be near houses. Nothing can be more interesting or pretty than this little bird in the early part of the summer. It isso tame that one could often catch it in a net at the end of a stick. At one time it is hovering with it wings raised over its back, or floating about, and it reminds one rather of some insect than of any other bird. At another time it may be standing on the top of a stone, or stake, or the gable end of a cottage; and, whether hovering or standing on its perch, it makes a constant trilling, of which I can best give an idea by saying that it brought to my recollection the Grasshopper- Warbler, though the resemblance is perhaps slight. When its eggs are very near, it sometimes runs about one’s feet ; and though it cannot but be anxious, it seems as busy as ever picking gnats and other insects off the grass. One nest I found was a short stone’s throw from a cottage where children were playing about in all directions; another was only a pace or two from a spring, from which women drew water every day and passers-by often stopped to drink. TRINGA TEM MINCKi. pha The nest is very simple—a few short bits of hay in a little saucer- shaped hollow, placed among thin grass or sedge, generally not far from the water’s edge, but sometimes in the middle of a meadow. The eggs were laid this year (1854) about midsummer-day. [The foregoing passages, written by Mr. Wolley at Muoniovara in December, 1854, for the use of Mr. Hewitson, were printed by that gentleman in the third edition of his well-known work, and were published in May, 1855. Mr. Wolley’s subsequent experience, especially that gained by him in East Finmark in the following summer, would doubtless have led him to modify somewhat his expression as to the scarcity of this species in Lapland, for in certain localities it might be called plentiful. On the other hand, no exception can properly be taken to his statement, which will be found immediately below, that the eggs obtained by him on the 28rd of June, 1853, were the first he had ever heard of attributed to this bird. True it is that in 1851 Thienemann had given four figures as those of Tringa temminckt (Fortpflanzungsgeschichte der gesammten Vogel, Ixili. 2 ac), but there un- fortunately was nothing (nor is there now) to shew that they were authentic, while four other figures on the same plate (professing to represent the eggs of Himantopus) are manifestly wrong. The discoverer of the breeding-ground of this species was certainly Von Middendorff, who, in 1840, found it once near Vads6 in East Finmark, as stated in the Report of the ornithological results of his Journey in Lapland (Beitrage zur Kenntniss der Russischen Reichs, viii. pp. 206, 207) published in 1843, but he evidently did not meet with a nest, much less see an egg. In 1845 Lowenhjelm met with a pair of old birds and two down-clad young at Alkajaur, on the 22nd of July (KK. Vet.-Akad, Handl. 1845, p. 402), but still no eggs. They were left to be discovered by Schrader, though the precise year in which he first obtained them is not stated, and indeed the fact that he had found them was published only by Pastor Passler in the ‘Journal fiir Ornithologie ’ for September, 1855 (p. 808), at least two months after Mr. Wolley had obtained his first nest. It thus appeared that Schrader, who went first to Lapland in 1841, and was for several summers on the Varanger Fjord, staying especially at Nyborg (where he left, as we ten years after found, avery good reputation), had in all that time collected, as he easily would, a con- siderable number of this bird’s eggs, which he had brought or sent to Germany, and it is presumable that the specimens figured by Thienemann may have come from him, in which case there can be no doubt of their genuineness‘, and as through the delay in making known his discovery, particularly in this country, some injustice has been done to Schrader, it is the more necessary that the fact should be fully acknowledged here. | 1 {It may be observed that Tringa temmincki 1s not mentioned among the species met with by him during his first year in Lapland, according to the list given by Oken (Isis, 1842, p. 617), nor were its eggs exhibited by Drs. Naumann and Baldamus at the ornithological gathering at Kéthen in September, 1845 (Rhea, i. | p- 3), but the same list contains “ Tringa minuta (?),” which no doubt should have been 7. temmincki. Malm, who was Schrader’s companion in 1841, included the latter in the list of birds he observed (Naturhistorisk Tidsskrift, ser. 2, y, p- 205), but says nothing of eggs.—-ED. | | 914 TRINGA TEMMINCKI. § 3974. Four.—Muonioniska, 24 June, 1853. “J. W.” These four eggs are the first I ever heard of attributed to this bird. They were found on the 23rd and taken on the 24th of June, just between the water and a group of houses below the church. Some children ran up to me with the eggs when I had passed the place in a boat. The father of one of them had found the nest the day before, as he left his boat for the house just above. The fourth egg, they told me, had (translated [from Finnish] into Swedish) ‘‘ gone asunder.” The first thing was to enquire for this fourth egg. They took me back several hundred yards, and there stood in a group round the broken egg lying im the footpath. I then gave the child a fourth bit of silver, in addition to the other three bits. Next they were to shew me the nest. It was made up of a few last year’s leaves in a depression, scraped in the level grass, about thirty-five paces from the water’s edge, and perhaps twice as many from the houses, also not far from a stack of firewood. At this spot, or perhaps nearer to the water’s edge, on the 12th of June I had searched for the nest and watched the birds for some hours, at which time probably the eggs were not laid, for they had been only a day or two sat upon on the 24th. The birds came close to us on that occasion, and even allowed a man to walk within two or three feet of them as they sat upon the firewood, so that both with and without my glass I examined them carefully. They were decidedly of the same species as the bird I had shot at Niemi and elsewhere down the river, which appears to be the same as that from Haparanda, in the Stockholm Museum, labelled “ Tringa Temminckii.” Besides, their manner and notes were exactly like those of the bird whose skin I have. They uttered an incessant trilling note, coming hovering over us for several minutes together: their flight rather like that of a Sand-Martin. Every now and then they disappeared upon the ground, running after gnats among the grass. At that time I called many persons from the houses above to look at them, and offered the reward of a dollar for their eggs. When I first met with this species at Niemi, it was with great surprise that I heard and saw it trilling and twittering upon a projecting piece of wood on the roof of a building. After- wards below the gédstgifverigard [inn], one came up flitting and hovering, and sat trilling upon a large stone. This was the first IT shot. Some days later I saw several together, exceedingly tame, so that the boatmen struck at them with their poles; TRINGA TEMMINCKI. OES but they were not yet breeding. The name Theodore and Ludwig knew it by, talking with us, is Minste Strandtricka; but Ludwig says it is called here Ranta-siepi, and that his uncle used to get its skins, and say they were rare birds—indeed there seem to be very few of them. Several men down the river have said they knew them, but none have ever seen the nest. This one was ina perfectly even piece of grass, though there were hummocks and more likely-looking ground near. It must be very difficult to find even where the bird is, Hence the great value of these eggs. § 3975. Zwo.—Kaaressuando, 1853. These I bought of Pastor Engelmark at Kaaressuando on the 8th of December. His son Lassi said they were Liros’ 1, and that some of them had been found by Nialima’s lads. I sent over for these boys, and on their arrival they said that each of the two had found a nest, that it was the little marsh-bird called Liro, that it sat upon stakes or buildings and hovered in the air very near over their heads. The nests were not far from the houses. The boys at once selected the eggs from a considerable number, perhaps with one or two mistakes, but it was by candlelight, and they shewed satisfactorily that they knew them. The other nests of this bird were found by the side of the lake which is in front of the prestgard [parsonage]. On first seeing the eggs I recognized them as being of the same kind as I had obtained at Muonioniska [§ 3974]. There is a specimen of Tringa temmincki in the Stockholm Museum from Kaaressuando. [There were fourteen of these eggs thus bought, of which the above two, having been given to my brother and myself, alone remain in the collection, The remaining twelve formed Lots 145 to 155 at Mr, Stevens’s sale-room, 26 January, 1855, where they were soid to Messrs. Burney (2), Gurney (3), Milner (2), Walter (4), and Wilmot. | § 3976. Four.—Kaaressuando, 20 June, 1854. “J. W. Nest found by Salomon Johansson, alias Anonti’s Salko, a little boy in Ala-pallo, or the lower part of Kaaressuando, placed in a hole the bird had formed in a tuft, in a kind of cup or valley in the pasture-land a long way from the water. He at once brought them ' [Liro is properly Wood-Sandpiper, as Mr. Wolley afterwards found (§ 3747),—Ep. } BG TRINGA TEMMINCKI. to me, and I took a circle of snares, and soon the bird was unfortu- nately throttled. It turns out to be, as I anticipated, Tringa temmincki. Others are about, trillmg something lke a Grasshopper- Warbler. The eggs quite fresh. § 3977. Three—Muonioniska, 27 June, 1854. Hewitson, ‘ Eggs of British Birds,’ ed. 3, pl. ci. fig. 1? Found by Regina’s son, and brought to me just afterwards. I went to see the place, and after some search we found the nest itself, made of hay or fine grass, slight and placed three or four paces from the water, among long grass, on the niemi [point], opposite Regina’s house, which separates the river from the Muonio-triisk [lake]. The bird got up close to tlie nest, with its characteristic call, so that I could not hesitate as to the species. We, however, set a snare, but without effect. The eggs were quite fresh. My visit was made about midnight. [A fourth of these was lent to Mr. Hewitson to be drawn, but Mr. Wolley doubted whether the figure 1 in his plate was really taken from it; and as the specimen is not now forthcoming, I cannot decide the point, though I cannot understand from whom else Mr, Hewitson was likely to have obtained an ege. | § 3978. Three. Hewitson, ‘Eggs of British Birds, ed. 3, pl. ci. fig. 2. Muonioniska, 29 June, 1854. Found by Carolina Knoblock on the south promontory of the great island, Oiasen-saari, in the river here. Ludwig and Anton went to snare the bird, and it went into the snare while they sat not more than six feet from the nest. They brought it alive to me, and I put it into a cage for the night, expecting it would lay a fourth egg. In the morning I made a more careful examination and found it was a cock-bird of Tringa temmincki, with no bare space on the belly. The dark blotches on its back were numerous. I let it fly through the window. Next night I went to see the nest, and found it towards the top of a sloping bank, made of grass with a few dead - last year’s sallow-leaves in the middle. I saw also one of the birds not far off. In the meantime I had blown out the eggs and found them several days sat on. Carolina had also found another nest not far from the first, with a single faded egg, which exploded on being touched. It had been covered with water during the [recent] floods. TRINGA TEMMINCKI. aa iy Obs. that the bird in its second nest did not complete the proper number of eggs. [One of these eggs was selected by Mr. Wolley to be figured as above by Mr. Hewitson. } § 3979. Houwr.—Muonioniska, 30 June, 1854. ‘* Bird snared. JW. Found by Anton in Putharu-puoli, Muonioniska, scarcely two fathoms from the spring which rises there and runs into the river below the painter woman’s house. Many persons, as they go by, stop to drink at this spring. ‘The tame little bird ran about our feet almost, but shewed an objection to go into the snares we laid, till at last setting some further from the nest we caught it. Anton observed that on leaving its nest it first rose at some little distance from it, so that he had some difficulty in finding the eggs. The nest was made of a little grass, just by a flat stone. § 3980. Four. § 38981. Four. Kaaressuando, 1854. § 3982. Four. 9 3983. Four. These appear to be complete nests, blown and laid separately from one another by the Pastor Engelmark, protected from the light. All these nests were found in and about Kaaressuando, after I had left—that is to say, about the end of June. § 3984. Zhree.-—Kautokeino, 1854. Collected and brought with other eggs to Kaaressuando by one- handed Lassi. § 3985. Fowr.—Vadso, 1855. Brought to me. I can hear the bird trilling as I sit in my room, and I have examined specimens of it. 218 TRINGA TEMMINCKI. § 3986. Four.—Vadsi, 1855. In a nest brought by a boy or girl. The rounded egg is remarkable. § 3987. Two.—Mortensnes, East Finmark, 27 June, 1855. « Rird shot.” The bird was shot by Mr. Simpson [Hudleston] from the nest at Gaudo-jauvre. 3988. Four.—Nyborg, East Finmark, 29 June, 1855. J oD? > Brought by a Lapp boy at Nyborg at the bottom of Mask Fjord. § 8989. Zwo—Angsnees, East Finmark, 11 July, 1855. Brought to us at the entrance of Mask Fjord. Mr. Newton and I went to look at the nest, but did not see the bird. There were three eggs hard sat upon, from one of which we hatch a young one, and he draws it in colour, § 3990. Zwo.—Vadso, July, 1855. Left at our lodgings for us, and we got them on our return to Vadsd. They were brought by a Lapp with the nest in an Hchinus- shell. At the same time were brought four eggs of the same bird in a very neat ladle-like basket, which with its contents I handed over to Mr. Newton [§ 4031]. The former nest was of a little grass and a few dried leaves. § 3991. Four—vVardo, 1855. From Herr Lehnsmand Reen in Vardohuus. In a letter he called them Tringa minuta; but from having seen 7. temmincki at Vardi, from want of the slightest evidence of 7. minuta breeding there, and from Herr Reen’s almost entire want of knowledge of birds, I and my friends have no hesitation in considering these to be the eggs of T. temmincki, [Herr Reen sent a variety of eggs on two occasions to Mr, Wolley while at TRINGA TEMMINCKI. 219 Vadsé, including in all nine named 7. minuta. I have ventured to unite, as above, one from the first consignment to those from the second, feeling confident, from their strong likeness, that they must have belonged to the same nest, which was doubtless that of 7. temmiéncki. | § 3992. Four.—Saarijairvi, West Finmark, 1855. Found and named Piko Liro by the lad Nalima’s Pekka. § 3993. Four.—Kaaressuando, 1855. Out of seven, received on our way down the river. [Three others sold at Mr. Stevens’s, 7 March, 1856, to Messrs. Burney, Shepherd, and Troughton. | § 3994. Three.-—Above Palojoki, 1855. Out of twelve from the [Norwegian ?] mountains or upper parts of the country, where the Palojoki people were fishing this summer. [Three of these are rather curiously rounded, and it is only by conjecture that Mr. Wolley put them together. Four others were sold at Mr. Stevens’s rooms, 7 March, 1856, to Messrs. Bond, Holland, Simpson, and Thurnell, while two more were given by me to Mr. Salvin in 1860. ] § 3995. Four—Muonioniska, 1855. Brought at midsummer by Ada, the daughter of Priest Pfaler, who found them on the shore in front of the house. § 3996. Four.—Lia, Muonioniska, 23 June, 1855. Found by Niemi’s Johan on the promontory, called Lia, between the lake and the river. They seem as if they had been exposed to water, a peculiarity which Ludwig observed when they were brought. The boy found four nests on this same day. § 3997. Mour—Olasen-saari, 25 June, 1855. “ With bird. Lo MOKY [Though these eggs are carefully inscribed as above, they were never entered in the book. The island where they were found was a well-known haunt of this species (§§ 3978, 4004, 4005). | 220 TRINGA TEMMINCKI. § 3998. Seven.—Kautokeino, 1855. Out of eight, apparently from three nests of 1855-6, brought to Muoniovara by Kisipuoli Lassi (Lars Johansen Keino). § 3999. Four.—Muonioniska, 26 June, 1856. “A. K.” [Not entered in the Egg-book, but no doubt taken by Anton Knoblock at the time and place inscribed on the eggs. | § 4000. Fouwr—Muonioniska, 27 June, 1856. ‘“L. M. K.” With the skin of the hen-bird. Found by Ludwig and Anton on Rakoma-saari, an island belonging to Finland, between the river [Muonio] and Putas. The nest was opposite to Olli’s house. ‘The bird struggling in [the snare] broke one of the eggs. § 4001. Zhree.—Palojoki, 1856. From Pehr Matthisson Bas, of Palojoki. There were five, of which one of the two destroyed was very like the remarkable egg now remaining. [The specimen thus particularised by Mr. Wolley is very boldly marked, and when fresh was, I doubt not, of singular beauty. | § 4002. Lve.—Palojoki, 1856. Out of eleven brought by Zacharias, blown by him, and in bad condition. {A sixth given to Mr. Newcome in 1861. ] § 4003. Fouwr.—Muonioniska, 1856. Found by a little boy, Herman Anti, opposite to Anti’s gard in Muonioniska, and brought on the 6th of July. § 4004. Fowr.—Oliasen-saani, 26 June, 1857. Brought on the 27th by Niemin Greta’s boy Johan, and kept separately from [others brought at the same time]. They were found on Oiasen-saari. tw — TRINGA TEMMINCKT, yay § 4005. Mour.—Oiasen-saari, 26 June, 1857. Brought at the same time [as the last], but mixed with [others | ; but I see it is easy to separate them, the eggs of this nest being much blunter at the small end than the others. § 4006. Four.—Rakoma-saari, 29 June, 1857. Brought on the 5th of July by the Niemin Greta’s lad Johan. § 4007. Zwo.—Rakoma-saari, 29 June, 1857. As the last. § 4008. Four.—Hieta-niemi, 1857. Also by Niemin Johan by the side of the parsonage. These three nests, of which the second and third have much smaller eggs than the first, are evidently faithfully kept separate by the lad. § 4009. Zwo.—Palojarvi, 11 July, 1857. ‘ With bird.” Brought on the 15th by Maria Hellena Muotkajarvi, with the head and wings of the bird, which she called Pieni Jénkki-lintu [the ordinary name for Limicola platyrhyncha|. The place was by a great marsh. § 4010. Mowr—Above Palojoki, 1857. Out of nineteen which I received on the 26th of July at Palojoki of Fredrik Mattisson, all unblown and many in a very bad condition, and I have had to throw some away. I gave two to the Messrs. Godman, one of which was a curious variety with a large blotch of colouring. The first twelve were found near a lake in the mountains at a place called Wuontis-uoma. The others also towards the mountains at a place whose name I do not remember. The people did not begin to find them till most were incubated. One of these eggs is remarkably small and curiously marked. [Two more were sold at Mr. Stevens’s, 23 Feb., 1858, to Messrs. Marshall and Milner. Others were given away at Stockholm and elsewhere. } o28 TRINGA TEMMINCKI. § 4011. Zwo.—Kaaressuando, 1857. Of a nest found by the lame boy, Anonti’s Elias. § 4012. Four.—East Finmark, 1857. “J. W.” (These were among some eggs sent to me in 1857 direct from East Finmark, and never entered by Mr. Wolley, whose initials inscribed upon them testify to his having taken them himself. They are no doubt a complete nestful. | § 4013. Seven.—Vadso, 1857. [Received by me with the last, but merely inscribed Vads.] § 4014. Four.—Muonioniska, 19 June, 1858. Brought to Muoniovara the same day by Kyré Niku, who had found them at Tahys Knuutin in Hatta, § 4015. Fouwr.—Muonioniska, June, 1858. Brought to Muoniovara, 20 June, by Eva Lovisa; found on Koskivainio-strand. § 4016. Fouwr.—Muonioniska, June, 1858. Found by Kalle [Charles] Maki’s little boy, at the back of his bath-house, the week before the 20th of June. § 4017. Three.—Lia-uoma, Muonioniska, 20 June, 1858. Found by the same boy, as above, and brought on the 23rd. § 4018. Two.—Kaaressuando, 1858. Brought to Muoniovara, 3 August, by Anonis Johan, but found by Anonis Elias. [Curiously rounded in form. ] § 4019. Onxe.—Mukka-uoma, 1858. [Somewhat abnormal ; brought with the last, but without particulars.] (o) i) Co TRINGA TEMMINCKI. § 4020. Zwo.—Kaaressuando, 1858. § 4921. Fouwr.—Liikavainio, Muonioniska, 16 June, 1859. Brought the next day, by Liikavainio’s daughter Fredrika ; found on the shore there. [ Very curious-looking eggs. } § 4022. Five.—Liikavainio, 17 June, 1859. Out of six found as above and brought by Carl Likavainio on the 22nd. § 4023. Zwo.—Likavainio, 1859. Brought on the 25th June by Eva Lovisa ; found on the shore of Likavainio. [These seem to be the complement of those in the preceding section. | § 4024. FKowr.—Muonioniska, 23 June, 1859. Brought to Muoniovara the same day, by Kyré Niku, who found them on the Finnish side. § 4025. Mve.—Muonioniska, 23 June, 1859. Brought on the 25th by Lahti Hendrik’s daughter Gustava. Found on the shore. § 4026. One.—Muonioniska, June, 1859. Brought by Koski Niku’s daughter Eva on the 25th of June. § 4027. One.—Liikavainio, June, 1859. Brought by Liikavainio Erik’s daughter on the 26th. § 4028. Four.—Lia-niemi, 14 July, 1859. Brought by Abraham, Greta Niemi’s boy, on the 17th. Found as above. QI4 TRINGA TEMMINCKI.—T. MINUTILLA. [§ 4029. Zhree.—Nyborg, East Finmark, 30 June, 1855. cA IN,” Taken by myself, but I kept no note of the particulars. ] [§ 4030. One.—Nyborg, July, 1859. With two others, brought to us there, where the bird was common enough. | [§ 4031. Fowr.—Vads6, July, 1855. Brought to us by one of the children in the ingeniously-constructed ladle- like basket, mentioned in Mr. Wolley’s note (§ 3990), formed by the inter- weaving of a single long root of (apparently) Betula nana. | [§ 4032. Four.-—Muonioniska, 17 June, 1860. Brought to Muoniovara, by Johan Gabrielsson, on the 5th of July. } [§ 4033. Onxe—Allasaari, 15 June, 1861. Found by Lars Hendrik Pallajirvi, and brought to Muoniovara on the 80th by Piko Heiki.] TRINGA MINUTILLA, Vieillot.’ [§ 4037. Zwo.—Sable Island, Nova Scotia. From the Smith- sonian Institution, through Prof. Baird, 1866. The label states that they were obtained “with parent” by Mr. P. S. Dodd. | 1 [To this species belong, I believe, several eggs received from Labrador, some under the name of Calidris arenaria, which they certainly are not, and others through Herr Méschler under that of Tringa bonapartii (i. e. T. fuscicolhs) assigned to them by Herr F. W. Badeker, though it seems that Dr. Thienemann had pronounced them to be those of T. minutilla, or T. wilsont as he called it. As their determination is doubtful, I do not include them in the text.—Eb. ] § 4034. Two.— Labrador.” From Mr. Wilmot, 1856. [These eggs were sent to Mr. Wolley by Mr. Wilmot, who obtained one at least of them from Mr. Green, the dealer, as a Sanderling’s, which it evidently is not. They were said to be from Labrador, and are to all TRINGA ALPINA. J [§ 4038. Three.—Arctic Coast, east of Anderson River, June, 1863. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Prof. Baird, 1866. Proc. Zoo]. Soc. 1867, p. 165, pl. xv. fig. 3. The label shews that these were from a nest of four, on which the hen bird (no. 56065) was snared, and were part of Mr. MacFarlane’s spoils, while that gentleman writes (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus, xiv. p. 427) that “This species was found breeding abundantly at Fort Anderson, on the borders of as well as in the Barren Grounds, and on ard near the Arctic coast. Upwards of twenty nests were secured, and in all respects the latter were similar to those already described under this genus.” One of these eggs is figured as above. | TRINGA ALPINA, Linnzeus. DUNLING. § 4039. Zwo—From Mr. R. Mansfield, 1844. Mansfield had several of them. They perfectly agree with Mr. Hewitson’s figures [British Oology, pl. Ixxin.], and I know no egg for which they may be readily mistaken. § 4040. One.—Buregh Marsh, near Carlisle. From Myr. Hewitson, 1544. [ Most likely received by Mr. Hewitson from Mr. Heysham. | appearances of the same species of Stint as those received by Herr Méschler, from whom they were very likely received in the first instance. Mr. Wilmot wrote to Mr. Wolley : ‘‘ They are more likely to be identified in your possession than in mine.” | 4035. Two.— Labrador.” From Herr Méschler, 1862. Herr Moschler wrote to me that these had been assigned to Tringa bonapartii by Uerr IF’, W. Badeker, and that the late Dr. Thienemann called them 7. wilson’; for his own part he could say nothing else. | [ cn [§ 4036. Four. —“ Labrador.” From Ilerr Mo:chler, 1866. Like those in the last section, these were received from the Moravian missionaries in Labrador, and nothing more is to be said of thens. | PART 111. Q \ pape & TRINGA ALPINA. § 4041. Ten.—Crkney, 1850. From Mr. George Harvey, of Stromness. These eggs were especially wanting to my cabinet, to form a series of so characteristic a species. § 4042. Mineteen.—Orkney, 1851. From Mr. George Harvey. Out of thirty-four received. § 4043. Siv—Feerée, 1851. From Sysselmand Miller. Out of eight received. These eggs are very acceptable, both from their being pleasantly varied and for comparison with the other Tringa {striata, § 4064], while they also “ shew the locality.” [Of this species in Farée, Mr. Wolley’s note is:—“I could not find the nest. It was plentiful up in the moors.” | § 4044. Four.—Ferbe, 1853? - From Sysselmand Winther. [The year in which these eggs were taken is doubtful. § 4045. Four. Vads6, East Finmark, 20 June, 1855. § 4046. Four. Two nests, brought to me by different people. The birds abundant all about here, crying or calling like Hares.! § 4047. Zwo.—Near Vadso, July, 1855. Found by a lad, the son of Daniel, living in Quan-by. I have the 1 [I have met with no author who mentions this ery or call of the Hare. It is certainly but seldom heard—by myself bardly- half a dozen times, and then only by night, so that I could not be sure that it did proceed from a Ilare, though in my younger days I was so told by an old warrener. At this distance of time I nesitate to say more of it than that, according to my recollection, it was a short, shrill whistle. Very few ornithologists have attempted to do justice to the song- note uttered in flight by the Dunling, though many must have heard its loud ringing sound, something between that of a small bell and of a metal pipe, continuous and musical, but very high in tone. ‘Io describe it more particularly seems impossible, yet Naumann (Naturgesch. d. Vogel Deutschlands, vii. p. 444) essayed to syllable it.—Eb. } TRINGA ALPINA. paps) four eggs, apparently Dunlin’s, hard sat on. They seem to have been found in the same district as the apparent Purple Sandpiper’s [§ 4070]. § 4048. Zwo.—Wedby, Gland, 9 June, 1856. “J. W.” Out of four, hard sat upon. I saw the bird close, and examined it with a glass. It had a fully black belly. The nest on a tuft in a marsh, Primula farinosa in flower growing round it. § 4049. Four.—Dal, Sand6e, Ferde, 19 June, 1858. From Sysselmand Winther. § 4050. Fouwr.—Dal. End of June, 1859. From Sysselmand Winther. [§ 4051. Oxe—From Mr. R. Reynolds. Not later than 1847.] [§ 4052. One.—Orkney. From Mr. R. Dunn, 1850. ] [§ 4053. Zwo.—Valkenswaard, North Brabant, 1851. From Mir 2X. Bots: Out of four, very light in colour, almost like Sanderlings’. | [§ 4054. Siv.—Valkenswaard, 1851. From Mr. A. Bots. ] [§ 4055. Zwo—Cumberland. From Mr. T. C. Heysham, 1854.] [§ 4056. Fouwr.—Holland, 1854. From Mr. Bots, through Mr. Reynolds. | Q 2 228 TRINGA ALPINA.—T. MACULATA. [§ 4057. Zwo.—Vadsé, 22 June, 1855. “W. H. S. and x. INE” From the nest before mentioned (§ 1945), found by Myr. Hudleston and myself. One of us shot the bird, and its skin is in the Cambridge Museum. The species, as Mr. Wolley has above remarked (§ 4046), was abundant on the low ground to the north-east of Vadsié, and the beautiful ringing note of the cock bird, while executing his loye-flight, was constantly heard. | [§ 4058. Zwo.—Holland, 1855. From Mr. J. Baker. | [§ 4059. Zhree—Sanday, Orkney, 1856. From Mr. C. Hubbard. | [§ 4060. Cne—*J.S8.” From the late Mr. Scales’s collection, 1885. The mark shews it was taken by Mr. Scales himself, and therefore most likely near Valkenswaard. } TRINGA MACULATA, Vicillot. PECTORAL SANDPIPER. [i 4061. Zwo.—Point Barrow, Alaska, 7 July, 1883. From the United States National Museum, through Prof. Baird, 1886. Obtained as above by the expedition under Lieut. P. H. Ray, of the United States Army, and certified by Capt. Bendire in charge of the Ovlogical Department of the Museum. Mr. Murdoch, the naturalist of the party, gives an interesting account of the very peculiar habits of the species, and of the discovery of its nidification, hitherto unknown, in the ‘ Report of the Inter- national Polar Expedition to Point Barrow’ (Washington: 1885), wherein he states that it is one of the commonest of the waders occurring in the district and that ‘‘ The nest is always built in the grass, with a decided preference for high and dry localities like the banks of gulleys and streams. It was some- times placed at the edge of a small pool, but always in grass and on a dry place, never in the black clay and moss, like the Plover and Buff-breasted Sand- pipers, or in the marsh, like the Phalaropes. The nest was like that of the other waders, a depression in the ground lined with a little dry grass . . . The eges may be distinguished from those of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper, which they TRINGA BAIRDI.—T. STRIATA. 229 closely resemble, by their warmer color. Most of the eggs were collected in 1883, The first nest was taken on June 20, a full set of eggs slightly incubated. Although eyes were found to contain large embryos as early as June 28, perfectly fresh eggs were found July 6, and the last eggs brought in, July 12, contained only small embryos.” (Op. ett. pp. 111, 112.)] ! TRINGA BAIRDI, Coucs. i§ 4062. Qne.—Arctic Coast of America, 186—? From the Smithsonian Institution, through Prof. Baird, 1886. One of Mr. Rt. MacFarlane’s prizes. The Smithsonian ticket merely has * Parent 36082 shot near nest,” and the Smithsonian number for this much shattered specimen is 9382. Mr. Macfarlane (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiv. p. 426) states that a nest of this species was found of the Barren Grounds 0.1 the 24th of June, 1864, and goes on to say that “It is very uncommon in any northern quarter through which he passed, although nests were subsequently discovered in the same as well as in other localities.”’ } (§ 4063. Ove.—Franklin Bay, Arctic Coast, 1865. From the United States National Museum, through Prof. Baird, 1886. Obtained by Mr. R. MacFarlane as above, the Smithsonian Catalozue d d fea) number being 14037, and vouched for by Captain Ch. E. Bendire, in charge of the Oological Departmeat of the United States National Museum. ] TRINGA STRIATA, Linneus. PURPLE SANDPIPER. Of Purple Sandpipers I shot the young, just beginning to fly, with one of the old birds, very near the top of Loysinga I*jadl [13 July, 1849]. The nest, as a man declared it was, formed by a round ‘|The wonderful habit of the male in the breeding-season to inflate its throat, first noticed by Dr. Mdward Adams, Surgeon of H.M.S. ‘ Kuterprise ’ (Proc. Zool. Soe. 1859, p. 150), was observed in 1879 by Mr, E. W. Nelson, who described and figured a bird so behaving (Auk, i. p. 220, and ‘ Report upon Nat. Hist. Collections made in Alaska,’ pp. 108, 109, pl. viii. Washington: 1887). —Kp. | 930 TRINGA STRIATA. hollow in the moss at the very top. I saw the bird, I believe, near where the Skuas breed on Sandée. (This parapraph is from an entry in Mr, Wolley’s ‘ Egg-book,’ made from the original notes of his Frréese excursion some time after his return. | § 4064. Three.—Trodum, Sandée, Feroe, 1851. From Sysselmand M: A. Winther. These rare and satisfactory eggs arrived at Beeston from Feerée in the autumn of 1851, and I opened the box on the 22nd of December. They were carefully wrapped in tow in a box by themselves, within the great box, and with them was a bit of paper with the word “ Tringa” written in pencil. They were all blown alike in Herr Winther’s fashion, with two holes on one side. He evidently distinguishes the Purple Sandpiper from the Dunlin, as he writes (12 August, 1851) : “I am sure there are two kinds of them [Tringa|, which breed near the Skua-Gulls in Trodum.” I myself saw the Purple Sandpiper perched on stones at that spot in 1849 ; but I do not remember to have seen the Dunlin exactly there. These eggs measure 19 lines by 124 and 18 by 13 about. [Mr. Wolley, as his notes shew, instituted a careful comparison between these eggs and others—Dunlings’ and reputed Purple Sandpipers’,—coming to the conclusion that these might safely be attributed to the latter. } § 4065. Four.—'Trodum, 1853. ‘ With bird.” From Syssel- mand Winther. Hewitson, ‘ Eggs of British Birds,’ ed. 3, pl. ciii. figs. 1, 3. Sent, with others, by Herr Winther: these wrapped up in a coil of paper, upon which is written “ 7yinga belonging to the bird.” They were still safely contained in the paper, and cannot have been mixed in any way since they were packed. In his letter, dated Trodum, 28th of November, 1853, Herr Winther says :—“I have got several [nests] of Tringa, and if it should happen to be of different kinds, I have packed the eggs of each single nest in a cornet [cone of paper] by themselves, and in one of these cornets or packets you will find the bird together with its eggs. You can be quite sure of its identity because I took the eggs from the nest myself, and shot the bird too after I had seen it actually leaving the nest.” The only TRINGA STRIATA. pan | skin sent in the box was one of Tringa maritima, which, of course, I knew at once, but also took care to compare in detail with Mr. Yarrell’s description of the Purple Sandpiper, and such it undoubtedly is. Mr. Edge received the box from Leith, just opened the lid, peeped in without touching the eggs, and locked it up till this 2nd of August, 1854. [Two of these egos were sent by Mr. Wolley to Mr. Hewitson, who figured them as above, but he, as Mr. Wolley remarked, has in both cases drawn the side with the holes in it. ] § 4066. Zwo.—Trodum, 1853. From Sysselmand Winther. In the same box as the last. On the “cornet” in which they were wrapped is written by Ilerr Winther ‘‘ Tringa both of one nest. § 4067. Zhree.—Trodum, 1853. From Sysselmand Winther. On this cornet was written “ Triaga all of one nest.” § 4068. .7wo.—Trodum, 1853. From Sysselmand Winther. In a cornet written on by Herr Winther “ Tringa both in one nest.” § 4069. Z/ree—Trodum, 1853. From Sysselmand Winther Marked “‘ Tringa” in pencil by Herr Winther, and on the cornet in which they were wrapped is written “ Tringa all of one nest.” (Mr. Wolley thought that it was necessary to compare these with Snipe’s eggs before accepting them: I have done so, and see no reason to doubt their being correctly assigned to this species. | § 4070. Mour.—Near Vads6, Kast Finmark, July, 1855. Apparently Purple Sandpiper’s. Found by a lad, the son of Daniel, living in Quan-by. He was with his father cutting peat some way over the hills. No description of the !*rd. [The same boy also brought four Dunling’s eges ( § 4°47).] ge TRINGA STRIATA. § 4071. Four —Greenland. From Captain Holboll, through Mr. S. Stevens, 1855. The box in which these were is now before me. On it is written, in Holbéll’s writing apparently, “ 4 Tringa maritima taken from one nest: the bird is marked N 3. L.”’ The four eggs inside were those upon which I have just written, but one of them is blown differently from the other three, and being more greasy to write upon, I have little doubt it is from a different nest. These eggs are all bigger than my Feréese and supposed Norway [$ 4070] ones. I have the skin belonging to these Greenland eggs and must compare it with /uropean specimens to see whether it is not larger. [There seems to me to be no difference in size worth regarding, but the egg blown from one hole at the side dves differ from the other three, blown by holes at the ends, and certainly justifies Mr. Wolley’s suspicion. Other egys bought at the same time are mentioned (§§ 184, 185, and 2188).} § 4072. Zhree.—Wafaleiti, South-western Iceland, 15 June, 1858. Found by one Jén, commonly called Jén Hird (being a shepherd), a boy in the service of Gunnar Haldorsson [of Kyrkjuvogr]. He said that it [the bird] was not Léa-prell but Selningr, and he knew it because it was spotted on the breast as on the back. On being shewn a skin of Dunlin he said it was certainly not that, for it was not black on the breast. In fact the eggs leck like Purple Sand- ptper’s, and probably are so. The birds were abundant on the coast fat Kyrkjuvogr] till the end of the first week, and even to the present day (23rd June) there may be seen as many as seven or eight on the shore. We went with the boy to the place where he found the eggs: it was a stony flat with a few scattered heath-plants, on the side of the hill to the north-east of the inner end of the fjord here, not very far from old Kyrkjuvogr church—say a mile or more. The three eges brought, which he said were all he found, were two or three days,sat upon. The weather has been extremely stormy and usually cold throughout the summer. From the 24th of May to the 2nd of June Knots were abundant, but not one has shewn itself since Mr. Newton saw one on the 10th of June. [On the 22nd of June, 1821, Faber shot a male Purple Sandpiper which was tending its down-clad young at Fuglavik, a place on the shore immediately below Hafaleiti (Prodromus der islandischen Ornithologie, p. 28, and MS. Dag-Bok, p. 670).] TRINGA STRIATA. 200 § 4073. Four.—Tredum, 22 May, 1858. Joen Joensen. § 4074. Fouwr.—Skaalevig, Sandée, 22 May, 1858. Joen ‘l'rondisen. § 4075. Zhree-—Dal, Sandde, 25 May, 1858 Simon Mikkelsen. § 4076. Zwo.—Trodum, 25 May, 1858. Joen Joensen. § 4077. Four.—Dal, 2 June, 1858. Mikael Hansen. § 4078. Four.—Trodum, 2 June, 1858. Mikael Joensen. § 4079. Pour. Husevig, Sandoe, 8 June, . 1858. Ole oD 2 > Magnusen. § 4080. Three: Two nests mixed together, but easily separable. § 4081. Zhree.--—-Skaalevig, 9 June, 1858. Joen Trondisen. Hard sat upon. § 4082. Zwo.—Sands, Sandéde, 16 June, 1858. Pieter Hentze Rasmussen. § 4083. Four.—Dal, 19 June, 1858. Piet Johannes Johansen. § 4084. Zhree.—Skaalevig, 24 June, 1858. Joen 'Trondisen. . O25. § 4085. Four.—Skarvina, 25 June, 1858. Samuel Joensen. 234 TRINGA STRIATA. § 4086. One.—Sands, 2 July, 1858. Ole Hansen. [Perhaps the largest egg in the series, measuring 1:55 by 1:05 inch. A second from this nest was given by me to the late Mr. Scales. | § 4087. Zhree.—Feroe, 14 July, 1858. [All the above (§§ 4075 to 4087) were from Sysselmand Winther, to whom Mr. Wolley, touching at Thorshayn on our way to Iceland in April 1858, wrote, asking for some Purple Sandpipers’ eggs to be collected against our return. Somehow they missed us then, and did not reach Mr. Wolley in England till severai weeks later, when to his disappointment he found many were broken, though information as to place, time, and tinder was carefully recorded. On their arrival he wrcete again to Herr Winther, whose reply dated Trodum, 29 November, contains some particulars which may be given here. He said that ‘ there were at first four eggs to almost every nest; but some were broken by the finder, and some J did break myself in taking the inside out,” and that “nearly all the eggs were found by shepherds, because they have their dogs to he’p them, as the bird is very difficult to find else. They are found on the tops of the bills or at least near to the tops.” § 4088. Four.—Trodum, 24 May, 1859. Joen Joensen. § 4089. Three.—Trodum, 7 June, 1859. Joen Joensen. § 4090. Ziwo.—Skuoe, 14 June, 1859. Two of them [there were three] had at least one grub of upwards of half an inch alive inside each, which I have to-day, 11 October, blown out. § 4091. Four.—Sands, 16 June, 1859. Hans Niclasen. § 4092. Zwo.—Trodum, 18 June, 1859. Jcoen Joensen. One of these eggs is so curious on the side at which it is blown, that I have only used pencil marks on the other. § 4093. Four—Husevig, 20 June, 1859. Lucas Hansen. § 4094. Zhree.—Trcdum, 22 June, 1859. Joen Hansen. TRINGA STRIATA. 235 § 4095. four. Trodum, 23 June, 1859. Joen Joensen. § 4096. Three. . The former rather large eggs, the latter of ordinary size. § 4097. One.—Trodum, 27 June, 1859. Mikkel Joensen. § 4098. Zwo.—Sands, 27 June, 1859. Joen Magnusen. § 4099. Four.—Ferde, 1859. [Apparently from at least three nests. | These [$$ 4088 to 4099] were sent to me by Sysselmand Winther from Frerde and reached me at Beeston on the 3rd of October, 1859. They were generally very well packed, each egg carefully rolled up in tow, and all the eggs that were found in one nest kept together in what he calls a “ cornet ??—a hollow roll of paper. [As before, Herr Winther wrote the name of the place and finder, as well as the day of taking, on each paper, all of which was copied by Mr. Wolley into his Ege-hook on the 11th of October ; and a melancholy interest attaches to the specimens of this contribution, as they were the last received by him, and the entries in the Egg-book shew unmistakable sign of the effects of the fatal disorder which was so soon to end his life. | [§ 4100. Oxe.—Greenland. From Captain Holbdll, through Mr. S. Stevens, 1855. | [§ 4101. Zwo.—Coal-bay, Ice Sound, Spitsbergen, 1855. From Messrs. W. Sturge and E. Evans, 1856. On the arrival of Mr. Hudleston and myself at Hammerfest in 1855, we found there Messrs. Wilson Sturge and Edward Evans who were preparing for a voyage to Spitsbergen, on which they sailed before we left. On their return they were good enough to give me these two eggs taken from as many nests, and they subsequently :ecorded their ornithological experiences in ‘ The Ibis’ (1859, pp. 166-174). There they state that this species “was very abundant in Coal Bay .... and we found four of their nests on the high fjeld. Jeautiful little nests they were, deep in the ground, and lined with stalks of erass and leaves of the Dwarf Birch (Betula nana, 1.), containing mostly four egos of an dlive-green handsomely mottled with purplish brown, chiefly at the 230 TRINGA STRIATA. larger end. We watched this elegant little bird—the only one of the Grallatores we saw—with much interest, as it waded into some pool of snow- water or ran along the shingle, every now and then raising its wings over its back and exhibiting the delicate tint of the underside, at the same time utter- ing its loud shrill whistle.’’] [§ 4102. Mowr.—Iceland, 1856. From Mr. W. Proctor. From the northern part of the island, I believe. ] [§ 4103. Zwo.—Cape Reykjanes, Iceland, 24 June, 1858. Brought to us at Kyrkjuvogr on the 5rd of July (the day after our return from Reykjavik) by Gudmundur Sigurdsson, a vinnwmadr of Gunnar Haldors- son, who said he had found them on the 24th June, very near the sulphur- springs at Reykjanes, where he had been to look for horses. He told me, without my suggesting any names to him, that they were those of either Myrispita (Snipe) or Selningr (Purple Sandpiper), that he saw the birds, and they were bigger than Léa-prell (Dunling). He further said that there were only these two eggs, and they were laid on the sand, with scarcely any nest. Mr. Wolley considers them very typical of Z’ringa maritima. I do not think them, except in size, unlike those of the Dunling. Snipe’s they certainly are not, and on the whole I believe them to be Purple Sandpiper’s. ] [§ 4104. One.—Greenland. From Sysselmand Miiller, 1859. Given to me in October, 1859, at Copenhagen, where Herr Miiller was attending to his legislative duties as “ Folkethingsmand ” for the Fverdes. This seems to me a very typical egg of 7. maritima, as he declared it to be, but he did not tell me from whom he had it. | [§ 4105. Zhree—Northern Norway, 1861. Brought to Knoblock at Muoniovara, on the 8th April, 1862, having of course been taken the preceding year, by Nils Andersen Lira, together with four Dotterels’ eggs, but no account of either. To Knoblock they were quite unknown, naturally enough, though he thought they might perhaps be Wood- Sandpipers’, which they clearly are not. I know nothing of this Nils, except that in the following year he and two of his family (sons, I imagine) took nearly fifty nests of Bufton’s Skua, at least one of which he said he had vot on the Qvenanger-fjeld, and I suppose him to have been a Lapp living at Kira, which is on the Alten river, whence, according to the custom of his people, he wandered in various directions, though as year after year they take the same beat, it is very likely that these eggs may have been found also in the Qvzenanger district. That these are Purple Sandpiper’s eggs I can hardly doubt from their appearance ; but, except the four from the hills above Vadso in 1855 (§ 4070), neither Mr. Wolley nor I obtained any others in Lapland. ] TRINGA STRIATA.—-EREUNETES PUSILLUS. pai [§ 4106. Three.—Molus-cross, Treurenberg Bay, Spitsbergen, a duly, L873. From Mr Ash eaion Mr. Eaton accompanied Mr. Benjamin Leigh Smith on his voyage in 1875, and kindly gave me these, with other eggs, on his return. They were found, he said, by either Mr. Smith or Mr. Potter. Tlis notes on the species as observed by him are in ‘ The Zoologist’ for 1874 (p. 3809). | [§ 4107. Zwo—Fnjoskadalr, North-eastern Iceland, 25 June, 1885. From Mr. Thomas Carter, 1903. Obtained by Mr. Carter during his visit to Ieeland in company with Mr. H. H. Slater.] [§ 4108. One.—Hyjafjordr, Northern Iceland, May, 1891. From Conservator Scheel, 1893. This was given to my brother Edward at Copenhagen by Herr Scheel, who is Conservator of the Zoological Museum there, and said it was one of two brought to him by a young man, who said he took it as above and described the bird as being reddish. Herr Scheel accordingly thought that it must be the eeg of Tringa canutus; but to both my brother and myself it seems to be that of a Purple Sandpiper, though a conspicuously coloured one. It is also above the usual size, measuring 1°6 by 1:09 inch. | EREUNETES PUSILLUS (Linneus). SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. }§ 4109. Two.—Fort George, Hudson’s Bay, July, 1860. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Prof. Baird, S66. The Smithsonian ticket states that these were obtained as above “ with parent ” by Mr. C. Drexler. ] i§ 4110. Zwo.—Arctic Coast, east of Anderson River, 3 July, 186—? From the Smithsonian Institution, through Prof. Baird, 1866. Obtained by Mr. R. MacFarlane as above. The accompanying ticket has ““{wo eggs, two broken, nest on marsh near sea, Q Parent 80072.” In his > 238 LIMICOLA PLATYRHYNCHA. notes (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiv. p. 427) he writes of this species :—“ Fairly abundant in the Barren Grounds, but more so on the shores of Franklin Bay, where a number of specimens were secured. The female when disturbed frequently glides from the nest, pretending to be disabled, and thereby endeavors to draw away intruders. Occasionally the nests are hidden by tufts of grass.”’] LIMICOLA PLATYRHYNCHA (‘Temminck). BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER. The Broad-billed Sandpiper differs from other wading birds in the situation of its nest, choosing open soft places in the marsh where there is little else than bog-moss with a light growth of a kind of sedge, and on a low tuft just rising above the water its nest may be found, often without much difficulty. If the bird is not seen to leave it will at all events be heard in the air making a kind of faint twittering noise ; and when once it is discovered what neigh- bourhood it frequents, a careful search with plenty of beaters seldom fails of success. But it must not be supposed that this kind of birdnesting is easy work. The marshes where the Broad-billed Sandpiper is to be found are few and far between. ‘They are soft and full of water, and often every step is a struggle, whilst the swarms of hungry gnats require almost undivided attention. Satisfactory food is not easy to get; whilst eating, and having to expose one’s face to the attacks of the insects, is necessary, though extremely provoking. The sun is scorching at midday, but at midnight has not enough power to keep away an unpleasant chill. The country to be gone over is of vast extent, the egg-season very short. Sleep is seldom attainable, a feverish feeling comes on and present enjoyment soon ceases; but one works away in the con- viction that the greater the difficulty, the greater the satisfaction in suecess. It is just where the thickest clouds of gnats rise from the water, which is so generally spread over the recently thawed land, that the Broad-billed Sandpiper has its eggs, and this is just before mid- summer, about the third week in June. Many empty nests are found for one that is occupied, and I suppose them to be nests of former years, for the moss in which they are usually worked long retains any mark made in it, being hard frozen for more than haif the year. They are neatly rounded hollows, and have a few bits LIMICOLA PLATYRHYNCHA. 239 of grass at the bottom. The bird sometimes flies and sometimes runs off her eggs, and if she has sat for a day or two she will come back even whilst men are standing all around. The eggs are usually very deeply and richly coloured when fresh, but they fade sadly soon after they are blown. As Swedish ornithologists consider the Broad-billed Sandpiper only in the light of an accidental visitor to their country, I suppose its ease grounds to be confined to tlis far northern region, [The foregoing paragraphs, written at Muoniovara, on Christmas day, 1854, by Mr. Wolley for Mr. Hewitson’s use, were by him printed almost wholly, though not quite accurately, in the Third Edition of his work. The discovery of the nidification of this species is commonly attributed to Mr. Dann, who gave full notes of it, together with two eggs (of which more presently § 4174), to Mx. Yarrell, by whom the account was published, and an ega figured (July, 1841), in the First Edition of his ‘ British Birds’ (ii. pp. 639, 640). However, it seems that Mr. Dann’s travelling-companion, Herr Lagesen, of Itzehoe in Holstein, must share with him the credit of the discovery, which was made near Fogstuen, on the Dovrefjeld, in June, 1838, and the details being communicated by him to the elder Reinhardt, were by the latter published in the ‘ Naturhistorisk Tidsskrift’ for 1839 (ii. p. 482 ; translation ‘Isis,’ 1841, pp. 416, 417). In a previous journey, in 1835, Herr Lagesen had been struck by the promising appearance of the wide, watery moor stretching eastward from Fogstuen, and then only refrained from exploring it through the tales of the neighbours as to its difliculties and dangers. On revisiting the district three years later he wandered over the moor, quite alone, he says, and was rewarded for his trouble by meeting with this species, hitherto thought so rare, in considerable numbers. He shot twenty-six of the birds, and found several nests, containing two or three eggs each ; but he described them as being in colour like those of Vringa alpina, which shews that he was not much of an oologist. He, however, rightly remarked on the resemblance in habits and flight which Z. platyrhyncha bears to the Jack Snipe. He also mentions that Mr. Dann had found the Broad-billed Sandpiper in the north of Sweden, but not its nest. On this last point he must have been misinformed, for Mr. Dann says that he -‘ found eggs not sat upon on the 24th of June,” in Lappmark, beside having “ procured one nest with four eges in it” near Fogstuen, where he also shot five birds, and might have killed as many more had he wished it (cf. Yarrell, ué supra). } § 4111. Four Se -uoma, 15,17, and 27 June, 1853. “ Bird shot. “7Jav [16 June, 1853.] These two eggs were in a nest which we found yesterday in Iso-uoma (the great marsh) at Cifvre Muonioniska on the Swedish side. The boy Ludwig saw the bird leave it, and it was 240 LIMICOLA PLATYRHYNCHA. ~ afterwards pointed out to me, there being then only one egg, which several hours later I exchanged for a Tras?’s [Redwing], and in the afternoon of the same day I found a second egg laid to the Trast?’s. I could not get a sight of the bird. Ludwig said it ran from the nest, but there was scarcely any cover near. The eggs were on a little knob, projecting from the bog, a little grass and so forth growing upon it; but there was scarcely anything added to form a nest. Two hundred yards off I saw a pair of Totanus {glareola] anxiously flying near me, and one sat piping on the top of a Scotch fir, close to where the young Cranes [$ 3176] had been; and this was the most common species of Wader in the marsh, but there was a colony of Tringa platyrhyncha im another part of it. We also saw a Snipe or two, one Totanus fuscus, and possibly another species of Wader. [17 June.] This is a third egg out of the nest above mentioned. Again today I failed in seeing the bird upon the nest, though it was raining heavily. The Redwing’s egg still remained in it. [27 June.] This from the nest in Iso-uoma which I have already robbed three times. Ludwig found it again accidentally as I was on my way toit. The bird flew off, and was again on the nest when I returned in half an hour from our dinner-rock. It flew a yard or two, and then settled and ran among the Equisetum and short sedge. I fired where I guessed it was, and it got up with a broken leg, but settled again a few yards further on, and I shot it as it rose for the third time. The nest seemed to me rather fuller than I before described it, made of a few short bits of dried grass, and old dwarf birch leaves. The Redwing’s egg was still in the nest, and I find a large young one inside it, whether so when put into the nest I cannot say. The Sandpiper’s egg has also a young one forming in it. It was not laid ten days ago. Today I see only three or four Broad-billed Sandpipers, and, I think, only one twittering in the air, in that subdued way which is characteristic of the bird. I see several Jack Snipes, making that galloping or cantering noise, which I have before observed and likened to hammering [ef. infra, pp. 253, 254]. Also some full Snipes—or at least bleating and clicking birds. I fire at a Hen-Harrier, of which I see three’, in the course of the day here and at Nederbyn [the lower village]. Also I knock a feather out of an Owl, which has young somewhere near. It drops 1 {It was not till 1857 that Mr. Wolley obtained a nest of this species in Lapland (cf. § 453), the only one he procured there ; but I think he made no particular effort to get any.—Ep. } LIMICOLA PLATYRHYNCHA. 241 in the air, clapping its wings and keeping them close to its body, or fluttering them like a fan. It beats also with them raised high. It dashes upon the ground, making a screaming noise, almost like a dying Hare. It also hangs motionless in the air overhead, but flapping its wings as if it were advancing’. Totanus glareola was numerous in the marsh, very clamorous and bold, no doubt having young. § 4112. Four.—lIso-uoma, 15 June, 1853. These four eggs were found in the marsh above mentioned [§ 4111] by Theodore [the Finnish interpreter] and the native, who were walking together. The bird left them, but they could not describe it. They managed to crack one or two of the eggs, which were a good deal sat upon. Looking afterwards for the nest to shew it to me, they could not find it. § 4113. Onve.—Iso-uoma, 17 June, 1853. “J. W.” This 17th of June I have been again to the great marsh with four beaters beside myself and Herr Salomon. We took the likely places regularly in line; and I soon saw one of the birds, that I had previously had no doubt was Tringa platyrhyncha, fly once or twice over the ground, in such a way as to convince me it had a nest. Carefully quartering this piece of ground, which might be rather more than an acre in size, and examining only the eminences, for the rest was under water from the heavy rain of yesterday and this morning, I was the first who came upon the nest. It was not at all concealed, and was made only of a little grass placed in a hole, such as we saw several other unoccupied holes like. The four eggs pointed to the centre. I put two Thrush’s [Redwing’s] eggs into the nest, having failed in finding the old bird upon it, but I did not return to it. 27 June. I revisited this nest: the two Thrush’s eggs were gone. [Two of these four eggs were sold at Mr. Stevens’s room, 17 February, 1854, to Mr. Gardner, and one to Lord Garvagh. The fourth was given to my brother and myself, and therefore remains in the collection. | 1 [All this exactly describes the behaviour of the Short-eared Owl, of which ~ Mr. Wolley found a nest a few days later (cf. § 512).) PARTS Ws R 24g LIMICOLA PLATYRHYNCHA. § 4114. Zhree.—Iso-uoma, 17 June, 1853. “J. W.” These curious varieties of the egg of Tringa platyrhyncha we found the same day as those last mentioned. I shot a bird of that kind not more than one hundred yards from where they were. Never- theless a bird rose from these eggs which appeared to Theodore to be of the same kind as the last he saw—that at the previous nest [§ 4112]. The eggs were quite fresh. I saw part of another lying in the wet, a foot or two off from them, and it was undoubtedly that of Tringa platyrhyncha. From Sysselmand Winther. Found by Harold Joensen. § 4238. Three —Ferée, 16 July, | 1858. | 3 Taken by Joen J oensen. GALLINAGO CLESTIS. 267 § 4239. Zwo—Sandée, Frere, ) 17 June, 1859. Taken by Juliana Thomasdatter. § 4240. Zhree.—Skudoe, Feeroe, June, 1859. , Fiona Taken by Johan Olesen. | Sysselmand Winther. § 4241. Zwo.—Feroe, 1859. | Taken by Mikkel Joensen. | § 4242. 7wo.—Ferobe, 1859. J [§ 4243. One.—Barnham, Suffolk, 13 May, 1847.] [§ 4244. One.—Barnham, April, 1849.] [§ 4245. Zhree—Barmham, 24 April, 1850.] [§ 4246. Zhree—Barnham, April, 1851. From three different nests. | [§ 4247. Zwo.—Valkenswaard, North Brabant, 1851. From Mr. A. Bots. | [§ 4248. Zhree—Barnham, 28 April, 1852. From two nests. One of these measures only 1:4 by 1:04 inch, being smaller than many Jack Snipes’ eggs (§§ 4188, 4190); and, if I remember right, the others in the same nest, which was found by my brother and myself, were of about the same size. Yet they were assuredly those of a full Snipe. It is, however, rather curious that not many days after we took them, namely on the 4th of May, we flushed an undoubted Jack Snipe at Wilton in Norfulk, which is not much more than ten miles off. ] 268 GALLINAGO CZLESTIS.—G,. STENURA. [§ 4249. Three—Barnham, 18 May, 1855. These eggs are under-coloured, and one is almost spotless. | [§ 4250. Mouwr.—Cavenham, Suffolk, April, 1861. From Mr. G. H. Waddington. A fine dark-coloured set. } § 4251. Hour—Leck, Donegal, 11 June, 1862. From ro} Mr. Robert Harvey. | § 4252. Four.—Viksi, 27 July, 1863. y Brought as Jack Snipes’ to Knoblock by Abraham Larsson, of Muonio- alusta. | [§ 4253. our.—Bloxworth, Dorset, 29 April, 1876. “E.N.” My brother’s note is:—“ While walking on the heath here the day before yesterday, a Snipe got up close in front of me from her nest of four eggs in a small tuft of heather and moss. The place has been pared, some two or three years ago, I should think, so that the heather is short, and, where it has been pared deepest, water is standing in little pools, by one of which was the nest, composed of leaves of grass. The eggs were about three-fourths sat upon. There are several pairs of Snipes on the heath, certainly three or four near the ‘decoy.’ On the same day I heard at least two Grasshopper-Warblers and saw one.’’] GALLINAGO STENURA (“ Kuhl” fide Bonaparte). [§ 4254. Zhree-— Siberia.” From Herr Dode, 1871. The information promised concerning these eggs was not supplied. If genuine, they are most likely from Przevalski, who alone of Russian explorers seems to have found nests of the species and, to judge from Dr. Taczanowski’s remarks (Faune Orn. de la Sibérie Orientale, p. 960), met with it nesting in great numbers in the marshes and by the lales in the valley of the Yellow River. It is stated that Godlevski, who had opportunities of observing it in the breeding-season, said that it has no love-song. Though Drs. Dyhowski and Parrex met with it, they make no mention of its nest (Journ. fiir Orn. 1868, p. 838; 1873, p. 105).] - GALLINAGO MAJOR. 269 GALLINAGO MAJOR (Gmelin). GREAT SNIPE. § 4255. One-—From Mr. J. Green, 1844. § 4256. One. From M. Nager-Donazain, 1847. § 4257. One.—Bod6, Nordland, Norway, 1852. From Mr. Tristram, 1854. Mr. Tristram gave me this egg at Castle Eden, 25 August, 1854, and wrote upon it in my presence. (Mr. Tristram’s note on his finding this species in vast numbers on the coast of Nordland, especially near Bodo, is in ‘ The Zoologist ’ for 1853 (p. 3911). ] § 4258. One—* Denmark,” 1856. From Dr. Kjerbélling. Of three bought at Copenhagen in July, 1856. § 4259. Five—* Jylland, 1857.” From Dr. Kjzerbélling. Of six bought in 1857. § 4260. Four.—Bodo, 27 June, 1857. ‘ Birdshot. L. M. K.” Mr. Alfred Newton and I sent Ludwig on an expedition from Tromso with the express purpose of finding this species and Totanus ochropus, and perhaps one or two others of Mr. Tristram’s rarities. I copy the following from Ludwig’s notes [translated] :— “T went to Bod6 and came there on the 26th (June) in the evening, and I got not to know anything of the place which is hight Rorstad, but here is a place a bit from the town hight Ronvik, and 1 trowed it was that which was meant. Furthermore there is a marsh in [the] triangle to the east', a great marsh, and there are ‘ [Ludwig's instructions, founded on information furnished by Mr. Tristram the preceding year, were to “ take the apex of an equilateral triangle whose base is a line between Bodo and Rorstad i Salten, and near that point, the second week in June, you ought to find Scolopax major breeding.” My. Tristram seems to have been misled by the map (Roosen’s) I shewed him. There is no place marked Rorstad on the Salten Fjord, but there is Rorstad Fjeld above it, and the proximity of the name as written on the map produced the confusion.—Ep. ] 270 GALLINAGO MAJOR. some Englishmen here, but I cannot get to hear whether they seek eggs or not . . . So I went straightway to the marsh, and I sought the whole night, and in the morning I found a Snipe’s nest, where- over I was quite glad, and began straightway to catch the bird, but it went not into the snare, and I must shoot it. When I went to it I was so tired that I could nearly not stand. I found not anything afterwards, so I slept for an hour, till in the morning of the 28th I went to Ronvik and skinned the bird. Towards evening I went again to the marsh and sought the whole evening and night, and day of the 29th, but I found no more of anything, and saw only one Snipe, which bleated aloft, and now the steamer will go early in the morning.” The eggs were just ready to hatch and have immense holes in them. This nest was the only result of Ludwig’s extra trip to Bodo and Kop Vand. In the meanwhile the Messrs. Godman [the aforesaid “ Englishmen” ] had found sixteen eggs of the Great Snipe in the same place, as afterwards appeared, of which they gave me a complete nest and another to the Newtons. They got the birds from one or two nests and these were compared together with my bird at Cambridge [in November, 1857]. § 4261. Four—Bod6, 27 June, 1857. “P. G.” From Messrs. F. and P. Godman. The following is an extract from Mr. Percy Godman’s note- book :— “‘ After dinner looked for Great Snipe. Our dog put up another bird, and found a nest with four eggs. We went to fetch our guns, and on coming to the nest the bird was again on it. My brother went inside the stuff to shoot her. He had a double shot and missed ; however, the bird was so well seen both by him and myself that there could be no doubt about the eggs. She ran along the ground, dragging her wings and making a noise like a Turkey-cock. This nest was placed on the top of a tump in green herbage, slightly lined with green grass and moss. It was about twelve or fifteen yards from a green read that leads from the church to the farm under the hill. We must have passed by the nest, that is within seven yards of it, at least six times in going to and fro to look at a scraping we had found.” GALLINAGO MAJOR.—SCOLOPAX RUSTICULA. per | [§ 4262. Four.—Bod6, 24 June, 1857. “P. G.’ From Messrs. F. and P. Godman. Given to us at Cambridge, on the 10th of November, 1857, and I extract the following from Mr. Perey Godman’s note-book :— “Out all the morning at the upper end of the marsh close under the mountains to look for Great Snipe... After dinner went out towards the church and looked over a piece of willows where we had taken a Redshank’s nest. Here the dog put up a Great Snipe, and on going to the place we found she had a nest with four eggs. I immediately went home for the guns and we then went up to the nest. My brother was to have the first shot, as he saw the nest first. The bird got up and his gun missed fire, and the bird went so far we could not mark it down exactly, so we were obliged to leave the nest. We then looked further up the marsh and found a Whimbrel’s nest with three eggs and a young bird . . . We then returned to the Great Snipe’s nest. The bird was again on it. This time we both shot and killed her. My brother took the eggs and blew them in the evening. They had been sat on about two or three days.” This was the first Great Snipe’s nest found by the Messrs. Godman. The duly labelled skin of the bird shot from it was shewn to the ornithologists who met in Cambridge in the following November, when it was admitted by all to be undoubtedly that of Gallinago major. | [§ 4263. Zwo.—Toorukkansk, Jennesei Valley, 18 June, 1895. From Mr. C. B. Hill, 1896. I understood Mr. Hill to say that they also met with the Pintailed Snipe, but did not find its nest. These two eggs do not look as if they came from the same nest; but Mr. Popham states (Ibis, 1897, p. 103) that though certain swamps in the forest seemed full of Great Snipes, only two clutches of their eggs were found, ‘‘ both in dry places among the trees.”’] SCOLOPAX RUSTICULA, Linneus. WOODCOCK. § 4264, One-—New Park, New Forest, Hampshire. From Miss Hurt, in or before 1844. This valuable egg was presented by the Miss Hurts, of Alder- wasley, from their collection. It came originally from New Park in the New Forest, the seat of Colonel Thornhill, whence it was brought by Miss Anne Hurt. I am informed by Mr. Dawson! that ‘ [Of Ventnor, in the Isle of Wight, a well-known entomologist of thuse days.—Ep. | I i SCOLOPAX RUSTICULA. the Woodcock is well known to breed in the New Forest. In 1844 a nest of young was found in Monk’s Wood [ Huntingdonshire | by Harvey’s boy. § 4265. One.—Burwash, Sussex. From Mr. Wilmot, 1846. Mr. Wilmot wrote :—‘‘ The Woodcock’s has the merit of being a British-taken egg. The old bird was flushed off the nest and shot by Mr. Fuller Meyrick’s keeper, in the parish of Burwash, in Sussex. Mr. Meyrick gave me the eggs.” [Mr. Wilmot’s collection, now at Cambridge, contains a fellow egg to the above, and his catalogue states that a third was given to Mr. Hewitson, from whom it most likely passed to Mr. Hancock. } § 4266. One.—Loch Naver, Sutherland, 1850. [rom Mr. W. Dunbar, through Mr. Page, 1850. Mr. Dunbar told me in 1851 that this is one of his eggs, and that he took two nests by the side of Loch Naver. § 4267. Hour.—Lindholm, Strangniis, Sédermanland, 1856. From Herr Alfred Hartmann. Given to me at Gefle, Ist September, by Herr Alfred Hartmann. They were taken by his brother Victor in the spring of this year. He has also taken Great Snipes’ eggs in the same neighbourhood. [§ 4268. One.—Riddlesworth, Norfolk, April, 1848. From Mr. Thornhill. The nest was in a carr, near the river which here divides the two counties. | [§ 4269. Zhree.—Buckenham, Norfolk, April, 1853. These were brought to me unblown by Woodrow, Mr, Francis Baring’s gamekeeper. | SCOLOPAX RUSTICULA. pails: [§ 4270. Zwo.—Rugely, Staffordshire, 1853. From Mr. R. W. Hawkins. From different nests. | [§ 4271. Zwo.—lIreland. From Dr. Frere, 1861. Sent to Dr. Frere from the south of Ireland by “a Mr. Davis ’—most likely the well-known Dr. Davis, of Clonmel. | [§ 4272. Zwo.—Norway. From Mr. Baker, 1866. These were brought by Mr. Baker: one is marked in pencil ‘“ Hoff 4. 6/6/62”; the other, apparently in the same handwriting, “ Huberg 4. 4/7/62.”] [§ 4273. One.—Culford, Suffolk, 1867. From Mr. E. R. Benyon. Given to my brother Edward in the autumn of 1867, with the nest found in the South Wood at Culford the preceding spring. Mr. Benyon had a bit of ground round the nest enclosed by wire netting, thinking to catch the young, which he wanted to have stuffed, but they fortunately escaped. This egg was, I believe, rotten and left in the nest. It was unblown and the contents dried up when given to my brother. Going to Culford in April 1868 they told me they believed there were no Woodcocks breeding there that year. I had heard of them doing so several years before. ] [§ 4274. One.—France? From the late Mr. Scales’s collection, 18585. Evidently a very old specimen, which has been varnished at some time. The old inscription “ Bécasse” indicates a French origin, and it was perhaps obtained from Dufresne when Mr. Scales was in Paris in 1816 or 1817. | 275 — DD. [§ 4275. One.— New Forest, 1855 From Me Seale ? e 893. {§ 4276. Zwo.—Attleborough, Norfolk. i From the ruins of Mr, Sealy’s collection, The first he said he had from Mr. W. Farren, but could not recollect the name of the man through whom he got the other two, but, as the inscription upon them shews, they were certainly taken at or near Attleborough. | PART III. T O74 LIMOSA BELGICA. LIMOSA BELGICA (Gmelin). BLACK-TAILED GODWIT. § 4277. One—From Mr. Sadd, 1843. § 4278. One.—From Mr. Mansfield, 1844. § 4279. Zwo.—From Mr. Green, 1846. § 4280. Fourteen.—Leadenhall Market, 1850. From Dr. Frere. § 4281. Twenly.—Leadenhall Market, 1851. These I bought at the end of May, 1851. They had arrived packed in hemp-seed, and were called “‘ fancy eggs.” § 4282. Highteen—Leadenhall Market, 1852. § 4283. Thirty.—Leadenhall Market, between 1845 and 1851. From Dr. Frere, 1852. Selected from some hundreds in Dr. Frere’s possession, all from Leadenhall Market. § 4284. Four.—Marsjé, Eland, 30 May, 1856. “ W.H.S.” Mr. Simpson [Hudleston] took the eggs, and looked well at the bird, within ten or twelve yards. He saw it leave the nest. I saw birds of this kind at Marsjé, but did not positively identify them. Mr. Simpson shot one at Ormoga. [§ 4285. One.—Holland, not later than 1845. ] [§ 4286. “Siz._—Holland. From Mr. Newcome, 1854 and 1858. | LIMOSA BELGICA. 214 [§ 4287. One.—Cambridgeshire (?), 1847. From Mr. Salvin, 1856. This egg was given to us by Mr. Salvin, who had it from a member of his own College (Trinity Hall), Mr. Joshua King, as having been bought by the latter in 1847 in the Cambridge market-place of a countryman, who had procured it in the Fens, and had also with him a young Short-eared Owl alive. Mr. King fully believed the man’s story, as I was assured by Mr. Salvin, and though undoubtedly Godwits had given up the practise of breeding in the Fens before 1847, yet they occurred in some numbers every spring, and it is quite possible that eggs were occasionally dropped. | [§ 4288. Zwo.— Reedham, 1857.” From Mr. E. S. Preston’s Sale, 1858. These, with one other, formed lot 95 at Mr. Preston’s sale at Mr. Stevens’s room, 23 March, 1858, when they were bought for Mr. Braikenridge, who kindly allowed me to become possessed of two of them. Mr. Preston expressed himself very confidently in their having been taken in Norfolk so late as 1857. ] [§ 4289. Onve.—< South Russia.” From Herr A. Heinke, of Kamuschin, through Dr. Albert Gtinther, 1863. | [§ 4290. Four.—Holland, 1860. From Mr. J. Baker. A complete nestful. } P4291, Three. Holland, 1876. From Mr. J. Baker. [§ 4292. Three. | Both nests taken by Mr. Baker himself. ] [§ 4293. Zwo.—lIceland, 1872. From Mr. Robert Gray, 1885. Mr. Gray wrote that he received these unblown from Mr. Jon Aynasson, of Reykjavik, having been brought thence by Mr. A. J. Symington, who delivered the package containing them unopened. Mr. Gray did not include them in his exhibition of Icelandic birds’ eggs to the Glasgow Natural History Society in February, 1872, as stated in its ‘ Proceedings’ (ii. part 2, p. 184). | [§ 4294. Zwo.—Norfolk? From the late Mr. Scales’s Col- lection, 1885. These two eggs, each inscribed by Mr. Scales “ Red Godwit,” are most likely 5) T x 976 LIMOSA LAPPONICA. of British, not to say Norfolk, origin. They are evidently old specimens, and in bad condition from, apparently, having been gummed to tablets. When a lad he lived with his father, who was much attached to Natural History, from 1808 to 1818, at Halvergate, whose marshes extending to Breydon Water formed pert of the district where the species used to breed in plenty (cf Trans. Norf, & Norw. Nat. Soc. iv. p. 84).] LIMOSA LAPPONICA (Linneus). BAR-TAILED GODWIT. Of the Bar-tailed Godwit I left with Mr. Alfred Newton some eggs for you to figure if you please. I did not get the bird with them, but I had a long talk with the [finder] ..... It is known to the Tinns hereabouts by a name [Puna Kuovi] corresponding to the English words Red Curlew, but it is far from common; I have not found the Black-tailed Godwit at all. On comparing my eggs with some in Mr. Tristram’s Collection ..... but which also wanted con- firmation, I found that they agreed perfectly. The Bar-tailed Godwit breeds in marshes, chiefly in the neighbourhood of moun- tains, not at all about Muonioniska. Like most other birds, it came in smaller numbers than usual this year. It gets warily from its nest, which is therefore difficult to find. My eggs are from Rowa near Kittila in Finland. [The above passage was written to Mr. Hewitson (who, as stated below, figured two of the eggs) from Muoniovara on the 17th of November, 1854, and thus expresses Mr. Wolley’s knowledge of the nesting of the birds up to that time only. It was not until four years later, after he had left Lapland, that his collectors obtained for him another nest. This, containing three eggs, was found by some of the Salmojiirvi people in Lalva-uoma, on the 29th of June, 1858. They saw the bird, which they called Puna Kuovt, des¢ribing it as red on the breast and belly, and tried to snare it, but failed. “ There can be little doubt,” Mr. Wolley wrote, ‘‘ that these are ees of Limosa rufa, Bar-tailed Godwit, for which I had made frequent enquiries of the Salmojiirvi lads, and the ‘ Puna Kuovi’ as well as its breeding-place was well known to them—this very marsh Lalva-uoma was often mentioned.” One of the eggs was bought at Mr. Stevens’s, 8 March, 1859, for Sir W. Milner; the other two were sold, at the same place, 51 May, 1860, to Messrs. Simpson (Hudleston) and Powys (Lord Lilford). Mr. Wolley was never in the way of seeing this bird actually breeding, though he met with it on several occasions at various places when, apparently, on pessage. He never found any trace of the Black-tailed Godwit in F.apland, and it now seems almost certain that the Bar-tailed species does not breed so far westward as the yalley of the Muonio, or anywhere in Norway. } wo ~) ~ LIMOSA LAPPONICA. § 4295. Mour.—Rowa, in Kittila, 12 June, 1854, Hewitson, ‘ Eggs of British Birds,’ ed. 3, pl. xciv. figs. 1, 2. By one of Punsi’s lads. He had much trouble to find the nest, and watched for along time ina large mere. To-day (25 June) a lad has brought me three skins of hen birds, and in Kaaressuando I got snared a cock and a hen, and I saw several on the wing. The Punsis call the bird Lutika [Woodcock], as they do in Kittila, from its cry. At first sight I saw what the eggs must be, and on asking their name the answer was, as I expected, “‘ Lutika.”’ I previously gave not the slightest hint. There were large young inside. P.S. 1855. The lad has since told me he had the skin of the bird [from the nest] with him, but forgot to leave it. [Mr. Wolley in 1857 gave one of these eggs to Mr. Wilmot, who subsequently most generously allowed me to redeem it, that this first nest of the species obtained by Mr. Wolley’s means should not be broken up. ‘Two of the eggs were figured by Mr. Hewitson (wt supra). | § 4296. Four.—Kittila, 2 June, 1859. ‘“ With bird.” Found by Martin Piety in company with Abraham Korkalo in Nuoki-jinka, on the east side of Korkilo-talla, in the parish of Kittila. . The bird brought with them by Martin on the 26th. [The skin of the bird, duly labelled to correspond with these eggs, was sent to Mr. Wolley in England. Before it came into my hands, however, it had fallen a prey to Dermestes and had to be destroyed. There was no doubt of its being a Limosa lapponica. ‘wo eggs from another nest taken by Martin on the 22nd in Pippo-uoma Pajanpaéaé on Ounas-tunturi were brought by him at the same time. There had been four eggs, but two were already hatched, while a third was in such a shattered condition that Knoblock forbore to send it to Mr. Wolley. I subsequently gave the fourth to Mr. Wilmot. | § 4297. Four.—Ounas-tunturi, 12-18 June, 1859. ‘* With bird.” Brought by Martin Piety on the 26th June, having been found by his daughter Elsa, by the shore of Kylmesenjairvi. The bird was sent with it. | [Knoblock’s entry does not state how the bird was obtained ; but no doubt on the matter is expressed by him, and Piety’s known character is sufficient guarantee fur the accuracy of this statement. ‘Lhe egys also tell thelr own story, | 278 LIMOSA LAPPONICA. [§ 4298. Four.—Ounas-joki, 12 June, 1860. Brought by Martin Piety on the 2nd of July, having been found in Kasken- pakka-uoma on the east side of the Ounas-joki. He did not take the bird, tor he thought that it was not wanted after his having taken the two birds the year before (§§ 4296, 4297). ] [§ 4299. Fowr.—Ounas-tunturi, 5 June, 1861. [§ 4300. Fowr.—Ounas-joki, 7 June, 1861. Two nests brought by Martin Piety, 25 June, and found by him, the first in Salangi-uoma, and the second in Kasken-pakka-uoma (§ 4298). ] [§ 4301. Mouwr.—Ounas-joki, 7 June, 1861 (?). Knoblock numbered these eggs wrongly, but I believe them to have been from a second nest taken by Martin on the same day as the last here entered, though on the west side of the woma. | [§ 4302. Zwo.—Pippo-uoma, Enontekis Lappmark, 10 June, 1861. Brought to Muoniovara 25 June, found as above by Petter Pettersson Kyré. | [§ 4303. Fouwr.—Lapland, 12 June, 1861. Brought with the last to Muoniovara, but found as above by Johan Johansson Keinovaara, without the locality being named. | [§ 4304. Four.—Lapland, 3 June, 1862. Sent to Muoniovara by Johan Keinovaara, and taken as above. | [§ 4305. Mour.—Kaira-uoma, June, 1862. Brought on the 23rd of June by Johan Erie Wittainen, and found by him about two weeks before in Kaira-uoma. Knoblock thought they were rather small for Puna Kuovt; but Johan said he saw the bird upon the nest. ] [§ 4306. ##our.—Keino-uoma (?), 1563. Received from Johan Keinoyaara, with no other information.} NUMENIUS ARQUATA. 279 [§ 4307. Fouwr.—Sallangi-uoma, 12 June, 1864. [§ 4308. Four.—Pippo-uoma, Two nests found as above by Martin Piety, and brought on the 23rd of the same month. | [§ 4309. Zwo.—Wassara, Enontekis Lappmark, June, 1864. Out of three eggs from Olaf Wassara, who said he saw the bird upon the nest, and that it was Puna Kuovi. The fourth egg got broken, but one of the three I gave to Mr. Dresser. | NUMENIUS ARQUATA (Linneus). CURLEW. § 4310. One.—Bought at Liverpool, not later than 1843. § 4311. One.—From Mr. R. Mansfield, 1844. § 4312. Seven.—Muirfoot Hills, 1851. From Mr. Daniel M. Falconer. Mr. Falconer, of Loanhead, wrote that they were from the Heriot Moor, and ‘ most of them I took myself.” § 4313. 2ve.—Assynt, Sutherland, 1851. Sent by John Sutherland, the gamekeeper at Ledbeg, whom I had asked for some of these eggs. The bird was plentiful in Sutherlandshire ; but I did not find the nest myself. § 4314. Four.—Tamso, Porsanger Fjord, June, 18595. [Madam Ulich, an English lady, wife of Herr Peder K. Ulich, of Tamso, writing from that island, 6 June, 1855, to Mr. Wolley, in reply to his request for eggs (especially Geese’s egos, which are, or were, taken there in great numbers), said :—‘ There is one bird which you do not mention in your letter, which we call Goose bue. That bird comes here every year, one or two days before the Geese. She lays four eggs, ‘These you shall have, but I do not (e3) 80 NUMENIUS ARQUATA. think I can get the bird.’””. The eggs were accordingly sent for Mr. Wolley to Hammerfest, where Mr. Hudleston and I received them, and packed them to go to England. They were marked, apparently by Herr Ulich, “ Gjzes Boe”; and I am not sure that Mr. Wolley ever set eyes on them, for the box which contained them was not sent to Beeston, but remained in wy keeping. On examining them soon after his death, their appearance puzzled me, as did the name they bore. We had hoped they might be Pomatorhine Skua’s—a species which was plentiful off Berlevaag, at no great distance from 'l'amso, but the acquisition of its egg put that out of the question, and so the mystery continued. Quite recently I found Bishop Gunner, in a note (99) to Leem’s ‘ Beskrivelse over Finmarkens Lapper’ (p. 249), had given Gaaspou or Gaasespou as a Norwegian name of Numenius pheopus. Then the whole thing became clear. These eggs are not indeed those of that species, but of N. arquata, which Prof. Collett had found breeding in Tamso (Forhandl. Vidensk. Selsk. Christiania, 1872, p. 271), and the Ulichs had merely misspelt the name—very pardonably, for they had most likely never seen it written. | [§ 4315. One—From Mr. R. Reynolds, before 1848. | [§ 4316. One.—Holland. From Mr. A. Bots, 1851.] [§ 4317. Mowr—Banfishire (?). From Mr. T. Edward, 1854. ] [§ 4318. Zwo—Dumfriesshire, 1854. From Mr. W. G. Johnstone. | [§ 4319. One.—Unst, Shetiand, 1854. From Mr. James Smith. | [§ 4320. Zwo.—Unst, 1855. From Mr. James Smith.] [§ 4321. Zhree—Unst, 1856. From Mr. James Smith.] (§ 4322. One.—Hornby Moors, Yorkshire, 15 June, 1862. From Mr. Newcome. Seems to have been sent to Mr. Newcome by Anthony Savage, the Duke of Leeds's gamekeeper at Horuby Castle. | (as) DP = NUMENIUS ARQUATA. [§ 4323. One—Arne, Dorset, 2 May, 1877. From Mr. T. M. Pike. This was received by me on the 5th of that month from Mr. Pike, of Wareham, with a letter dated the 3rd,in which he said :—“ Enclosed you will find an egg which is one of four taken on the 2nd instant, at about a mile to the westward of the place you landed at down the harbour last year. Thinking you might like to see one, I have forwarded you a specimen, which I hope will arrive without a smash.” Unfortunately it was very much shattered, and, as I at first thought, hopelessly ; but Mr. Salvin most skil- fully made a presentable ege of it again. It was unblown, and contained a nearly half-developed embryo, which I bottled and sent to Professor Parker, who expressed himself pleased therewith. The place at which my brother Edward, Mr. James Panton, and I, in company with Mr. Pike, landed in 1876 was on the west or north-west side of Arne, in Poole Harbour ; and by “ a mile to the westward,” Mr. Pike must mean to the southward or south-westward. We had heard of Curlews breeding on Arne, and that gentleman kindly took us there from Wareham in his boat, on the 12th July in that year. My brother saw several birds—two at once. I thought I saw only one. Mr. Pike told us he had killed Curlews on the Wareham water, with pen-feathers hardly grown. Charles Orchard, a gumer and fisherman, said he caught a young Curlew, half-grown, there in 1875. About a week later, 18th July, my brother and I went to Arne by land, with Myr. Mansel-Pleydell, and having heard from the gamekeeper there that he had found a Curlew’s nest, he was sent for and he shewed them the spot on the heath, some way from the water and to the west or south-west of the Heronry. From it they got fragments of the hatched-out eggs, and a very characteristic feather, which we kept. They saw the birds and the gamekeeper said there might be twenty pairs of them breeding there, but this I greatly doubt. Mr. Pike sent another egg from the same nest to Mr. Mansel-Pleydell (cf. Birds of Dorsetshire, pp. xiii and 100), who kindly gave me the remains of it on the 21st July, 1877—in a hopeless condition, however. } [§ 4824. One.—Arne, 27 April, 1879. From Mr. J. W. Pike. This gentleman, brother of Mr. T. M. Pike (§ 4823), wrote to me on the 24th of April, saying that another of his brothers and Charles Orchard, before mentioned, “found between them to-day a Curlew’s nest with four eggs in it in one of the bays along the Arne shore of the harbour. Orchard says you want to see a nest in the locality, and I shall be very much pleased to go down with you to the nest, or to any other part of the harbour.” TI replied that I was unfortunately unable to go, and therefore Mr. J. W. Pike wrote again on the 27th, saying that he had been to the nest that day, which he was kindly sending to me. It arrived next day, but was unhappily broken. The embryo, far less advanced than that of 1877, I reserved for Professor Parker ; and Mr. Salvin successfully mounted the shell upon another Curlew’s egg. Orchard, I believe, is the man who was the first to find the Long-billed Curlew breeding in Dorset, a discorery little expected. | ws re) NUMENIUS FIU.LOPUS. NUMENIUS PHAXOPUS (Linneus). WHIMBREL. § 4325. One.—lIceland. From Mr. Hewitson, 1844. § 4326. One—From Mr. Wilmot, 1846. § 4327. One.—Iceland? From Mr. Graham, 1847. § 4328. Zhree.—Naalsoe, Ferde, 28 June, 1849. “J. W. ipse.”” I took these three eggs on the island of Naalsde. Naalsde, the joiner, first found them. I observed that the bird was less abundant than the Oyster-catcher. However, it was very plentiful on all the islands. We had some for dinner soon after our arrival in Thorshavn. Its note is peculiar, and very different from that of the Curlew’s. § 4329. Two.—Feroe. From Sysselmand Miiller, 1849. Out of four which Herr Miller gave me. § 4330. Zhirty—Ferée. From Sysselmand Winther, 1850. In 1850 Herr Winther sent me about thirty-nine Whimbrels’ eggs. There is one I have marked as doubtful, as it might possibly be an Arctic Gull’s. § 4331. Zhirty—Ferée, 1851. From Sysselmand Winther. T have made a note of 125 Whimbrels’ eggs. I have reserved about twenty and put them in a box by themselves to form a series from. Some of them are very interesting varieties. There NUMENIUS PHAXOPUS. Ba were about ten in the whole! which I could hardly with certainty decide whether they were Whimbrels’ or Richardson’s Skuas’, and I have no confidence in my reference of them to either one or the other species in such case. The Whimbrel is perhaps the most common land-bird of Fverée. [It seems to me quite impossible to judge, in many cases, whether an egg is an. Arctic Gull’s or a Whimbrel’s. Mr. Wolley’s last remark may seem somewhat inconsistent with what he wrote in 1849 (§ 4328), but he evidently did not regard the Oyster-catcher as a “land-bird.” To the abundance of both species in the islands I can myself bear witness (cf. § 3284). | § 4332. One.—Ferde, 1852. From Sysselmand Miller, 1853. One or two more were given to Mr. Salmon. § 4333. One.—Pallas-tunturi, 29 May, 1804. From Solomon Hiatalla. In a little marsh up the mountain. He was not quite certain about the bird, but believed it to be the common Awovi—i. e., Whimbrel. § 4334. Zwo.—Lapland, 1854. One of them from Modas-lompalo. § 4335. ight—Kautokeino, 1854. Collected and brought to Kaaressuando by one-handed Lassi, with a list in which nearly every egg was wrongly named. These were called Puna Kuovi, that is Godwit, but most if not all are the common Kuovi or Whimbrel. * (Herr Winther wrote that he was sending 484 eggs of Tjegva and Spegva (Arctic Gull and Whimbrel), but that he had not marked them “ because I am not able to distinguish between them. I have bought all the egys, and the people of whom I have bought them have brought me many of different kinds together, and do not exactly know whether they are Zjegvu or Spegva. I therefore believed you to be the best judge of all, and I did not mark the eggs.” Sixteen of the above-mentioned twenty have always been kept apart by me, and for variety they form a wonderful series. Indeed in variety of colouring Feréese eggs of the Whimbrel far excel those from Lapland, as they do on an average in size, so that when specimens from the two localities are laid in separate drawers the difference is conspicuous.—Ep. } 984 NUMENIUS PILZOPUS, ~ § 4336. One.—Narva, 1855. Said by the men to be Puna Kuovi, that is Bar-tailed Godwit ; but apparently Whimbrel. § 4337. Zhree.—Katkasuando, 1855. Apparently Whimbrel’s, brought blown to me at Katkasuando by Elias, son of the steersman. § 4338. Zhree.—Kyro, 1855. Apparently Whimbrel’s. There were four of them sent to me by the dishonest Kyré Pekka, with the skin of a Bar-tailed Godwit, to which he represented that they belonged. § 4339. Four.—Rowa, 1855. From Johan Eric at midsummer. § 4340. Zhree.—Sarempi. “J. W.” [ Not entered in the Egg-book, but the inscription shews they were taken by Mr. Wolley himself, though in what year I cannot say. } § 4341. Four.—Muonioniska, 2 June, 1857. Brought at two different times, and by two different boys (Johan Eric Rautio’s son Carl and Kirsti Maia’s son Abraham), but said to be from the same nest at Lehta, a quarter of a mile (Swedish) from Muonioniska, on dry land. The eggs much sat upon. § 4342. One.—Muonioniska, 1857. Brought with two of the last by Kirsti Maia’s boy Abraham. § 4343. Four.—Kahlongi, 13 June, 1857. Brought on the 2lst by Kihlongi Matthi’s boy Carl, found in Virni-uoma. He saw the bird. They were much sat upon. NUMENIUS PHAHOPUS. 289 § 4344. our.—Lapland, 1857, Brought 25 December, by Matthias Adamsson Hanhimaa, but they had been found and blown by Eric Lintula. § 4345. One.—Naimakka, 1857. § 4346. Zhree.—Kerasjarvi, June, 1858. Brought by Johan Hendriksson Keras-Sieppi on the 19th June. They were found a week and a half before near the shore of Keras- jarvi. Though so little larger than the previously entered three eggs of Puna Kuovi (ef. supra p. 276], they are probably what they were said to be—Whimbrel’s. § 4347. Four.—Muonioalusta, June, 1858. Brought by Johan Larsson, of Muonioalusta, 20 June. § 4348. Four.—Modas-lompalo, 1 June, 1858. Brought by Matthi’s Nekkola. § 4349. Four.—Hetta, 1858. Brought, 11 July, by Nils Petter from Hetta; found in Sisangi-ranta. § 4350. Hour.—Toras-sieppi, 1859. Brought by Johan Eric from Sieppi; found behind his garth in a marsh. § 4351. Fowr.—Lapland, 2 June, 1859. Found by Martin Pekka. |§ 4352. One.—From Mr. R. Reynolds, 1847. ] [§ 43853. Zwo.—lIceland, 1852. From Mr. Proctor, 1853. ] 286 NUMENIUS PHZOPUS.—N. BOREALIS. [§ 4354. Zhree-—Unst, Shetland, 1855. From Mr. James Smith. ] [§ 4355. Zwo.—Unst, 1856. From Mr. James Smith. ] [§ 4356. One.—Unst, 1857. From Mr. James Smith. | [§ 4357. Zhree.—Toras-sieppi, June, 1862. Brought by Johan Eric Sieppi, 24 June, found a week and a half before in Pitkijanka. } [§ 4358. Four.—Sallangi-uoma, 1863. Brought by Martin Piety from Johan Eric Mortensson as Puna Kuovi, but evidently Whimbrel’s. | [§ 4359. Mowr.—Terva-uoma, 20 June, 1864. Brought by Simon Peter Salmojirvi as Puna Kuovi—that is, Godwit,—who said that he saw both birds at the nest. He is an honest man, Knoblock wrote ; but the eggs look like Whimbrels’. ] [§ 4360. Zhree.—Norwegian Mountains, 1864. Taken by Turi Aslagsen Turi, of Kautokeino, in the course of a very unproductive journey, the third he had taken in that summer, in search of Snowy Owls, of which, owing to the absence of Rats or Lemmings, he could not find a trace. } [§ 4361. Zhree.—Iceland, 1893. From Mr. J. Backhouse. Out of a collection brought from Iceland, and given to the York Museum. ] NUMENIUS BOREALIS (Forster). ESQUIMAUX CURLEW. [§ 4362. Zwo.—Barren Grounds, east of Anderson River, 24 June, 1863. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Prof. Baird, 1870. The accompanying label shews that there were four eggs laid in decayed STERNA NIGRA. 287 leaves on the level, and that the hen bird (no. 386119) was shot from the nest by Mr. MacFarlane, who subsequently wrote (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiv. p- 429) of the species that it “breeds abundantly in the Barren Grounds to the eastward of Fort Anderson. ... The nests in every observed instance were mere holes or depressions in the ground. Great difficulty was frequently experienced in finding them, as the eggs closely resembled the surrounding vegetation, and the mother, as a rule, glided off while we were still at some distance. Thirty sets of eggs were gathered, including several from the aforesaid Lower Anderson ‘ Barrens.’ Among the many joyous bird-notes which greet one while crossing these grounds, especially on a fine sunshiny morning, none seemed more familiar or pleasanter than the prolonged mellow whistle of the Esquimaux Curlew.’ } [§ 4863. One—Barren Grounds, east of Anderson River, 96 June, 1863. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Prof. Baird, 1870. The label sent with this egg shews that it was one of three, obtained by Mr. MacFarlane, in a hole on decayed leaves. The hen bird was seen, but not shot. ] [§ 4364. Zwo.—Arctic Coast, east of Anderson River, 1865. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Prof. Baird, PS 70: Proc. Zool. Soc. 1871, p. 56, pl. iv. fig. 1. These are from three eggs also obtained by Mr. MacFarlane as above, with, it would appear, the parent bird (no. 52130). One of these I exhibited to the Zoological Society 17 January, 1871, and it is figured (wt supra). } STERNA NIGRA, Linneus. BLACK TERN. § 4365. One.—Not later than 1843. Bought of Mr. Chapman [of York]. It had formed part of Mr. Hoy’s extensive collection. § 4366. One.‘ Whittlesey Mere,’ Huntingdonshire. From Mr. Hewitson, 1844. [I think this is more likely to have been from Crowland Wash in Lincoln- 288 STERNA NIGRA. shire, whence Mr. Hewitson says (Brit. Ool. text to pl. xlviii.) he was supplied with “a large series of the eggs” of this bird by Mr. Salmon, who was there 19 May, 1882 (ef. Stevenson and Southwell, Birds of Norfolk, iii. p. 314).] § 4367. Two.—Helland, 1851. From Mr. Alfred Newton. [These eggs, with others (§ 4876), were sent to me direct by Arnold Bots. ] § 4368. Mine.—Holland, 1852. From Mr. Green. These I saw quite fresh at Green’s ; they are from the other side of the water. § 4369. One.—Feltwell Fen, Norfolk, 8 June, 1853. From Mr. Newcome, 1854. One of eight eggs out of three nests brought to Mr. Newcome, of Hockwold, by one Ketteringham, of Feltwell, who stated that he found the three nests near together in the Southery Fen district. He called them Starns, the Norfolk name of this Tern. About Peterborough they are called Blue Dowar’. The great floods of that year (1853) were then subsiding. Both Mr. Newcome and Mr. Alfred Newton had observed the six birds about the fen. The eggs were brought to Mr. Newcome unblown, and Mr. Newton has one egg from each of the nests [§ 4377], which were somewhat unlike one another. Mr. Newcome has some of the eggs in a case with a pair of the birds which were shot in the fen in the same spring. The Black Tern had, until a few years previously, been constantly in the habit of breeding in vast numbers in this fen. Its eggs were used by the fenmen as nest-eggs for Lapwings and Redshanks. [ Cf. Stevenson and Southwell, B. Norf. ui. p. 313.) § 4370. Zwenty.—Fora, Gland, 6 June, 1856. Found by myself between Ormoga and Fora. There were from one to three eggs in the nests, all nearly fresh. Of the first I saw 1 [More commonly written Blue Darr, which, I suppose, means Blue Daw; but this was rather the name in East Norfolk. In Lincolnshire, and one would think also near Peterborough, the bird was the Carr-Swallow or Carr-Crow, miswritten sometimes, as by Willughby (Orn. p. 269 Lat.; p. 853 Engl.), on Johnson’s authority, Scare-crow !—Ep. ] STERNA NIGRA. 289 the birds—indeed they dashed at my head while at the nest. The others were in another pond, where I saw no other species of Tern. The nests mostly floating, supported slightly by grass or sedge. Small snails often crawled upon the eggs. [The different nests, eleven in number, were carefully distinguished by Mr. Wolley. Two contained three eggs, five had two, and the rest had one apiece. | § 4371. Ten.—Marsj6, Giland, 7 June, 1856. All taken by myself. [From at least six nests, as shewn by Mr. Wolley’s markings. ] § 4372. Hght—Jurstang Mosse, Gland, 13 June, 1856. OWES. [Two complete nests of three each, and one of two. All taken by Mr. Simpson (Hudleston). ] § 4373. 7wo.—Ormoga, Ciland, 16 June, 1856. ‘“ W.H.S.” | Also taken by Mr. Simpson. These eggs are so darkly-coloured that it was hard to find a place on which the inscription should be legible. | [§ 4374. Zwo.—From Mr. Reynolds, not later than 1849. | [§ 43875. One—Holland, 1850. From Mr. A. Bots. | [§ 4876. Stv—Holiand, 1851. From Mr. A. Bots. Belonging to the lot from which Mr. Wolley had two (§ 4867). § 4377. Three.—Feltwell Fen, 8 June, 1853. From Mr. Newcome. (Three, from as many nests found as before stated (§ 4369), and given to mea few days after. The three nests contained respectively, three, three, and two eggs. On the 21st of May preceding, the great flood which had existed from November, 1852, being then rapidly subsiding, my brother and I, being in Mr. Newcome’s company, saw four pairs of Black Terns in Hockwold Fen, but they had evidently not then found a home there, for they passed on swiftly. Their appearance, however, induced Mr. Neweome to cause a look out to be PART (11. U 290 STERNA NIGRA.—S. LEUCOPTERA. kept for them, and eventually they were found by Ketteringham to have settled in Feltwell Fen. I rather think, too, that others were seen and some even shot in the district about the same time. I am not aware of more than one reported instance of this species having bred in this country since (ef. Stevenson and Southwell, B. Norf. iii. p. 315).] [§ 4378. Three —Marsj6, 7 June, 1856. “W.H.S.” From Mr. Simpson. Taken at the same place and time as those above mentioned by Mr. Wolley (§ 4371), but by Mr. Hudleston. ] [§ 4379. One—* South Russia.” From Herr A. Heinke, of Kamuschin, through Dr, Albert Giinther, 1862. | STERNA LEUCOPTERA, Schiuz. WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN. § 4380. Two.—From M. Lefevre, 1846. (These must have been bought at Paris by Mr. Wolley on his way back from Switzerland, and were subsequently skewn to M. Hardy, of Dieppe, who doubted their genuineness ; but the latter had a poor opinion of M. Lefévre’s honesty. ] [§ 4381. Zwo.— Sarepta.” From Herr Méschler, 1862.] [§ 4382. One—* South Russia.” From Herr A. Heinke, of Kamuschin, through Dr. Albert Giinther, 1862. ] [§ 43883. Zhree.—Csziget-csep, Hungary, 8 June, 1902. From Mr. Dresser. Mr. Dresser informed me that these were taken by himself, and carefully identified, in the Pester Comitat, near the place named. Writing in ‘The Field ’’ newspaper (7 March, 1903, p. 398) he says of it:—“ About twenty to thirty pairs were breeding there, all White-winged Biack Terns (Sterna leucoptera), and so far as I could see not a single pair of Black Terns. Donning a pair of peasant’s shoes, I waded into the marsh. The nests were on the floating herbage in about three feet of water, and closely resembled those of the Black Tern. I took a dozen nests, selecting the best marked eggs.” ] STERNA HYBRIDA. 291 STERNA HYBRIDA, Pallas. WHISKERED TERN. § 4384. One.—From M. Nager-Donazain, 1847. This is exactly like Mr. Hewitson’s figure [Eggs Br. B. ed. 2, pl. cxx.*] of an egg given by Dr. Thienemann to Mr. Yarrell. It is also very like an Arctic Tern’s, and as the writing on it, “ St. leucopareia,’ isin the same hand as that on ‘‘ Larus leucopterus ” and “ Larus glaucus”’ [sent at the same time, but apparently not kept by Mr. Wolley], I am inclined to fear they are all false. M. Nager, of course, had received it in exchange. [Very likely both Thienemann and Nager obtained their eggs from M. Crespon (§ 4885), and I see no need to doubt this. } § 4385. One.—From M. Crespon, through Mr. H. F. Walter, 1852. This, given to me by Mr. Walter, was one of a lot of eggs of this bird which he procured from M. Crespon, of Nimes, who is au amateur collector. Mr. Walter procured others at Genoa, but he believes from the same source as those at Nimes. [M. Crespon seems to have been the discoverer of the eggs and nidification of this species. In his ‘ Faune Méridionale,’ published at Nimes in 1844, he says (ii. pp. 118, 119) that hitherto nothing had been made known on the subject, and that it was only in August, 1841, that he learnt from a fisherman that the bird bred in the neighbourhood. He met with many nests, each containing three or four eggs, which resembled those of the Common Tern in size, had a green or sometimes a cinereous ground-colour, with blackish and brown spots and streaks, often confluent at the large end. The nests were shallow hollows, resting on the remains of broken reeds in the water, in no way fastened, and capable of changing their position. | § 4386. One.—From Mr. A. H. Cochrane, through Mr. Hancock, 1854. [This was given by Mr. Hancock to Mr. Wolley during his flying visit to England in August, 1854. Needless to say that Mr, Cochrane’s eggs were trustworthy. ] U2 292 STERNA HYBRIDA. ~ § 4387. Mive.—Lake Halloula, Algeria, 1 July, 1857. From Mr. Tristram, 1858. Taken by Captain Loche, and very certain. [Three of these were in Canon Tristram’s sale at Mr. Stevens’s, 9 February, 1858, where they formed lots 258, 259, and 264. The remaining two were given by the Canon. In his Sale Catalogue he says that this bird “seems always to lay its eggs in the old nests of the Eared Grebe, which it slightly repairs, as soon as the original proprietors have left”’ ; and again, recounting his experience of Lake Halloula, he says (Ibis, 1860, pp. 164, 165): “TI was surprised to find the whole colony of Whiskered Tern (Sterna hybrida) breeding in the nests of the Eared Grebes above described,—and that, apparently, without having at all repaired the nests, which could have been only a few days evacuated by their constructors, as we saw hundreds of young Kared Grebes paddling about and diving in the open lake with their parents. My series of eggs of Sterna hybrida shews a decided tendency to pale green as the ground-colour, and a type clearly distinguishable from that of any other Tern, though somewhat approaching the character of the eggs of Sterna leucoptera, which, however, are much smaller, and only exceptionally of a greenish ground. The markings are rarely so large as in the eggs of the Common Tern.” Loche’s account of the breeding of this species (Explor. Scient. Algér., Ois. ii. p- 209) is in great part borrowed from Crespon’s, already quoted (§ 4385). ] [§ 4388. One.—* South Russia.” From Herr A. Heinke, of Kamuschin, through Dr. Albert Giinther, 1862. ] [§ 4389. Zveven—Southern Spain, 1863. From Lord Lilford. § 43890. Four.—Spain, 1872. From Lord Lilford. Lord Lilford’s notes on the nidification and habits of this species in Spain, furnished to Mr. Dresser (B. Eur. viii. p. 319), state that “ We found this Tern breeding in great numbers in company with Sterna nigra on the small lakes of Santa Olaya, in the Coto de Donana, during the first fortnight of May 1872. The nests are merely a few scraps of weed pulled together and placed on the open water, with no attempt at concealment; in almost every instance the In one instance we found four eggs in a nest; but the usual complement is three.” Subsequently in the text in his ‘Coloured Figures of the Birds of the British Islands,’ Lord Lilford wrote (vi. pp. 5-7) :—“‘I became intimately acquainted with this bird in a certain wild district of Southern Spain, where we found it in great abundance nesting in company with the Black Tern and many other birds of various species, upon some small freshwater lakelets.... It was more than pleasant to lie amongst the rushes on the sandy banks of STERNA ANGLICA. 293 these waters in the splendid sunshine of an Andalucian May, and to watch the birds; of these the most abundant were the Whiskered and the Black Terr, whose nests were on the water amongst thick masses of a white-flowered weed, or on the rubbish left on the banks by the subsidence of winter floods. Here were also at the time of our visits many Grebes of three species, their nests interspersed with those of the Terns on the tangle of weed that covered considerable portions of the water-surface....the Terns disturbed at our appearance rose in a cloud, and dashed about us with great clamour till we had satisfied our greed by taking some of their eggs by riding into the water and ladling them out of the nests; but they took very little notice of our presence as we sat about the margin of the tarns after this operation, and many of them settled finally down upon their eggs within a few yards of us, whilst others hawked about unconcernedly after flying insects, or dipped for the leeches and water-beetles that swarmed amongst the weeds.” | STERNA ANGLICA, Montagu. GULL-BILLED TERN. § 4391. One.——New Jersey, 1849. “H.B.T.” From Mr. Tristram, 1854. § 4392. Four—Thye, Nord Jylland, 1857. From Dr. Kjer- bolling. These were said by Dr. Kjerbolling to be Sterna anglica, and some of them to have been taken, as all were procured, by himself this past summer. I received them of him 6th October, at Copen- hagen. He said they were on a little holm—the nest made of grass-straw, and of considerable size, while S. cantiaca breeding in the same place made little or no nest. He observed that the Gull- billed Tern pounced upon insects on the cows’ backs. He shot two of the Terns. I observe that two eggs from Algeria, placed in my keeping by Mr. Osbert Salvin and believed by him and those with him to belong to S. anglica, are something like very small eggs of S. cantiaca, and so differ considerably from these eggs of Dr, Kjzer- bélling’s, which are nearly as large as those of S. cantiaca, but in colour and markings like Common Tern’s. As an illustration of the Doctor’s defective accuracy, I may observe that one of the eggs of S. cantiaca [§ 4495] I had from him has that name written on one side and S. anglica on the other, both by himself. 294 STERNA ANGLICA. § 4393. Zwo.—20 May, 1858. § 4394. One—29 June, 1858. | Mesolonghi, Greece. From Dr. Kriper, through § 4395. Four—10 July, 1858. Pastor Theobald, 1859. § 4396. One.—13 July, 1858. § 4397. Sie—Smyrna. From [Herr von Gonzenbach ?], through Dr. Baldamus and Pastor Theobald, 1859. [ All the above (§§ 4893-4397) were given into my charge at Copenhagen in October, 1859, to be conveyed to Mr. Wolley, and I accordingly took them with me to Beeston and left them there, but he was far too ill to heed them, and after his death I found the box containing them had not been opened. In Dr. Kriiper's ‘ Catalog,’ edited by Dr. Hartlaub (Griechische Jahreszeiten, v. p. 804. Schleswig: 1875), the lagoons of Mesolonghi and Smyrna are named as breeding-places of this species, but the details given refer to later years than 1858. The breeding-season is said to last from the end of April to the middle of June. | [§ 4398. Onve—Gulf of Smyrna, 1857. From Mr. Simpson, 1860. Given to Mr. Simpson (Hudleston) by, I believe, Herr von Gonzenbach, who, in his earlier notices of the ornithology of Smyrna (Naumannia, 1852, p- 19, and 1857, p. 146), did not mention this species, but a later communication (Journ. fiir Orn. 1859, pp. 308 and 393) contains an account of its breeding- place, though not so much to the point as that by Mr. Hudleston which immediately follows. | [§ 4399. Three.) [§ 4400. Zhree. + Mesolonghi, 24 May, 1859. From [§ 4401. One. J Mr. Simpson, 1860. [§ 4402. One.—Mesolonghi, 29 May, 1859. [§ 4403. Three.—Greece. STERNA ANGLICA. 295 Writing in ‘The Ibis’ (1860, p. 891) of this place and time Mr. Hudleston says :—“ The most numerous of all the birds during the latter half of May on the lagoon of Mesolonghi are the Terns, and notably Sterne hirundo, minuta, and anglica. If unmolested, their numbers would be enormous, as there are probably few places in the Mediterranean more adapted by nature for these birds, if innumerable flat islets and sandy spots, washed by an immense extent of very shallow salt water abounding in fish, can be any inducement to their undertaking the labours of incubation. But now that the towns of Mesolonghi and Aitolico are beginning to stir, and the fisheries to be more looked after, all the birds will suffer from the increase of activity. The eggs of Sterna anglica especially are much eaten by the natives. It was from this circum- stance that I came to discover their principal colony, as the following extract from my note-book will show :—‘ On the 23rd I started in a monoxylon with Vitalis and a native to search the salt lagoon and the islets south-east of the town, my chief object being to discover the quarters of Sterna anglica, which was to be seen flying about in every direction. his bird had caused me many a fruitless ride across the high plains of the Atlas during the summer of 1857 ; and it now seemed likely that 1 was to have another wild-goose chase across the lagoon and mud-flats of Mesolonghi under the equally powerful sun of Greece. Already several days had elapsed since we first noticed them, and still we were unable to gain any satisfactory tidings of their mysterious retreat. My associates became very mutinous in consequence of our prolonged ill-suecess; so I directed the boat to be landed at a fisherman’s hut outside the main group of islets, while some fish was roasted to appease their hunger and ill-temper. Whilst this was being prepared, the usual question was of course put, and elicited the usual reply in the negative. ‘ Where do these broken shells come from, then?” ‘Oh! they come from a long way off; and the birds won't lay any more.” ‘ Wouldn’t 20 defta per ege induce the birds to alter their determination?” “They couldn’t lay upon trust; part of the money must be paid down.” So the fisherman’s boy agreed to try ; and our monoxylon set off towards the outer spit, which was searched without success. On returning to the islet, | was much surprised at seeing a straw hat filled with eggs of §. anglica awaiting our inspection. Late as it was, I made the boy take me to the place, where I had the satisfaction of seeing the bird itself in great numbers, and succeeded myself in finding four nests, two of which, with their full complement of eggs, were taken then and there. The boy was directed to find all the eggs he could, and to leave them for me to inspect on the following day.’ The greater number of the nests were on two of the innermost islets of this group. Generally they are placed on the raised outer edge, which in case of a flood would remain longest high and dry. Theeges are deposited upon the sand or soil, in a depression slightly lined with a few bits of dead grass, and are not easy to see, as the colours blend with surrounding objects. ‘The birds appear to commence incubation simultaneousiy, or nearly so, as most of the nests contained eggs pretty tresh. They did not evince the anxiety which many Terns do about their eggs, but simply contented them- selves with flying in a body, at a great height, over the islands. I strongly suspect that in these hot countries the Terns do not care to sit upon their eggs throughout the day ; and this may be the reason why one often sees flocks of Sterna anglica feeding miles away from head-quarters.”’ | 296 STERNA ANGLICA.—S. MINUTA. [§ 4404. Eighteen.—Marisma of Andalusia, 1863. From Lord Lilford, 1884. In the text to his ‘ Coloured Figures’ (vii. p. 10) Lord Lilford wrote :—“ In Spain the Gull-billed Tern breeds not only on the sandy sea-shores, but also in very great numbers upon the islets left in the ‘ Marisma’ of the Guadal- quivir by the subsidence of the winter floods.” | [§ 4405. Zwo.—Island of Warba, Persian Gulf, 3 April, 1878. From Capt. Butler, through Mr. Howard Saunders, 1879. Mr. Eugene Oates (Hume’s ‘Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds,’ ed. 2, ii. p. 305) quotes Colonel Butler as writing:—‘‘On the 3rd April, 1878, Mr. Huskisson, Telegraph Department, at my request kindly sent a boat to the island of Warba, in the Kore Abdulla at the head of the Persian Gulf, and procured a fine series of the eggs of this species. There were two species of Terns breeding in separate colonies in different parts of the island, viz. Sterna caspia and the present species. In each case the nests which were very abundant, were built about a foot apart and consisted of a small mound of sand scraped together by the birds, from 3 to 5 inches high, with small twigs and sticks laid on the top for the eggs to rest upon. Most of the nests contained three eggs, all more or less incubated.” ] -STERNA MINUTA, Linnzus. LITTLE TERN. § 4406. Zwo.—England? Not later than 1843. § 4407. Two.—Tangier. From M. Favier, through Mr. Williams, 1847. § 4408. Mae.—Blakeney, Norfolk, 1851. From Dr. Frere. § 4409. Onxe.—England? From Mr. W. Felkin. [§ 4410. Onve—England? From Mr. R. Reynolds, before 1848. | STERNA MINUTA. 297 [§ 4411. Three. LS Northumberland Coast, 23 June, 1851. 4412. Two. Two days after our visit to the Farne Islands (§§ 4421-4423), my brother and I set out from Bamborough to try and find the breeding-place of the Lesser Tern, mentioned by Mr. Hewitson (Eggs Br. B. ed. 2, p. 452) as being on the coast opposite Holy Island. We found the birds much less numerous than we had been led to hope, and two nests, one of which con- tained but two eggs, were all that rewarded us for a long day’s work, in the course of which we must have walked along a good many miles of coast. We may have seen a couple of pairs of birds more than the two of which we found the nests. Mr. Hewitson, twenty years before, had seen from thirty to forty pairs, and he and his companions, the brothers Hancock, found between twenty and thirty nests of this bird, within the circuit of a few yards (Brit. Ool. no. vii. 1832). ] [§ 4413. Zzree—Covehithe, Suffolk, 1854. From Mr. J. Farr. | [§ 4414. One.—*“ South Russia.” From Herr A. Heinke, of Kamuschin, through Dr. Albert Giinther, 1863. ] [§ 4415. Four.—Wells, Norfolk. From Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., L$ LS Lowe. Mr. Gurney informed me that these were taken by a Mr. Barrett, but not the entomologist of that name. | 4416. Four —Salthouse, Norfolk, 29 May, 1875. From Mr. Norgate. Taken, said Mr. Norgate, by one Gabriel Piggot. } 4417. Three.—Brancaster, Norfolk, June or July, 1877. From Mr. Norgate, 1878. | 4418. Zwo.—Orford Beach, Suffolk,2 June, 1885. “E.N.” It having been rumoured that the Sandwich Tern had recently bred on Orford Beach, my brother Edward and I wished to ascertain whether there was any tiuth in the story, setting aside the desire of seeing a very remarkable 98 STERNA MINUTA. locality. We accordingly met at Aldeburgh on the Ist of June, and next morning taking a boat we were rowed down the river and landed on the Beach, which there forms its left bank, about a mile to the southward of the high lighthouse. To quote my brother’s note :— “The beach there may be a quarter of a mile wide, and is formed in waves— the large stones being in the bottoms and the smaller on the tops, through which a little coarse grass occasionally forces itself in single stems, and hardly ever as a tuft. Between the beach and the river there is generally salt-marsh, from fifty to two hundred yards wide. We walked for a about a mile towards the high light, the dog we had with us hunting for eggs. It was a small liver-coloured spaniel and had belonged to one of our boatmen. It found one or two places where eggs had evidently been laid and taken. The whule beach was covered with footprints. We presently met a brother of one of our boatmen, who told us that he had left Aldeburgh at one o’clock that morning, that there were about ten men looking for eggs, and that three or four had come over from Orford the night before and slept there. He had got about thirty (Terns’) eggs which we saw, all of the same size. He told us that one part of the ground, that to the westward, had not been looked over. We went there and the dog soon found one egg, then another, and then three egos, Of the last, two were dark-coloured and one light. There were no nests, but simply about halfa dozen short bents, strewed without form, by the eggs. I also found a Plover’s, which had evidently been used as a nest-ege as it was quite rotten. We did not see many (Arctic or Common) Terns at once—I think not more than ten, and they were very wild, seldom coming within gun-shot, and it was impossible to make out of which species they were. The Lesser Terns were less numerous and tamer, and they often came so near that their white foreheads were conspicuous. Another man, one J. Smith, of Aldeburgh, met us. He is said to be the most keen-eyed egg- finder, and did not require a dog. He had got about sixty eggs, all Common or Arctic Terns’, and one Ring Plover’s. While talking to him, A. watched a Lesser Tern alight some two hundred yards off, and we thought it was on its nest, so we walked towards it. ‘The dog found a Redshank’s nest, with three eggs, in a tuft of grass close to the edge of the marsh, and we saw the bird. The Tern got up, and the dog found its nest, which was perhaps twenty yards from where we had seen the bird, and it contained these two eggs. We then returned to the boat. One of our men had walked to the southward and got nine eggs—he said he put his foot ona nest of three. We started on our way back sailing with a good southerly wind. Talking to our men they said they had never seen Terns’ eggs larger than those we had seen or of the colour of Sandwich Terns’, and I think it is pretty clear that the latter do not now breed here. The man Smith, who may have been from thirty-five to forty years old, told A. that his father had found ‘Gulls’ eggs years ago, and these possibly may have been Sandwich Terns’, but the oldest of our men, who said he was seventy-five, had never seen or heard of any larger bird or eggs than those we had. The men said that Avosets came there every year, and that they saw one about a month ago, but did not shoot it. There were a few Ring-Plovers on the beach, but not many, and we saw a few Redshanks. The dog found what we believed to be a Titlark’s nest, with young in it some days old.” | STERNA DOUGALLI. 299 STERNA DOUGALLI, Montagu. ROSEATE TERN. § 4419. One.—From Mr. Hewitson, 1844. Sent by Mr. Hewitson as a present. [More likely than not this came from either Coquet Island or the Farnes, the only places, as Mr. Hewitson wrote in 1834 (Brit. Ool. text to pl. Ixvi.), where he had seen the species, and remarked that the only way of obtaining genuine eggs “ with certainty is by watching the bird settle upon them. They seem, however, from the specimens I have examined to be more constantly of a light colour, and more covered with minute dots than the eggs of the other Terns.” This I believe to be true, but one of the eggs he figured at the same time is exceptionally dark for a Tern’s of any kind, and marked with very few dots, so that any intermediate form might be expected to occur. The present egg is inscribed “‘ Roseate ”’ in handwriting which I recognize as Mr. Hewitson’s. ] § 4420. One. [Whence Mr. Wolley obtained this specimen I cannot say, as I cannot find it entered in the Egg-book by him. It has the word “ Roseate” written upon it, though in a hand unknown to me, and has all the look of being rightly named. | [§ 4421. Zio. } L$ [$ | Inner Wide-open, Farne Islands, 21 June ) J ? ? 3 PEO e aaa Mog am 4423. One. | For some years my brother Edward and I had cherished a very strong desire to visit the Farne Islands, whose ornithological riches the pages of Yarrell and Hewitson had made known to us. In the summer of 1851, the kindness of an uncle, Mr. Milnes of Fryston, enabled us to realize our fond wish; and, provided with the necessary permission from Archdeacon Thorp, on behalf of the Trustees of the Crewe Charity (who then bore absolute sway over the islands—no one being able to land upon them without leave), we arrived at Bamborough on the evening of the 20th of June. Very early the next morning we proceeded to North Sunderland, or rather Sea-houses, whence we took a boat to our destination, and passed the whole of a glorious day among the birds, only returning late in the evening. It was the first time that either of us had ever seen a sea-birds’ resort of the kind, and our expectations were 300 STERNA DOUGALLI. fulfilled to the uttermost. The joy of the whole thing was indescribable, as those must know who have had experience of it, and even after more than fifty years, in the course of which I have been at many bird-stations, some of them vastly more thronged, there has not been one to surpass this in beauty or interest—the last in some measure due to the great variety of species there present. It is hardly possible elsewhere on the coast of Western Europe to find four species of Tern, three of Gull, two of Cormorant, beside Puffin, Guillemot and Razorbill, Hider-Duck and Oyster-catcher—to say nothing of tock-Lark—all breeding within so small a space. We did not, it is true, find eggs of the Shag, but to the best of our belief there was at least one nest, and we took moderate spoil of the rest, Razorbill excepted. The Terns were naturally our chief object, and the Roseate Tern chief among them'. We had not been long on one of the islands? before we recognized several birds whose call-note—crake—was so unlike that of the rest as at once to attract attention, and when the individual bird that uttered it was made out from the cloud of others that hovered or darted overhead and circled round us, the difference in appearance and action was easily perceptible, for it would often come close enough to shew its black bill, while generally it looked far whiter in colour, particularly beneath and at the bend of the pinions, it had a longer tail, and its flight seemed more buoyant ; but the roseate colour of the breast was seldom perceptible. The number of birds shewing these characters was very small in proportion to the others, and I think we could not satisfy our- selves that there were more than eight or ten. The next thing was to watch one of them to a nest, and we soon made the discovery that to do this success- fully we must lie down to windward of the birds, for hardly a Tern of any sort would alight, or sit on the ground, except with its head to the wind, nor would it do so if we were behind it. After waiting for some time we had the extreme gratification of seeing first one, and then a second, Roseate Tern settle on what we presently found to be a nest—in the former case there were two eggs, in the latter one; but we were not satisfied without putting the birds up and letting them return more than once, while we steadily and repeatedly examined them through a field-glass, when, the distance not being great in either case, we could see the owners sitting on their nests as plainly as though we held them in the hand. In this way we determined beyond all doubt the first three of the eggs above entered (§§ 4421, 4422), while the fourth (§ 4428) is one on which we did not actually see a bird sit, though one alighted more than once close to it, and from its similarity to the other three we were 1 (In 1850 I was at the Cumbraes in the Firth of Clyde, where Dr. MacDougall got the specimens of the species described by Montagu not forty years before; and though my visit was not in the breeding-season, I had satisfied myself that it could no longer breed there.—ED. | * [This was called by our boatmen Kettle Island, a name I do net find on any map, being replaced in all I have seen by Inner or West Wide-open. At low water it is connected by land with Outer or East Wide-open, as well as with Knocks Reef, otherwise called Noxeys, and the bay formed by the bank laid bare by the falling tide is marked The Kettle on the last Ordnance Map (Survey of 1861, revised 1809).—Eb. } r t L STERNA DOUGALLI. 301 prepared to accept it as a true egg of the same species. While watching these Terns we had also the opportunity of identifying in like manner a Common Tern’s nest and two or three of the Arctic Tern’s. The Sandwich Tern’s eggs alone gave no trouble beyond that of avoiding treading upon them, as with them mistake is impossible. It may be added that all these eges were procured without firing a single shot; indeed it was understood from the first that we were not to use a gun at the islands, nor was one wanted. | § 4424. One.—Inner Wide-open, Farne Islands, 23 June, RE505 Asc. Nis This was the only Roseate Tern’s egg that fell to our share, on our second visit to the islands, when Mr, Salvin and Mr. Perey Godman were with us. We saw fewer of the species than we had done on the former occasion, but were equally careful to watch the bird to every nest we took. | [§ 4425. Two.—Farne Islands. From Mr. Charles Adamson, 1863. Given to me at. Neweastle-on-Tyne, by Mr. Adamson, as having been taken by himself, but he could not say in what year. | [§ 4426. One—North America. From Dr. Brewer (1864 ?). ] [ $ 4427. Three-—Goose Island, Connecticut, 24 June, 1865. From the Suthsonian Institution, through Professor Baird, 1870. Received under the name of “ Sterna paradisea.” The Smithsonian number is “9919,” and they appear to have been obtained from O. N. Brooks. ] 4428, One.—Norfolk Coast, 24 June, 1886. From Mr. A. H. Evans. This was kindly brought and given to me on the 27th by Mr. Evans, who told me that while botanizing a few days before on the sandhills of the coast of Norfolk, he stopped to watch some Little Terns that were breeding there and found three or four of their nests. Presently he noticed two larger Terns, and from their note—“ crake”—and appearance he began to suspect that they were Roseate Terns. He then lay down and watched one of them attentively, becoming more and more sure that it was Sterna dougalli. Presently it alighted on the ground and he saw that it was on its nest. Going to the place he put the bird off and found three eggs (of which this is one); but, still further to satisfy himself, he went back and lay down again, when the bird 2 STERNA DOUGALLI.—S. FLUVIATILIS. returned to its nest as before, and he, walking it up. saw it again most distinctly. He then took the eggs, and began to look out for the other bird, the nest of which, also with three eggs in it, he at length found; but he did not succeed in seeing this second bird so well as the first, though he has no doubt that it was also a S. dowgalli, and he saw no other Terns larger than S. minuta about. He brought all the six eggs to shew me, but those of the second nest are not at all like what I have always supposed Roseate Terns’ eggs to be: they were much blotched, and one had a pale blue ground-colour—as though laid by an exhausted bird. The eggs from the second nest were fresh 5 those from the first nest, on which he saw the bird so well, were very hard-set. They are more like ordinary Roseate Terns’, but are still somewhat small, being less than any we have in our short series, and have not many of the fine circular spots, or dots, which have always seemed so characteristic of the rarer species, On the other hand, it must be said that Mr. Evans ought to know the Roseate Tern well, from his experience at the Farne Islands, where he tells me that though he never found but one nest with eggs and one with young, yet he declares that by their peculiar note and flight, as well as the colour of the bill, the two large Terns he saw on this occasion were nothing else. After he had found the first nest, there came by a man looking for Little Terns’ nests, and from him Mr. Evans borrowed a pair of binocular glasses (not having any with him), and with the help of these glasses he made himself still more certain as to the species. Ie saw only these two birds, and thinks their mates must have been away fishing. I may remark that on the 12th of July, 1880, the late Mr. George Hunt shot an adult Roseate Tern off this part of the coast, which he sent to Lord Lilford, who wrote to me about it at the time and subsequently recorded it (Zoologist, 1881, p. 26). This fact, which I think was unknown to Mr. Evans, gives colour to his view that the species may breed there, but it must assuredly be in very small numbers, and not every year; for on the 13th of June, 1887, my brother and I, in company with Mr. Howard Saunders and Mr. Evans, went to the place indicated by the last. We saw a few Terns, all 8. minuta, and not one that we could fancy was a S, dougalli. | STERNA FLUVIATILIS, Naumann. COMMON TERN. § 4429. Four.—England (?), before 1843. [These were in Mr. Wolley’s collection before he began his Egg-hook, and are likely to be correctly assigned, though they have no other history. | § 4430. Zwenty-three.—Blakeney, Norfolk, 1847. From Dr. Frere, 1853. I have selected these because Dr. Frere said that of all the Terns STERNA FLCUVIATILIS. 303 he and his brother shot at this breeding-place there was not one other than the Common Tern. Three were marked “ Self” in his Catalogue. § 4431. Zwo.—Blakeney, 1851. From Dr. Frere, 1853. § 4432. Three.-—Horn, Gland, 10 June, 1856. A nest from an islet where no other Tern seemed to me and Mr. Simpson [Hudleston] to be. [§ 4433. Zwo.—Inner Wide-open, Farne Islands, 21 June, T3oal- Taken by my brother and myself on our first visit to these islands, and from the only nest, of the many Terns’ we found, that we could feel sure was of this species (cf. § 4423).] [§ 4434. Two.—Blakeney, 1851. From Mr. Sayer, of Norwich. | [§ 4435. Mowr—Holland, 1851. Received direct from Bots, of Valkenswaard. I believe Sterna macrura does not breed in that country. | [§ 4436. Zhree.—West Norfolk, 1854. From Mr. Southwell. | [§ 4437. Zwo.—Inner Wide-open, 18 June, 1856. “ Bird seen on nest. E. N.” Taken on our second visit to the islands, and the only eggs of this species identified by either of us on that occasion. | [§ 4438. One.—*« South Russia.” From Herr A. Heinke, of Kamuschin, through Dr. Albert Giinther, 1862. ] (§ 4439. Zhree.—Brancaster, Norfolk, June 1877. From Mr. Norgate, 1878. ] 304 STERNA FLUVIATILIS.—S. MACRURA. [§ 4440. Sivz.—Nova Scotia. From Mr. R. Downes, 1853. Sent to me as eggs of the “Great Tern,” 7. e. the 8. wilsont of those days, now said to be identical with the European bird. Mr. Downes was a careful man. | [§ 4441. Four.—New Jersey. From Dr. Heermann, 1861. Whether Dr. Heermann or his collector was as careful to determine the parentage of his Terns’ eggs as he ought to have been is more than I can say; but in the case of these he most likely assigned them to the right species. ] [§ 4442. One.—Dybs6, Denmark, 26 June, 1893. My brother Edward wrote that having gone to this island he found there very many Common Terns and their young. “TI picked up,” he continues, “an egg, marked like a Sandwich Tern’s, which must belong to the Common or Arctic Tern, but both HH. Olsen and Fahrenholtz,” his companions on this occasion, “assured me that the Arctic Tern is not in Sjelland, only in the north of Jylland. I was afterwards told by Herr Winge that the Arctic is found near Copenhagen in summer,” Herr Grénvold informs me that he has shot S. macrura at Dybsi, but he could not say that it was breeding there. Herr Scheel’s statement (Neestvedegnens Fugle, p. 45) that its downy young are found there is hardly convincing, since he thought they were distinguishable by their colour from those of S. fluviatilis, which I believe is not so. ] *,* [The collection contains an extensive series of Terns’ eggs, taken in various places, which it is impossible to refer to either the Common or the Arctic species, but they undoubtedly belong to one or the other, and no person, so far as I know, has ever been bold enough to discriminate between the eges of the two. The series shews some very beautiful variations from the ordinary types, and I much regret that the specimens in it were not determined. | STERNA MACRURA, Naumann. ARCTIC TERN. § 4443. Two.— Farne Islands, June, 1842.” From Mr. G. Emmerson, through Mr. Proctor, 1844 ? § 4444. One.—From Mr. Hewitson, 1844. § A445. Four—Hoyvik, FeerGe, 26 June, 1849. STERNA MACRURA. 305 § 4446. Hight-—lslet off Kirkebée, Ferde, 2 July, 1849. Of the Arctic Tern we saw several breeding-places [in Ferée], but we found no other species. The first was near Thorshavn. We went there on the 26th of June. There was almost too much sea for landing, and Mr. Edge got his nail trapped off between the boat and the rocks. There was only one egg in each nest, or rather spot, for of nest there was little or none. The Amtmand or Governor (pro tempore), Herr Lundahl, afterwards sent us some of the eggs for eating, from which those I kept were selected. On the 2nd of July, in the little Hider-Duck island off Kirkebée is a colony of Terns. Those which I shot are Arctic. § 4447. Two.—Feroe, 1852. From Sysselmand Miiller. Arctic Tern, no other species in Feroe. § 4448. Hight—Ferode, 1853. From Sysselmand Winther. § 4449. Seven.—Feroe, before 1857. § 4450. Two.—Jerisjarvi, 1853. Bought from a boy at Muonioniska. At Jerisjiirvi I saw many, and shot three or four of the birds, and no other species of Tern. § 4451. Zwo.—Nyimakka, 16 June, 1854. “J. W.” Two eggs, a litile sat upon, in a small island inthe pond. Theold birds swooped fiercely at me in my cloak-boat. § 4452. Zwo—Nalima, 1854. Brought by the painter’s wife. Of the species I have no doubt, as there is no other here. § 4453. One.—Jerisjarvi, 1854. Brought by Daniel as a Tirvi’s egg from Rauhala. No other Tern breeds at Jerisjarvi or elsewhere up here. PART III. xX 306 STERNA MACRURA. § 4454. One.—Hako-kongas-koski, Patsjoki, 9 June, 1855. From one of the islands in the wide part of the river. I did not shoot a specimen of the bird on the Patsjoki, where the Tern was probably more plentiful than the Gull [¢f. § 4563]. § 4455. One-—Kauttaien, 1855. § 4456. Zwo.—Palojoki, 1855. § 4457. One.—Wouontisjarvi, 1855. § 4458. Zwo.—Nyimakka, 1855. From Munalauta, the same lake or pond above Nyimakka where I got eggs in 1854 [§ 4451]. § 4459. One.—Tanan-anti, June, 1857. § 4460. Four.—Rauhala, 1857. From Johan of that place [ef. § 4453]. § 4461. Zwo.—Kyrkjuvogr, South-western Iceland, June, 1858. Appear to be Arctic Tern’s, which is very common here, and the only species we have seen up to this 23rd of June. These eggs were brought in from the side of the fjord by one of the boys. Only afew Terns had two eggs at Sandgerdi, on the 18th. [On the 15th of June, among a large company of Terns at Sandvik, between Kalmanstjérn and Reykjanes, we saw a bird which looked different from all the rest. Mr. Wolley shot it and it proved to be an Arctic Tern with a black bill, possibly a last year’s bird that had not for some reason assumed the full colouring. The specimen is now in the Cambridge Museum. |] § 4462. ZThree—Sandgerdi, South-western Iceland, 6 July, 1858. § 4463. Zwo.—Sandgerdi, 7 (?) July, 1858. STERNA MACRURA. 307 § 4464. Twelve.—Iceland. From Herr Kristian Zimzen, 1858. [Most of these are of the pale hue characteristic of eggs gathered towards the end of the season in great egg-taking places, and are presumably from Videy or the other island off Reykjavik. | [§ 4465. One.—Shetland. From Mr. Dunn, 1851. [§ 4466. Two. ) Wide-opens and Brownsman, Farne Islands Wee : i ‘ este One 21 June, 1851. [§ 4468. One. J All the above taken by my brother and myself on our first visit to the Farne Islands, and in each case the parent bird well determined (ef. § 4433). | [§ 4469. One—North Iceland. From Mr. Proctor, 1851. [§ 4470. Zwo. ne [§ 4471. Two. | [§ 4472. Zwo. >Wide-opens, 18 June, 1856. “ E. N.” [§ 4473. Two. | | [§ 4474. One. } All these taken by my brother at our second visit to the Farne Islands the birds being well identified by him, and the eggs of the several nests kept carefully apart. | [§ 4475. Heven.—Unst, 1856. From Mr. James Smith. [§ 4476. Dve.—Unst, 1857. It seems to be admitted that the Aretic Tern alone breeds in Shetland. | | X 308 STERNA MACRURA. [§ 4477. One.—Sandgerdi, 18 June, 1858. “A.N.& J. W.” While we were sitting down to eat near the water we saw an Arctic Tern flying at a cow that was feeding, and having driven it away, the bird sat down on the grass. Having marked the spot, which was on the other side of the pool, I went and took this egg, the only one laid. Not only have we not seen any other species of Tern about, but this bird seemed to give such unequivocal proof of ownership, that I do not doubt that this is an extremely satisfactory egg. There was no other nest near, | [§ 4478. Two. ) [§ 4479. Two. | L [§ 4481. One. ) § 4480. Zwo. ee 18 June, 1858. “A. N.” I feel confident that all these belong to the species to which I ascribed them. I had a capital opportunity of observing the occupants of some or all the nests, and I am sure there were no Common Terns among them, I marked the several sets asI took them. The first are dark-coloured and large, the second very oppositely coloured and of moderate size, the third are small in size and roundish. All these nests with about as many more were in the grass of a little islet in a pool, close to the house, where were also a pair of Horned Grebes breeding. ] [§ 4482. One.—Sandgerdi, 6 July 1858. From the place where, as before said (§§ 4461, 4477), only Arctic Terns were to be seen. | [§ 4483. Zwo.—Ice Sound, West Spitsbergen, 15 July, 1864. From Prof. Nordenskjoéld. These were kindly sent to me from the Baron’s ship then lying in Safe Haven (where also was Sir Edward Birkbeck’s yacht, on board which I was), by the hands of Prof. Dunér, the astronomer of the Swedish Expedition, as having been taken that day near the entrance of the Sound. ] [§ 4484. Fowr.—New Jersey. From Dr. Heermann, 1861.] STERNA MACRURA. 309 [§ 4485. Two. ) | Russ6, Thousand Islands Spitsbergen 4486. ; ; : oe Pee Peo 9 August, 1864, “AlN.” [§ 4487. Siw. J The yacht ‘Sultana’ having come to anchor near this island the evening before, I went ashore next morning with Ludwig, hoping to find a Grey Phalarope’s nest, but though we saw and watched what was apparently a hen bird sitting by the side of a little pool of water, all our efforts were unsuccessful. There were a quantity of Terns on the island, and walking across a dry bit of ground, we found some half-dozen nests, most of them containing two eggs, and all hard-sat on, and there were some half-grown young, one of which, after being handled by me and liberated, swam across the pool, a distance of about fifty yards, encouraged all the time by a flock of old birds, which kept succes- sively stooping within a few inches of it during the whole of its voyage, A Skua threatened it, but, seeing me prepared with my gun, let it alone. The islet was strewn with large blocks of stranded ice, and a vast quantity of drift timber. ] [§ 4488. Zwo.—Mouth of Porcupine River, Yukon. From the Smithsonian Lustitution, through Prof. Baird, 1863. The label with them states that they were from Mr. Kennicott.] [§ 4489. Zwo.—Arctic Coast, east of Anderson River. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Prof. Baird, 1870. The label with these gives Mr. R. MacFarlane as the collector, and the Smithsonian number of the parent is 44558. | [§ 4490. Zwvo.—Moffen Island, Spitsbergen, 1873. rom Mr. A. E. Eaton. [§ 4491. One.—Treurenberg Bay (?), Spitsbergen, 1873. From Mr. A. E. Eaton. Mr. Eaton accompanied Mr. Leigh Smith in the ‘ AZolus’ to the polar regions, and on his return kindly let me have these eggs among others. His notes on this species in Spitsbergen are printed in ‘The Zoologist’ for 1874 (pp. 8809, 8810). Beside the localities above named, he found it breeding in Wide and Loom Bays. } 310 STERNA CANTIACA. STERNA CANTIACA, Gmelin. SANDWICH TERN. § 4492. Zhree—England, not later than 1843. One of these was given to me by Mr. Williamson, of Scarborough. 4493. Two.—Farne Islands, 1854. S te She A ahora oe From Mr. Hancock, 1854. § 4494. Two.—Coquet Island, “ J. H.” These four eggs given to me by Mr. Hancock at Newcastle. If I remember right, he had taken the Coquet eggs with his own hand. § 4495. Hleven—Thye, Nord Jylland, 1857. From Dr. Kjeerbolling. Taken this year by Dr. Kjzrbélling himself. 4496. Two. L§ a ltmner Wide-open, Farne Islands, 21 June, 1851. [§ 4497. igidem : All taken by my brother and myself. The nests were so close to one another that one could select a series of beautiful varieties almost without moving from the spot where one was standing. | [§ 4498. ZLwo. [§ 4499. Two. ee [§ 4500. Two. \ Inner Wide-open, 18 June, 1856. [§ 4502. Li/ty-one. | All taken, I believe, by my brother and myself, Mr. Osbert Salvin and Mr. Percy Godman being in company. For the most part we chose the series as the eggs lay in their nests, as we had done in 1851. ] [§ 4501. Zwo. STERNA MEDIA.—S. CASPIA. Sit STERNA MEDIA, Horsfield. [§ 4503. Zwo.—Island near Arabé, Persian Gulf. From Colonel Butler, through Mr. Howard Saunders, 1879. Mr. Eugene Oates, in the second edition of Mr. Hume’s ‘ Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds’ (iii. p. 299), says that Colonel Butler wrote of the nidification of this species that he had received a magnificent series of its eggs “ from an island close to the Island of Arabé in the Persian Gulf in 1878, numbering about 400. They are in character a good deal like the eggs of Sterna bergiz, but of course considerably smaller.” A long aud minute description of their appearance, by My. Oates, follows the above note. | STERNA CASPIA, Pallas. CASPIAN TERN. § 4504. One.—From M. Nager-Donazain, 1847. This egg, I should have thought, might be a Common Gull’s, as it is marked in the same handwriting as the Sterna leucopareta [§ 4384 , Larus leucopterus, and L. glaucus [sent at the same time]; but Mr. Hancock saw it in London, and at a first glance assured me it was that of Sterna caspia, appealing to Mr. Hewitson who was stand - ing by, and he confirmed what Mr. Hancock said. This last is the great importer of Caspian Terns’ eggs (vide ‘ Eegs of British Birds’). § 4505. Fifteen.—Syit, 1855. From Dr. Kjerbolling, 1856. § 4506. Zen.—Sylt. From Dr. Kjerbélling, 1857. Of the last year or two’s taking. If I remember right, none were of the present year, for Dr. Kjzerbolling said that the Terns had been expelled from their breeding-place this year by a number of Richard- son’s Skuas. The bird lays three eggs on bare sand, on highish ground about fifty yards from the Western Ocean. [§ 4507. One—From Dr. Frere’s collection, through Mr. Powys, 1855. This ege, given to us by Mr. Powys (Lord Lilford), bears one of Dr. Frere’s tickets, and I doubt not that it was received by the latter, most likely through Herr Brandt of Hamburg, from one of the Cimbric localities. } 312 STERNA CASPIA.—LARUS SABINIT. [§ 4508. Siv.—Sylt. From Dr. Kjerbolhng, 1856. Bought for me, if I remember right, by Mr. Wolley, and, if so, at the same time as the fifteen above entered (§ 4505). } [§ 4509. Siv.—Sylt, 1861. From Mr. John Baker. These I obtained from Mr. Baker soon after his return from the island, to which he went in that year. His marks shew that they were all from different nests, and I selected them out of his booty, consisting of more than one hundred, though I believe Mr. Sealy had the first choice. | [§ 4510. Zwo—Bay of St. Paul, Newfoundland, 12 June, 1867. From Mr. Henry Reeks. Of this species Mr. Reeks, in his “ Notes on the Zoology of Newfoundland ” (Zoologist, 1869, p. 1851), observes :—“ A tolerably common summer migrant, and breeds on many of the islands along the coast : I obtained eggs in the Bay of St. Paul. The settlers call it the ‘ Mackerel bird.’ ”’] [§ 4511. Zwo.—Warba, Persian Gulf, 3 April, 1878. From Colonel Butler, through Mr. Howard Saunders, 1879. Part of Colonel Butler’s note furnished to Mr. Oates has been already given (§ 4405), and there is no need to print it twice, as that gentleman has done (Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds, ed. 2, pp. 296 and 3505). } LARUS SABINII, J. Sabine. SABINE’S GULL. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1861, p. 401. [§ 4512. One—Taimyr Peninsula, 10 July, 1843. From Dr. A. 'T. von Middendorff, through Dr. Baldamus, 1861. This is one of the treasures, marked “ Unicum,” which Dr. Baldamus was so good as to obtain for me. In his work (Sib. Reise, II. ii. p. 244) Dr. von Middendorff says that this Gull appeared on the Taimyr (N. lat. 73° 75’) on the dth of June, and thence spread about so that he found it breeding abundantly on the lakes of the tundra and the alluvial islets in the river, in company with LARUS MINUTUS. ola Sterna macrura. On the 10th of July the eggs were hard set. They were laid in pairs in a depression on the moor lined with the grass-stalks of former years. Good big young birds were observed on the 17th, and on the 15th of August full-crown, though hardly feathered, birds. The species was only seen on the flat alluvial shores. In his work (ut supra, tab. xxiv. fig. 5, and tab. xxv. fig. 1) he figured a young bird and an egg. I exhibited this specimen at a meeting of the Zoological Society, 10th December, 1861 (ué supra); but its shattered condition forbade me from having it figured. ] [§ 4513. Zhree. Franklin Bay, Arctic Coast of America, 1865. [§ 4514. Two. - From the Smithsonian Institution, through Professor Baird, 1869-1875. [§ 4515. Two. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1871, pl. iv. fig. 5, p. 57. These are fron Mr. MacFarlane’s spoils. The labels sent with them shew that from the first two nests the hen bird was procured, and from each of the three I have lent a specimen to Mr. Oswin Lee to draw, while from the first a specimen was exhibited by me at a meeting of the Zoological Society, 17 January, 1871, and subsequently figured (wt supra). Mr. MacFarlane writes of this species (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiv. p. 419) that “Quite a large number of nests were found on the shores of Franklin Bay, and a few eggs were also received from the Esquimaux of Liverpool Bay. Several specimens of this beautiful gull were shot at the former point.”’] LARUS MINUTUS, Pallas. LITTLE GULL. [§ 4516. One—— Government of Perm,” Russia. From M. Hardy, 1859. During a visit I paid to this well-known collector at Dieppe on the 2nd of June, 1859, I was kindly received by him, and he gave me this egg as well as one attributed to LZ. melunocephalus which had been sent to him by a corre- spondent, and assured me he could trust them. In the latter I have no confidence; but this may be right, for he had some ten or eleven eggs, together with skins of LZ. minutus in fine breeding-plumage, which he said came with them. I was quite unable to see any ditference between these eges and a series of Terns’. | ; 314 LARUS MINUTUS. = ran @) = eat 39 ies —y [§ 4517. Zwo—‘Smyrna, 1858.) From Herr von Gonzen- bach, through Dr. Balda- [§ 4518. One—*“Smyrna,” 1859.) mus, 1561. The Doctor wrote that these were collected in the lagoons twenty English miles from Smyrna, where this species as well as Larus melanocephalus and Sterna anglica bred—the last in great numbers. He added that he had received with them beautiful specimens of the bird in full breeding-plumage; but for all that I do not find that Herr von Gonzenbach mentions Larus minutus as occurring near Smyrna in the account of his excursions to the breeding-places of Sterna aud Larus (Journ. fiir Orn. 1859, pp. 308-316, 893-398). | [§ 4519. One.—Kustendje, Bulgaria, 5 June, 1866. “ With 2 L [§ 4521. Zhree. \ § 4520. Three. skin of bird.” From Dr. W. H. Cullen. Writing to me from Kustendje on the 15th of October, 1866, Dr. Cullen said he was sending some things to me “and what I believe will be the most interesting of all, a specimen of Larus minutus, shot on rising frum the ground where was found the accompanying egg.” In due time the box arrived. The skin of Zarns minutus was indubitable, and it had a label tied to it—“Shct, June 5, 1866, on nest and under it was found the egg enclosed separately,” while the egg was in a box inscribed “ Egg taken with bird, Kustendje, June 5, 1866.” The fact he also recorded in ‘The Ibis’ for 1867 (p. 248). Six years before Mr. Hudle-ton had seen large flocks of this species at Kustendje towards the end of April, but believed that they did not stay to breed there (Ibis, 1861, pp. 362, 563). | | Dubno, Ladoga, 3 June, 1869. From Herr Meves, through Mr. Dresser. Mr. Dresser exhibited some of these eggs at a meeting of the Zoological Society (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1869, p. 530), and Herr Meves gave a long accou..t of them in the Swedish Academy’s ‘ ifversigt’ (1871, pp. 785, 786), in which he says that he found this species in great numbers on the canal between Schliisselburg and Novaja Ladoga. ‘Near the village of Dubno at the beginning of June the birds frequented some almost floating islands formed of water-plants aud mud, often so slight that one could not go upon them without risk, and there the birds were breeding in plenty. The nests were both in the middle and at the edge of the islands, and built of rushes, grass-stalks, and other plants, some with much and some with very little material, and were from 15 to 18 centimétres in diameter. Sterna hirundo was also breeding at the same place, and its eggs having some likeness to those of the Gull, I was at first afraid that I should not be able to distinguish between them; but luckily on the first day I shot a hen Gull with an egg ready to be laid, and saw that LARUS PHILADELPHIA. ol Le the yelk had a fine reddish-orange colour, while that of 8. Acrwndo was ochreous or dull yellow. This afforded a sufficiently distinctive mark on emptying the eggs, The number in each clutch was three or four, but many nests as yet held but one or two. The general form was a long or short oval, but others were spool-shaped, and a few pear-shaped. The ground-colour was pea-green, grey-green, olive-green, buff-brown, and grey-brown: a grey-white as in S. lirundo I never found, The faint shell-spots were blackish, the larger and more conspicuous spots—which were often confluent, sometimes forming a wreath at the thick end,—as well as the smaller points, were all black or liver- brown. The different nests often held eggs much unlike in form and colour.” Herr Meves adds a list of measurexients shewing how they varied in size, and remarks that in nowhere else during his journey did he meet with this species, and that on his return he revisited Dubno on the 22nd of August, but found that all the birds had left the place, which, he elsewhere (p. 753) states, is 25 versts, or two Swedish miles and a half (about 15 or 16 English miles), from Novaja Ladoga. He furnished Mr. Dresser with a statement practically the same as the above, with perhaps a few more details, which the latter has printed in his ‘ Birds of Europe’ (viii. pp. 378-880). | LARUS PHILADELPHIA, Ord. BONAPARTE’S GULL. [§ 4522. One.—Fort Anderson, 18 June, 1863. From thie Smithsonian Institution, through Professor Baird, 1866. The accompanying label shews that this was from My. Maclarlane—one wv fo) of three eges, the nest, in a tree, of sticks, hay, and down. The ‘parent shot, 3 36339.” |} [§ 4528. One—Anderson River Fort, 1865. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Professor Baird, 1870. Proe. Zool. Soc. 1871, pl. iv. fig. 6, p. 57. The label shews that this, as well as the parent of it (no. 44307), was also from Mr. MacFarlane, who writes of this species (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiv. p. 418) :—‘ Thirty-seven nests are recorded as having been taken with eggs in them between 10th June and 10th July, in the wooded country in the neighborhood of Fort Anderson and on Lower Anderson River; they were all built on trees at various heights (from 4 to 15 and even 20 feet) from the ground, and, with one exception, which was composed of down and velvety leaves held together by some stringy turf, they were made of small sticks and twigs lined with hay and mosses, etc. ...... They seldom lay more than three eggs.” I exhibited this ege at a meeting of the Zoological Society, 17 January, 1871, and it was subsequently figured as above. | ola LARUS RIDIBUNDUS. LARUS RIDIBUNDUS, Linneus. PEWIT or BLACK-HEADED GULL. § 4524, One—From Mr. Williamson, of Scarborough, 1843. § 4525. One—From Mr. Yarrell as “ Larus capistratus,” 1845. Looks like a Moorhen’s. § 4526. One.—Orkney, 1848. From Mr. George Harvey, of Stromness. § 4527. Two.—Orkney, 1850. From Mr. George Harvey. With reference to this “ Hooded Gull, L. capistratus,’ for which Orkney is, I believe, the original locality, though very few Gulls with a black head do breed in Orkney, I may here enter an observation communicated to me, I believe, by Dr. Frere, that Mr. Dowell had ascertained by careful observations made at a great breeding-place (I think Scoulton Mere) that L. ridibundus and L. capistratus are one and the same species. [Larus capistratus (the Masked, Hooded, or Lesser Brown-headed Gull of some English writers) was a phantom species described by Temminck in 1820 (Man. d’Orn. ed. 2, ii. p. 785) as being ‘commun aux Orcades”; but though admitted to a place by Yarrell even in 1856 (Brit. Birds, ed. 3, ili. p. 566), it has been long since consigned to deserved obscurity. While it was supposed to exist it caused a good deal of trouble to ornithologists, some of whom were always seeing it in slightly undersized examples of L. ridibundus. | § 4528. Thirty-three—Scoulton Mere, Norfolk. From Dr. Frere, 1851. Out of six dozen from Scoulton Mere. Dr. Frere has some very remarkable varieties of this egg selected out of some ten thousand. A few of those given to me are probably from Holland, says the Doctor. [Among these are two dwarfs. | LARUS RIDIBUNDUS. OL § 4529. Twelve.—Scoulton Mere, 1849-52. From Messrs. A. & E. Newton, 1852. [This selection was sent to Mr. Wolley at his particular request with a statement nearly as follows :—“ Six present the normal appearance of the egg, and the varieties indicated by the several specimens occur in about equal numbers—the very darkly-marked and light-crounded being in a slight minority. Of the rest the Sandwich-Tern like variety is not unfiequent, nor is the light blue’ and dark-spotted one—these two being perhaps in the pro- portion of one to thirty. Two others exhibit varieties which occur towards the close of the season, and are probably produced by the exhaustion of the bird’s powers. (One of these is very like the egg of a Kittiwake.—J.W.) The remaining two are accidental varieties cf shape and size, and in one, case of colour—the coffee-coloured ground being of rare occurrence. These last two were taken in the years 1849 and 1851 respectively, all the rest having been selected in May 1852. On the last-mentioned occasion, upwards of three thousand eggs were collected, but it is difficult to say from how many the present specimens were chosen, owing to the egys being packed in baskets of from one to twenty score, and many of these were left undisturbed. However, this may be taken as a good series, though one variety—a deep brown mottled all over with a darker shade of the same colour,—hbeing rare, is omitted. Eges of monstrous shapes are also often met with, such as specimens having two great ends, and others shaped like flasks.”} § 4530. Zwo.—Horn, land, 10 June, 1856. “J. W.” From the place where especially the Little Gull, Larus minudus, has 9 been said to breed to the exclusion of L. ridibundus?. 1 [Colour entirely gone now. July 1904.—Ep.] * [As stated in the ‘Memoir’ (page xxxii) prefixed to the first volume of this work, Mr. Wolley was induced to go to CEland and Gottland in 1856 by the report, which he heard the autumn before in Gottenburg, of the successes obtained in those islands by a Swedish naturalist, and especially of his haying found Larus minutus breeding in the former of them. This information was received from Herr Malm, and, I believe, had not then been published ; but it soon after appeared in print (Gotheborgs K. Vet. och Vitt. Samh. Handlingar, Heft 3, 1855, pp. 64-71), the author being Herr Carl Agardh Westerlund, who a dozen years afterwards (Skandinavisk Oologi, pp. 1384, 135) repeated the state- ment, though then adding that having found the species breeding in C#land in 1852, it had vanished when he revisited the locality in 1865. But Herr Westerlund did not refer to the fact of his not having met with ZL. ridibundus breeding in the island in 1852, when he seems to have considered it only an autumnal migrant. It did not appear to Mr. Wolley that this species had replaced the other, but only that the commoner one had been mistaken for the rarer. Both he and Mr. Hudleston in 1856 searched for the latter in every likely spot, and particularly in those named by Herr Westeriund, but all in vain,—Ep. | 318 LARUS RIDIBUNDUS. [§ 4531. One.—Leadenhall Market, 1844. A specimen with both ends nearly equal, as in that of a Pterocles.| [§ 4532. Zhree-—Scoulton Mere, 1849. Hewitson, ‘ Eggs of British Birds,’ ed. 3, pl. exxxvi. fig. 2. One specimen figured as above. | [§ 4533. Sza—Scoulton Mere, 1851. One of them very small, another a dwarf, and a third flask-shaped. ] L$ 4534. Twelve.—Scoulton Mere, 1852. Hewitson, ‘ Eggs of British Birds,’ ed. 3, pl. exxxvi. fig. 3. One specimen figured as above. | [§ 4535. Oxe.—Scoulton Mere, June, 1853. ‘EH. N.” With a pale blue, almost colourless, ground. ] [§ 4536. Zwo.—Feltwell Fen, Norfolk, 16 May, 1853. This nest was one of the effects of the great flood of the preceding year (§ 8751). A nest with a single egg had been found in Hockwold Fen on the 5th of themonth. Iam not sure that the species had ever been known to breed in either of these Fens before—certainly not for many years. | [§ 4537. Zwo—Rollesby Broad, Norfolk, 1854. From Mr. Southwell. | [§ 4538. Zwenty-four.—Scoulton Mere, May, 1854. ] [§ 4539. Hght.—Scoulton Mere (no year recorded), 185— ? One of these flask-shaped. | (§ 4540. Ove.—South Russia. From Herr A. Heinke, of Kamuschin, through Dr. Albert Giinther, 1863. | LARUS RIDIBUNDUS. 319 [§ 4541. Three—Gartan Lake, Donegal, 5 June, 1862. “R. H.” From Mr. Robert Harvey. | [§ 4542. One.—Scotton, Lincolnshire, 8 June, 1883. “ E.N.” From a nest of three found as above by my brother Edward during an excursion, arranged for us by the late Mr. Cordeaux, who met us at Kirton- in-Lindsey and gave us his company during the day, As we drove from the railway station he pointed out to us the field in which the Houbara macqueent now in the York Museum was killed (Zool. 1869, pp. 2065, 2146). We took the road to Scotton, where we expected to have met the gamekeeper, but he was not there, so we went on to the moor, turning to the northward along a green trackway, the ground on each side being open and boggy, with Pinyuicula, Drosera, and other such plants growing more or less abundantly, but the moor had been much pared and burnt in places. A considerable number of Black- headed Gulls were flying about and not a few Lapwings. When we came to the green road, my brother and Mr. Cordeaux got out and walked, while I continued in the carriage. There was generally a ditch on each side of the road, and a few pools of water were visible, and on which were more Gulls— “‘ Brownheads,” as Mr. Cordeaux said they were here called,—and on the margin of one of these pocls, some two or three hundred yards to the north-east of the trackway, my brother found the nest from which this egg came. By-and-by we met the gamekeeper, who among other things told us that a Jack Snipe’s nest had been found on the moor not long before, and promised to send one of the eggs from it to Mr. Cordeaux, who subsequently informed me that it seemed to be a Dunling’s. At last we reached the wood which now covers Twig Moor, the once celebrated Lincolnshire Gullery, on the water of which we saw any number of Gulls, old and young, the latter chiefly on muddy islands or promontories, besides a pair of Sheld-drakes, with their brood of seven young — only a few days old. The gamekeeper told my brother that hundreds of the Gulls had died this year from some unascertained cause. My brother believed this to be true, as he saw several dead on the ground in various stages of decomposition. | [§ 4543. Fowr—Loch Spynie, Moray, May, 1889. From Capt. Dunbar Brander, of Pitgaveney. Out of two or three dozens hindly sent to me, unblown and the greater number broken in transit. These I picked out as being striking varieties, and one of them had a beautiful green ground. The Gullery is, I believe, near the Culbin Sands, on which in 1888 the “rabbit man” got two eggs which he thought were those of Syrrhaptes, but to my eye they seemed to be Moorhens’, It was, however, from this lccality that, thanks to Major Chadwick, a young Syrrhaptes, the first described and figured (Ibis, 1890, p. 207, pl. vii.), was taken. | ou LARUS MELANOCEPHALUS. LARUS MELANOCEPHALUS, Natterer. [§ 4544. Zwo.—* Grece.”” From Herr Méschler, 1862 und 1866. — [§ 4545. 7wo—From Herr Méschler, through Mr. Norgate, 1869. The country assigned for the first two of the above four eggs is probably wrong, for there is no evidence that this species has been found to breed in Greece. The last two were most likely received by Herr Méschler from Herr von Gonzenbach, who is believed to have found it breeding near Smyrna. | [§ 4546. Fifty.—Islets at the mouth of the Meander, Asia Minor, June, 1904. From Mr. F. C. Selous. Through the kind intervention of Mr. Dresser, this beautiful series of eggs was most generously given to me by Mr. Selous, who at the same time wrote to me to the effect that on the 26th of May, 1901, he went with Mr. Hodder, the superintendent of a liquorice-factory at Sochia (which I suppose to be the Soke of the maps), to some islands in the sea at the mouth of the Meander in Asia Minor. “There was a large colony of Adriatic Gulls, a few pairs of Yellow-legged Herring-Gulls (with young, as they nest in April), besides Pratincoles, Kentish Plovers, and an odd pair of Avosets; but no Slender- billed Gulls, whose eggs I have taken in Southern Spain. The Adriatic Gulls were only beginning to lay, and we found but a few nests, with one and two eggs. We asked the fishermen to take some for us later, and sent down for them on the 10th of June, when we got a good series, but no clutches, as the men go round every day and take them to eat, and I think will drive away the birds from these islands before long, as the birds do not get much chance to hatch off. The eggs I am sending to you were sent to me last summer by Mr. Hodder, who thought I might like to have some more. He went down to the mouth of the Meander about the middle of June, 1904, and got them from the fishermen. You will see that, as a rule, they do not at all resemble those of the Slender-billed Gull. Some, however, which are whitish or white in ground-colour, are indistinguishable from eggs of that species. The Adriatic Gull used to breed in large colonies not long ago at the salt-lagoons near Smyrna; but I think they have now left that district as a breeding- station, at least I could not find them, though I have heen there several times.” ] LARUS ATRICILLA.—L. ICHTHYAETUS. oon LARUS ATRICILLA’, Linneus. § 4547. Two.—From Dr. Brewer, 1848. § 4548. One.—From Dr. Brewer, 1851. [§ 4549. Ziree—Charlotte Harbour, Florida. From Dr. Heermann, 1861. | [§ 4550. 7wo.—lrom Dr. Brewer (1864 ?).] LARUS ICHTHYAETUS, Pallas. [§ 4551. Zwo.— Sarepta,” Volga. From Herr Moschiler, 1866. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1867, pp. 166, 167. [§ 4552. Zwo.—From Herr Moéschler, through Mr. Norgate, 1869. I believe there can be no doubt as to the genuineness of these eggs, but some doubt may be entertained as to the precise locality whence they came, and it seems more likely to have been from the islands of the Caspian Sea, where the species has been known to breed since the days of Pallas, than near Sarepta on the Volga. It is not included in Herr Moschler’s list (Naumannia, 1853, p. 303), but he may have met with it after that was drawn up. To the evidence adduced by Mr. Dresser (B. Eur. viii. p. 371) may be added the statement of Jakovlev in 1872 (Bull. Soc. Imp. Nat. Moscou, xlv. p. 358), which, as inter- preted for me from the original Russian, runs thus :—‘ Breeds in companies on the islands of the Caspian Sea; occurs, but much more rarely, in the delta of the Volga, and on the steppe-lakes of the Government of Astrakan” ; while Herr Henke seems to have especially named “the Seal Islands” in .that sea to Mr. Seebohm (Ibis, 1882, p. 230) as a breeding-place. | 1 [Evidently a mistake for atricapilia, but one that it is too late now to correct.—ED. | RAR Suite Ne 322 LARUS GELASTES. LARUS GELASTES, “H. Lichtenstein,” fide Thienemann. [§ 4553. Three.—Kustendje, 30 June, 1870. “ Bird caught. W.H.C.” From Mr. A. S. Cullen. Writing to me from Southampton on the 20th of August, 1870, Mr. A. S. Cullen enclosed a list of eggs sent to him by Dr. W. H. Cullen, of Kustendje, in which the name of Larus tenuirostris (=gelastes) was included. I therefore asked him to let me have a complete sitting, and in due time received these. I made further enquiries of him, and he wrote to me on the 80th that “The three light-coloured eggs of ZL. tenuirostris that I sent you were all found in the same nest, and therefore I conclude they are the produce of one bird.” He went on to say that “ The birds were caught with a peculiar kind of horsehair nooses, especially adapted to catching birds on the ground. I have myself employed them on numberless occasions with never-failing success... . Sterna anglica and S. cantiaca were both observed in the neighbourhood of where Larus tenuirostris was found breeding, and a few of their eggs were taken ; but I do not think that any were seen on the ground actually occupied by the Slenderbill. As to the genuineness of the eggs, you must not have any doubt on that score, for especial and very great care was taken in collecting them. The eggs of L. tenwirostris when fresh have a beautiful roseate tinge about them, and this characteristic is not, I believe, observable in any other bird of the same class, and would alone be almost sufficient to distinguish them from those of any other Gull or Tern. As to the eggs I sent you as ZL. tenuirostris being those of S. anglica or S. cantiaca, as your remark would almost imply, that seems to me quite impossible, as they area great deal too large... Iam sorry to say that I cannot give you any particulars at present as to the nesting of I. tenuirostris, as I have sent the paper I received on that subject to Dr. Bree, of Colchester, preparatory to its being inserted in ‘The Field.’” This paper was published in that newspaper for 10 September, 1S70 (p. 236), and, in 1876, reprinted by him in the Second Edition of his ‘ Birds of Europe not observed in the British Isles’ (v. pp. 73-75), when he also figured three of the eggs sent to him. The breeding-place is described as being on small islets, partially covered with reeds, in lagoons of brackish water separated by low sandbanks from the Black Sea. The nests, made of seaweed, covered a space thirty feet long by fifteen feet broad. All contained eggs, but not more than three in each. At first the birds were not at all shy, but several having been caught on their nests on two occasions, the next day the spot was entirely deserted by the survivors. | [§ 4554. Zio—Licio Real, Southern Spain, 21 May, 1889. «HH. E. D.” From Mr. Dresser. Mr. Dresser wrote :—“ Herewith I send a clutch of two eggs of Larus gelastes, which I took when with Mr. Hanbury Barclay on the Guadalquivir. We found a small colony on a piece of dried mud at Liicio Real, and took several clutches. In almost every nest there was a feather or two of the Flamingo. This clutch is the most characteristic of those I have.”] LARUS CANUS. 5 LARUS CANUS, Linneus. COMMON GULL. § 4555. One.—From Mr. Reid, of Doncaster, 1844. Mr. Reid says it came from Hornsey Mere in Yorkshire, but I think the bird does not breed there. He is thinking of the Black- headed Gull. § 4536. One.—From Mr. Hancock, 1846. § 4557. Twenty-siv.—Loch Urigil, Sutherland, 19 May, 1849. On the large island in this loch, which has somewhat short grass or vegetation, I took about forty Common Gulls’ eggs. They were mostly a few days sat upon, and in most of the nests were three eggs. I shot one or two of the birds to examine. Four of the eggs given to Dr. Frere in 1850. § 4558. Hive.——tLoch Assynt, Sutherland, 22 May, 1849. On the little island, with celery, daffodils, Wiid Ducks’ nests, and Goose-droppings, were a few nests of Common Gulls. I selected five of their eggs as varieties, or the best marked as specimens. Here three was the number of eggs in the nest. I shot some of the birds, if not at this island, certainly from the old castle. I saw no Kittiwakes on these lochs. § 4559. One.—Sutherland. From Mr. W. Dunbar, 1850. § 4560. Siv—Orkney, 1851. From Mr. G. Harvey, of Stromness. § 4561. Three.—Assynt, 1851. Sent by John Sutherland. These are probably from Loch Urigil, where I took their eggs in 1849 [§ 4557]. No other Gull except the Lesser Black-backed breeds there, or in the neighbourhood. [A fourth egg given by me to Mr. A. C, Smith, in 1862.] Y2 394 LARUS CANUS.—L. AUDOUINI. § 4562. One.—Shetland. [Inscribed but not entered in the Egg-book by Mr. Wolley.] § 4563. One.—Patsjoki, 9 June, 1855. “J. W.” A few Common Gulls breed on the islands of the wide part of the Patsjoki. I shot one, and saw others well [¢f. § 4454]. § 4564. Four.—Tamsé, East Finmark, 1855. Sent by Herr Peder K. Ulich as Arykke [Kittiwake], which they certainly are not. Said to have been found “on the strand,” which is likely enough. [§ 4565. One—From Mr. R. Reynolds, before 1848. ] [§ 4566. One.—Shetland. From Mr. Dunn, 1851.] [§ 4567. One.-—Unst, Shetland, 1854. From Mr. James Sinith, the schoolmaster there. ] [§ 4568. Zwo.—Henéerne, Russian Lapland, 1855. These I bought in East Finmark of one Dahl, who had them from some fishermen who were just come from these islands, the reported breeding-place of Somateria stelleri. | LARUS AUDOUINI, Payraudeau. [§ 4569. Zwo.—Toro, Balearic Islands, 25 May, 1874. From Lord Lilford. Lord Lilford wrote to me from London on the 6th of July following, announcing his return from the Mediterranean, where he had met with “ what I think I may, without vanity, call a great ornithological success, having inter ala obtained three fine adult specimens of Larus audouini, with eleven eggs, and two young birds, now alive in the Zoological Gardens,” and offering me two of the eggs, which duly came into my hands. Lord Lilford subsequently published his notes on the finding of these eggs in ‘The Ibis’ for 1875 (p. 31).] Ns) S) Or LARUS CACHINNANS.—L. ARGENTATUS. LARUS CACHINNANS, Pallas. [§ 4570. Onve.—< South Russia.” From Herr A. Heinke, of Kamusclin, through Dr, Albert Giinther, 1862. | [§ 4571. Oue.—Greece, 3 May, 1863. From Dr. Kriiper, through Herr Seiderisacher, 1864. Received under the synonym of Z, michahellesi. The only notes published by Dr. Kriiper on this bird that I can find are in his Catalogue (Griechische Jahreszeiten, 1875, pp. 301, 302), wherein it is regarded as specifically identical with Larus argentatus, and stated that it breeds on rocky uninhabited islands about the middle of April.] [§ 4572. Lhree—tIsland of Marmora, Turkey, 19 May, 1866. From Mr. Robson, of Ortakeuy, near Constantinople. | LARUS ARGENTATUS, Liuneus. IIERRING-GULL. § 4573. Five.—Yorkshire Coast, 1843. From Wilson, of Bridlington, who had numbers of them from some of the cliffs in the neighbourhood. It is almost impossible to distinguish them from the eggs of the [Lesser] Black-backed Gull, which fortunately very rarely breeds there. In September the Herring- Gulls were abundant at Scarborough, and but very few Kittiwakes. The one in our garden [at Beeston] was born at the South Foreland, and kept at St. Margaret’s, in 1841. Every intermediate variety of the egg may be found. § 4574. One.—Treshenish, Argyll, 1844. From Mr. G. D. Rowley. Taken by Mr. Rowley in Treshenish Island, near Staffa. 326 LARUS ARGENTATUS. § 4575. One.—Badcoll, Sutherland, 5 June, 1849. I saw a Herring-Gull leave its nest on a cliff. I climbed to it from the boat, took the egg, and descended by the mast, nearly capsizing the boat in so doing.’ One egg only. § 4576. One.—-Orkney, 1850. From Mr. G. Harvey, of Stromness. § 4577. Three-—KEkkero, East Finmark, 29 May, 18595. «J. Wolley.” [Not entered by Mr. Wolley, but bearing his name as taken by himself. | § 4578. Three. Horné, East Finmark,31 May,1855. “J. W.” § 4579. Two. § 4580. Three.—Rcend, East Finmark, 2 June, 1855. ‘ Bird well seen. J. W.” I took them as being fine large eggs, the bird having been watched on them by myself. § 4581. One.—Reend, 2 June, 1855. “‘ Bird well seen. J. W.” § 4582. One.—Vardo Islands, East Finmark, 1855. “J. W.” § 4583. Zwo.—Tamso, East Finmark, 1855. [Sent by Herr Ulich as those of the “ Lille blaac Maage,” which should mean Larus canus, but these are so big that they can scarcely be other than Z. aryentatus. | [§ 4584. Two. South Warmsey, Marne Islands, 21 June, 1851. [§ 4585. One. Taken by my brother Edward and myseif, aud considered to be most likely Tfering-Gulls. } LARUS ARGENTATUS.—LARUS SP. INCERT. a2 {§ 4586. Oxe—Unst, Shetland, 1854. From Mr. James Smith. | [§ 4587. Oxe—Horn6, 17-18 June, 1855. “ Bird seen. We Eas. Taken by Mr. Hudleston on our midnight visit to the islands off Vardé.] [§ 4588. Zwo.—South Warmsey, 23 June, 1856. These identified by my brother and myself. | [$ 4589. Zwo.—North America. From Dr. Heermaun, 1861. ] [§ 4590. Zhree.—Rathlin, Ireland, 25 May, 1863. From Mr. Robert Harvey. Mr. Harvey wrote that these were taken at the same place and time as those of Zurus fuscus which he alsc sent me (§ 4615), and by the same man. | [§ 4091. ee [§ 4592. One. | The three were from one nest: the single egg is a curiously pear-shaped specimen. | Freshwater, Isle of Wight, 1886. From Baron Anatole von Hugel. LARUS sp. incert. § 4593. Four.—Reené, East Finmark, 1855. These are of the red-spotted variety of Gull’s egg which is found in the islands off Vard6—namely, Reeno and Hornd, and also, accord- ing to Brandt', sometimes on the Lofoten. Near Vardé all the naturalists have been taught to believe that these eggs belong 1 [Apparently the Danish Lieutenant Thor Brandt, Dr. von Middendortt’s fellow-traveller in Siberia in 1843-5 (cf. Von Middendortf, ‘ Reise’ u.s. w. L. 1. p- Xiv), is here intended. Herr Nordvi met him at Copenhagen in 1846; but when he was at the Lofoten Islands I know not.—Iip._ 328 LARUS SP. INCERT. to Larus glaucus and L. islandicus, and Herr Nordvi shewed me eggs so marked by Dr. Kjzerbélling which had been sent to him thence for identification. However, I could see nothing nearer the supposed species than the Herring-Gull during my visits to the islands, and indeed at my last interview with Herr Nordvi he asserted that they were Herring-Gulls’. It is said that occasionally there will be eight or ten nests with eggs of this character found in a season on Horno. They are much valued by the people for exportation. [Pastor Sommer‘elt subsequently came to the same conclusion (#fv. K. Vet.-Akad. Férhandl. 1861, p. 84); but some of the eggs from the islands off Vardé seem to be too big for Larus argentatus, and are quite big enough for LL. marinus, to say nothing of the fact that Z. fuscus breeds also in the same islands. I therefore prefer leaving them as uncertain, but they are much too beautiful and curious to omit. A series may be traced beginning with the almost colourless or extremely pale blue examples, not unfrequently occurring in Gulleries where the eggs are very much robbed, to examples shewing a slight blush of pink in the ground-colour, intensified in the spots or blotches into light red, and so till highly ruddy hues are reached. A similar style of coloration is presented by the ordinary eggs of Anous and Sterna fuliginosa; and the case seems analogous to that of certain Corvide, as before mentioned (§ 2796). } § 4594. Two.—Tamsé6, 1855. From Herr Peder K. Ulich. [Sent as “ Blaae Maage,” that is Larus argentatus, which they most likely are. | § 4595. Two.—Reend, ea ane Herr Sommerfelt. § 4596. Two.—Reend, 1857. [Three of the above lent to Mr. Lee for him to draw. } [§ 4597. One.—Fugl6, West Finmark, June, 1594. From Colonel Feilden, 1895. Colonel Feilden wrote to me:—“In July last I saw a basket full of eggs exposed for sale to tourists in a shop at Tromsd. The owner told me they were brought from Fuglé and Arno. In the basket which contained only Guillemots’ and what might be either Lesser Black-backed and Herring-Gulls’, I detected the accompanying red egg....The man could not possibly have any object in saying that the eggs came from Fugl6 if they did not do so. LARUS AFFINIS.—L. FUSCUS. 329 Therefore I think we may accept the locality as correctly given. I paid two- pence each for the ordinary eggs, but he asked me a krone for the red one. Had this egg come from Vard6 he would, if a rogue, have expatiated on the distance it had been brought and so on.”} LARUS AFFINIS, Reinhardt. [§ 4598. Three—Golchika, Jennesei Valley, 10 July, 1895. From Mr. C. B. Hill, 1896. Mr. Hill accompanied Mr. Popham, who wrote of this species (Ibis, 1897, ' p. 106):—* It is by far the commonest Gull on the lower reaches of the river, nesting in colonies, mostly on small grassy islands in lakes, occasionally on dry ridges in swampy ground. We obtained a good series of their eggs, which varied considerably, and also specimens in various stages of plumage, from the young in down to the mature bird. The eggs measure: 2°66 to 3 in. by 18 to 2:05 in.” Mr. Popham considers that this species more nearly resembles Larus fuscus than L. argentatus. | LARUS FUSCUS, Linneus. LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. § 4599. One.—Northumberland, June, 1843. From Mr. Proc- tor, 1844. Mr. Proctor wrote that this was taken by himself on some moors twenty miles to the north-west of Hexham, belonging to Mr. Charlton, of Hesleyside. § 4600. Zwo.—Coast of Northumberland. From Mr. uke, 1546. § 4601. Zwo.—Loch Urigil, Sutherland, May, 1849. I found two nests on Loch Urigil, where I saw no Herring-Gulls ; but afterwards John Sutherland told me he had seen a Herring-Gull on another loch, ‘There is little doubt that these are Black-backed. § 4602. Zwo.—Ferée. From Sysselmand Miller, 1849. I took a nest of the Lesser Black-backed Gull on the 1sth of July on a hiil between Kirkeboe and Thorshavn. Lykka is the native name of the bird, 330 LARUS FUSCUS. § 4603. Zhree.—North of Scotland. From Mr. W. Dunbar, 1851. § 4604. Five.—Assynt, Sutherland, 1851. Probably from Loch Urigi!, where the bird breeds in company with the Common Gull [§$ 4557, 4561], but, as far as I saw, no Herring-Gulls. Sent by John Sutherland, gamekeeper at Ledbeg. § 4605. One.—Ferde, 1852. From Sysselmand Miiller. § 4606. Zwo.—Hornd, East Finmark, 31 May, 1855. “J. W.” [Inscribed by Mr. Wolley, but not entered by him in the Egg-book. Apparently from different nests. ] § 4607. One.—Feroe, 1856. From Sysselmand Miller. § 4608. Aight—Freeroe, 1859. From Sysselmand Winther. [§ 4609. Zwelve—North and South Warmseys, Farne Islands, 21 June, 1851: These taken by my brother Edward and myself, and most likely all belonging to this species, not that we were able to satisfy ourselves wholly as to some of them. In cases where we did not see the bird actually on the nest, we saw one or both close to it. At low water these two islands are joined by a bank. [§ 4610. Zwo.—Unst, Shetland, 1554. From Mr. James Smith. } [§ 4611. Zhree—Pinnacles, Farne Islands, 18 June, 1856, “Bird well seen on nest. E. N.” [§ 4612. Zhree—Pinnacles, 23 June, 1856. “Bird seen. Ne On our visits in 1856 we took, or at least kept, no Gulls’ eggs but those on which the parent bird was seen. | LARUS FUSCUS.—L. MARINUS. San [§ 4618. Zhree.—Rathlin, Ireland, 25 May, 1863. From Mr. Robert Harvey. Mr. Harvey wrote that I might fully rely on the genuineness of these, as of other eggs from Rathlin. They were taken as above on the cliffs of Kintruan Head in that island by John Smith, Mr. Gage’s shepherd, who “ first watched ~ the bird to and from its nest, and having marked the nest brought Mr. Gage to verify it before taking the eggs.’’| [§ 4614. Two.—Ailsa Craig, Firth of Clyde, 6 June, 1884. From Mr. Robert Service, 1886. Of these Mr. Service wrote that they “‘ were identified beyond all doubt, as they were in one of seven nests which formed a small colony on the north shoulder of the Craig. All the birds were sitting on the nests before we went forward. I did not see the Herring-Gull except on the cliffs, and the Lesser Black-backs were all on the open hillocks.” | LARUS MARINUS, Linneus. GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL. § 4615. Zour.—Holm of Noss, Shetland, 19 June, 1849. eS. W.. apse.” On the Holm of Noss I shot Black-backed Gulls, and found three THE CRADLE OF Noss. of their nests—generally with two eggs. They have been robbed every Saturday—eyen lasses go over in the “ cradle.” [ Here follows aoe LARUS MARINUS. arude sketch’.] There are pulleys in the posts, and the ropes, which are very good, and of considerable thickness, are very firmly and securely fastened. The cradle runs rather down hill to the holm. There seemed to me a greater feeling of msecurity or giddiness than in rock-climbing, and without assistance there is some risk in getting in and out of it, for as it is on a slope it may suddenly shde away on being touched, if it is not done with great care. It was not slung in 1848 or in 1850. § 4616. Zwo.—Orkney, 1850. From Mr. George Harvey, of Stromness. § 4617. One.—Ferde, 1850. From Sysselmand Winther. § 4618. Three. Orkney, 1851. From Mr. G. Harvey. § 4619. Stv—Feeroes, 1852. From Sysselmand Miller. * [Rough as is this sketch, I doubt not it is pretty accurate, and I reproduce it here (p. 351), since, so far as I know, the only tigure of the “Cradle of Noss,” of which so many authors have written, is that given by Pennant in the “ Introduction ” to his ‘ Arctic Zoology’ (vol. i. pl. iv. p. xxx) from a drawing taken by Low in 1774, which must be deemed rather fanciful, while the plate was wrongly lettered “ Bird Catching at Orkney,” though in the text Noss is rightly assigned to Shetland. In his day “the machine called a cradle” had “a bottom of ropes” (Tour through the Islands of Orkney and Schetland, &c., by George Low, edited by Joseph Anderson. Kirkwall: 1879, p. 192); but it will be seen from Mr. Wolley’s sketch that bars or slats of wood had been substituted, and the pulleys appear to have been a modern improvement. According to Messrs. Evans and Buckley (Vertebr. Fauna of Shetland, p. 183) the use of the cradle was given up in 1864, but in their volume there is a fine view, from a photograph by Mr. Norrie, of the fissure which separates the Holm from the main island. The width of this chasm, as well as the height of the cliff, has been variously stated, and some of the estimates are obviously exaggerated. The former, on information kindly furnished by Sir Archibald Geikie, is 99 feet, and the latter about 160. The flat top of the Holm covers more than two acres and a half, and afforded excellent grazing for the sheep which were formerly conveyed to and from it in the cradle. This contrivance is known to have existed before 1633, being mentioned in Monteith’s Manuscript of that year, published by Sibbald in 1711 (reprinted Edinburgh: 1845, p. 63); but, Mr. Wolley excepted, I am not aware of any traveller, naturalist or otherwise, having availed himself of it to reach the top. Both in 1897 and 1898 I saw Great Black-backed Gulls at the Holm of Noss; but no great number of them.—Eb. | LARUS MARINUS. 333 § 4620. Zwo.—Shetland. [Inscribed by Mr. Wolley, but not entered in the Egg-book. ] § 4621. Zwo.—Reend, East Finmark. 2 June, 1855. “ Bird well seen on. J. W.” On a crack in a flat rock I watched the birds some time, and had Herrivg-Gulls standing near them for comparison. One of the Great Black-backs was most undoubtedly incubating these small eggs. No other nest of a Gull near. [One of these eggs is almost colourless. | § 4622. One.—East Finmark, 1855. ‘Bird well seen. JW.” [This was most likely taken at the same time and place, but Mr. Wolley omitted to enter it in the Ege-book. It is very deficient in colour, like one of the last. ] § 4623. Two. Tamso, East Finmark, 1855. From Herr Peder ee oe tee iliek § 4625. One. [The two pairs of normal appearance, the single egg in colour not unlike that of a Colymbus. | § 4626. Three. § 4627. Two. (Tamsé, 1855. From Herr Ulich. § 4628. One. [The first five of these pale in colour and sent as those vf the “ Large Blue Mew,” by which Herr Ulich meant Larus glaucus, for the good people at Tamsé had been instructed so to call the very pale-coloured eggs not unfrequently met with there, but without any evidence, so far as I am able to ascertain, of that species breeding there or elsewhere on the Norwegian islands. The sixth of these eggs is very remarkably coloured, of a dull lavender with clouded markings of a darker shade. Tascribe them all to Z. marinus without much doubt. | 334 LARUS MARINUS. § 4629. Three. — Kyrkjuvogr, Iceland, 24 May, 1858. ce Wew I took these eggs from a nest on an island in the fjord, the two birds flying over me, and no other Gulls about the island. Mr. Newton sat in the boat, and confirms my views as to the species. We had been to dig for Great Auks’ bones at Old Kyrkjuvogr. [I must here confess that I am sure both of us were mistaken as to the species, which at the time we agreed in thinking to be Z. fuscus, neither of us then knowing that it did not occur in Iceland, while we had no means of judging the size of the parent birds we saw. These eggs are fully as large as those of LZ. marinus usually are, and I have no doubt belong to that species. | [§ 4630. One—From Mr. R. Reynolds, not later than 1845. | [§ 4631. 7hree.—Firth of Forth, 1846. From Mr. R. J. Thompson. | [§ 4632. Zwo—Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1853. From Mr A. Downes. | [§ 4633. One.—Unst, Shetland, 1854. [§ 4634. Scv.—Unst, 1855. All from Mr. James Smith, the school-master on that island. ] [§ 4635. Zwo.—Horné, East Finmark, 17-18 June, 1855. ONY cold Taken by Mr. Hudleston, on the night indicated, when he and I visited the two islands, Horné and Reené, lying off Vardi. | LARUS GLAUCUS. 339 LARUS GLAUCUS, Fabricius. GLAUCOUS GULL. § 4636. One. Faxa Fjord,” Iceland, 1846. From Mr. Henry Milner, 1847. [It seems that Mr. Milner certainly took some eggs of this species in Iceland, but unfortunately this is not one of them. He got it from Herr Carl Siemsen, of Reykjavik, and it was said to have been taken on a small island in the Faxa Fjord ; but I have my doubts whether Larus glaucus breeds so far to the southward, while Z. marinus certainly does. ] § 4637. One.—Greenland, 1852. From Mr. Hancock, 1853. Sent to Mr. Hancock from the south of Greenland, and the only one sent. [§ 4638. One.—lIceland, 1852. From Mr. Proctor, 1853. Like all Mr. Proctor’s Icelandic eggs, this was said to come from the north of the island, for there alone had he correspondents, and I believe it is certain that Larus glaucus breeds in that part. | [§ 4639. Zwo.—South Cape Islands, Spitsbergen, 20-21 June, 1855. From Messrs. Wilson Sturge and Edward Evans. Hewitson, ‘ Eggs of Brit. B.’ ed. 3, pl. exli. fig. 2. These two eggs, from, I believe, different nests, were given to me by the gentlemen above named, on their return from their voyage to Spitsbergen, for which place Mr. Hudleston and I, with somewhat envious feelings, saw them embark at Hammerfest, in June, 1855. They subsequently contributed an account of their proceedings to the first volume of ‘The Ibis’ (1859, pp. 166-174), in which they say that they first set foot on one of the South Cape Islands of Spitsbergen about midnight of the 20th and 21st of June and found, among other birds, this species in immense numbers. “The large untidy nests of the Glaucous Gull, formed of sea-weed, and each containing usually three eggs, were to be found also on the shore, or more often on the low rocks, and in one or two instances even built on the masses of ice... .. Their eggs seem hardly distinguishable from those of the Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus, L.), which bird, however, has never, we believe, been found in Spitzbergen, though abundant enough even in the north of Norway. The specimen so faithfully represented by W. C. Hewitson in the last edition of his ‘Kegs of British Birds’ (pl. 141. fig. 2) was obtained by us on this occasion.” In fact I sent the specimen to Mr, Hewitson, feeling sure of its genuineness. 336 LARUS GLAUCUS. [§ 4640. One.—Ice Sound, Spitsbergen, 28 June, 1864. AC eave Taken by Dr. Malmgren, who was naturalist to the Nordenskjéld Expedition of that year, and given by him, on board the vessel of the expedition, in the morning of the 17th of July, to the late Mr. Graham Manners-Sutton, my fellow-guest on board the ‘ Sultana,’ who was subsequently good enough to let me have it. The Swedish ship sailed the same day, so that I had not the opportunity of asking Dr. Malmgren the precise position of the nest, but it was on one of the upper branches of the fjord, where he and his leader had been for some days before we met them (cf. Ibis, 1865, p. 208).] [§ 4641. Zwo.—Arctic Coast of America, east of Anderson r River, 6 July, 1863. From the Smithsonian Institu- tion, through Professor Baird. The label sent with these shews that they were part of Mr. MacFarlane’s spoils, and that the parent was shot from them. He writes of this species (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiv. p. 417) :—‘‘ Altogether some twenty nests were gathered by our collecting-parties, chiefly on sandy islets in the bays of Franklin and Liverpool, and a few of these were also found on islands in the Lower Anderson; but the bird itself was observed in various localities. * Fifteen of the nests contained two eggs each, and but five had as many as three. The nest was usually a shallow depression in the beach, while in one of them we discovered an egg of the Black Brant which was being incubated by a bird of this species. The egg of the Goose was in a more embryo- developed stage than those of the Gull, which we always considered as about the bravest of the Laride in defence of its eggs and young.”’] 4642. One-—Danes’ Gat, Spitsbergen, 11 July, 1873. From Mr. A. E. Eaton. Mr. Eaton accompanied Mr. Benjamin Leigh-Smith in his voyage that year. With this perfect specimen was sent the hatched-out half shell of another, marked by Mr. Eaton as having been taken on the 13th of the same month. | [$§ 4643. Zico. ) East Greenland (1870?). From the Second L$ North-German Polar Expedition, through AGA4. Four. Dr. Otto Finsch, 1871. Zweite deutsche Nordpolarfahrt, ii. pp, 231, 243. According to Dr. Pansch (wt supra), the Expedition met with several breeding-stations of this species, the largest being at Walrus Island, where there were from fifty to sixty nests, placed both on and at the foot of the cliffs, LARUS GLAUCUS.—-L. LEUCOPTERUS. aan most of them containing eggs, from one to three in number, on the 10th of June. Smaller stations were observed at Cape Borlase Warren, Cape Mary, Jackson Island, and other places. Though the Expedition met with I. leucopterus, it seems not to have been found breeding, and the size of these eggs justifies their assignment to Z. g/aucus. Two of them are so much alike that they would appear to be from the same nest, but there is nothing to shew the precise locality where any of them were taken. | [§ 4645. Two. —Cape Flora, Franz Josef Land, 29 June, 1895. Jackson-Harmsworth [xpedition, through Mr. Dresser 1900. By the good offices of Mr. Dresser I was enabled to acquire these eggs from Mr. Jackson, the leader of the Expedition, who, writing of this species in his work (‘A Thousand Days in the Arctic, ii. pp. 405, 404, says: “ A couple or two of these birds we found nesting upon all the Capes rerching from Cape Flora to Cape Neale. They built as a rule on inaccessibie points amongst the high basaltic cliffs. The only eggs we obtained I secured on June 29th, 1896, when I found a pair nesting upon the top of the lower tier of rocks on Cape Flora.” In Mr, Frohawk’s “ Notes and Pesempeiens of the Eggs” collected by the same Expedition (tom. cif. p. 391) a fuller account is furnished :—“ The nest was found by Mr. Jackson upon a precipitous grassy mound (formed of broken débris from the cliffs above and guano from. the Guillemots) above the lower tier of rocks overhanging the talus of Cape Flora at an altitude of about six hundred feet above the sea. Mr. Jackson gives me the following interesting particulars: ‘The nest consisted of a mass of dried grass, feathers, and moss, and was of considerable dimensions. It contained two eges. One of the birds, on my approachinz the nest, scattered some of the materials of the nest over the eggs, with intent to conceal them un- doubtedly. The old birds showed considerable courage in defending the nest, swooping down within a foot or two of my head, and uttering loud screeches as they passed.’” These eggs are mentioned in Mr, Jackson’s narrative (tom. crt. p. 82). These eggs are somewhat undersized, measuring respectively 2775 by 2:06 and 2°87 by 2 inches; but there is no evidence that Z. leucopterus, the ouly species likely to be mistaken for Z. g/aucus, occurs in Franz Josef Land. | LARUS LEUCOPTERUS, Faber, ICELAND GULL. § 4646. One.—* Godthau, Greenland.” | From Captain Helbéll's Col- lection, through Mr. J. D. aD ) ¥ Salmon, 1855. § 4647. One.— Greenland. PARED alls é 335 LARUS LEUCOPTERUS. LL. RISSA. The above were got for me, as the last from Carl Holboll’s lot, by Mr. Salmon. (Capt. Holbill’s collection was consigned to the late Mr. Samuel Stevens in the autumn of 1854, to be disposed of privately. Mr. Wolley, being then abroad, had to content himself on his return with the leavings of it (cf. §§ 184, 185).] [§ 4648. One.— Greenland,” 9 July, 1857.) From Doctor Baldamus, [§ 4649. One.—* Greenland,” 1858. 1861. The Doctor informed me that these eggs were obtained from the Moravian settlements in North Greenland, but he had unfortunately not kept a note of whether ke had them through Dr. Kjzerbdlling or Herr Méschler. } LARUS RISSA, Linnzeus. KITTIWAKE. § 4650. One.—Flamborough, Yorkshire, 1843. From Flamborough, where they breed in abundance. § 4651. Stateen.—Flamborough. From Mr. Wilhanison, of Scarborough, 1847. Mr. Williamson gave me the pick of a very large number. The eggs vary much and form a fair series. The streaked variety is rare. The ten marked “Cab.” [%. e. cabinet] I have selected to keep at all events; but nearly all are desirable. Mr. Williamson stops the holes with plaster of Paris. [There were eighteen picked out by Mr. Wolley, but two were sent by me to Dr. Heermann in 186i. | § 4652. Four.—Handa, Sutherland, 6-8 June, 1549, § 4653. One.—Handa, 9 June, 1849. “J. W.” Of the Kittiwake I got nests in Handa, but I have a note that there it was only beginning to lay, yet on the 19th of June or there- abouts in Shetland almost all the eggs on the Holm of Noss were oe LARTS RYSSA: 339 hatched, and there were some large young ones. Of the five from Handa only one is marked as taken by myself. Probably the other four were taken by my men. § 4654. One.—lIsle of May, 1830. [This egg was inscribed by Mr. Wolley, but not entered by him in his book. It appears to have been taken on the occasion of his visiting the island with a party, one of whom, Mr. Calder, went down the cliffand gathered the eggs of this species and Guillemots (vide infra), some of which Mr. Wolley kept to “shew the station.” Earlier in the year he had been there in search of a Faleon’s nest, which he could not find. | § 4655. One.—Hornd, East Finmark, 31 May, 1855. Coe ial) ee (Inscribed but not entered by Mr. Wolley. } § 4656. Aight—Reens, East Finmark. [2 June, 1855 ?| [These are all inscribed by Mr. Wolley but not entered, and his marks shew that they are three pairs and two single eggs. He was on this island on the 2nd of June, 1855 (§§ 4580, 4581, 4621), and I have no doubt obtained them then. ] § 4657. Sra.—Tamso, East Finmark, 1855. From Herr Peder K. Ulich. § 4658. Three—Sveerholt-klubben, East Finmark, 1855. Obtained at Herr Skencke’s (of Polmak on the Tana River), to whom they were sent for eating, from Hopseidet, to the south of Nord Kyn ; but they were taken on Sverholt, which is the promon- tory between the Porsanger and the Laxa Fjords. I saw many Kittiwakes about it on my passage eastwards, § 4659. One.—Sylte Fjord, East Finmark. “J. W.” [1857 ?] [This egg was duly inscribed but not entered by Mr. Wolley. Sylte Fjord is a little to the north-west of Vardé, in that part of East Finmark which was diligently explored by him in 1857, in the hope of finding the Knot breeding there, as it had been asserted to do by Herr Malm, of Gottenburg. | [§ 4660. Oze.—Shetland. From Mr. Robert Dunn, 1851.] fae 340 LARUS RISSA.—L. EBURNEUS. [§ 4661. Zwo.—Staples, Farne Islands, 21 June, 1851. Out of six obtained, if not actually taken, by my brother or myself.] | (§ 4662. Zwo.—Flamborougb, 1851. Bought of Mr. Jones, of Bridlington Quay. | [§ 4663. Ove—Horn6, 17-18 June, 1855. Taken by Mr. Hudleston or myself.) [§ 4664. One—Pinnacles, Farne Islands, 18 June, 1856. Aa oe [§ 4665. One—Pinnacles, 23 June, 1856. “ E. N.”} [§ 4666. Zéree—Rathhn, Ireland, 6 June, 1863. From Mr. Robert Harvey. Mr. Harvey wrote that these “ eggs are a nestful carefully set aside for me at Mr. Gage’s desire by the climber, who took them with several dozens of the same species from the Rackheads on the north side of Rathlin.” ] LARUS EBURNEUS, Phipps. IVORY-GULL. [§ 4667. One—* Spitsbergen.’ From Herr H. Mechlenburg, of Flensborg, through Dr. Baldamus, 1861. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1861, pp. 400, 401. The Doctor wrote to me that he got this from the lately deceased Apothecary Mechlenburg, of Flensborg, who had received five or six with birds from a whale-fisher who had obtained them in Spitsbergen. This egg I exhibited at the meeting of the Zoological Society on the 10th of December, 1861; but in the absence of more precise information concerning it I forebore to have it figured. | LARUS EBURNEUS. oom {§ 4668. Oxe.—Murchison Bay, Spitsbergen, Lat.80° N., Long. 18° 30’ E., 30 July, 1861. From Professor Sundevall, through Herr Meves, 1867. (ifversigt af Kongl. Vetenskaps-Akademiens Forhandlingar, 1833, pp. 103, 104. This ege was sent to me as one of the two of Larus ebwrneus taken in Spitsbergen by Dr. Malmgren. Being with my brother Edward at Stockholm in July, 1867, we shewed Prof. Sundevall some Dodos’ bones we had with us, for which he was good enough to say he would let us have one of these eges in exchange. Herr Meves, however, being away at the time, the egg: inaccessible, and it was not until September that I received this one. In the meanwhile Prof. Sundevall had written to me, on Herr Meves’s return, that rs were he regretted to say that both eggs had been dropped on the ground the year betore, and were much broken. The specimen sent to me was the least injured and presents a fair show face. Unfortunately these egxs do not seem to have been ever written upon by Dr. Malmgren, so as to ensure their identity ; but Herr Meves I know to have been a most careful man, and he would hardly have let specimens, the great value cf which he knew as well as anyone, like these to have been mixed with others. Dr. Malmeren’s acceunt given, as abeve stated, to the Swedish Academy of Sciences is as fullows (cf. Ibis, 1865, p. 507) :—‘ On the 7th of July, 1861, I found on the north shore of Murchison Bay, lat. 80° N., a number of Ivory- Gulls established on the side of a steep limestone precipice, some hundred feet high, in company with Larus tridactylus and L. glaucus. The last-named cecupied the higher zones of the precipice. Larus eburneus, on the other hand, occupied the niches and clefts lower down, at a height of from fifty to a hundred feet. I could plainly see that the hen-birds were sitting on their nests ; but these to me were altogether inaccessible. Circumstances did not permit me before the 30th of July to make an attempt, with the help of a long rope and some necessary assistance, to get at the eggs. On the day just named, I succeeded, with the assistance of thiee men, in reaching two of the lowest in situation, which each contained one egg. The nest was artless and without connexien, and consisted of a shallow depression, 8 er 9 inches broad, in loose clay and mould on a sublayer of limestone. Inside it was carelessly lined with dry plants, grass, moss, and the like, and also a few feathers. The eggs were much incubated, and already contained down-clad young. Both the hen-birds were shot upon their nests, and are now in the National Mus2:um. The cocks were at first observable, but they vanished when we began the work of reaching their nests.” } [§ 4669. Zico.—Storo, North-east Land, Spitsbergen, 8 August, 1887. From Herr Foslie, 1888. Sent to me by Herr Foslie, Conservator of the Museum at Tromsé, as being from a number (nineteen, it was said) brought to that town by the master of 342 LARUS EBURNEUS. the ship ‘Rivalen, Edy. H. Johannsen, who took them as above stated in lat. 80° 9’ N. Ten of the eggs were offered to me, and I would gladty have become possessed of all of them, had full particulars been at first forthcoming. As it was, I only succeeded, after a somewhat long correspondence, in obtaining these two, which seem not to be a pair, and they had meanwhile been sold to someone else, from whom Herr Foslie recovered them. He informed me that they were the smallest of the nineteen: indeed they are quite as small as Kittiwakes’, but they may be genuine for all that. I lent both of them to Mr. Oswin Lee to draw. Mr. Ussher, | 1896. [§ 4887. Oxe.—Saltee Island, 22 May, 1896. Eggs with reddish-brown markings, kindly sent to me by Mr. Ussher, of Cappagh House, near Lismore. } : [§ 4888. One.—Fair Island, Shetland, 1905. From Mr. Norman B. Kinnear. ALCA TROILE. 395 Taken by a boy, George Stout, and obtained by Mr. Kinnear during his stay on the island with Mr, W. Eagle Clarke (cf. Ann, Scott. Nat. Hist. 1906). A dark-coloured variety. ] [§ 4889. Hve—Flamborough, June, 1834. ‘“C. Waterton.” From Mr. Waterton’s Collection, through Dr. Norman Moore, 1906. These were given to Dr. Moore, as he informs me, by Mr. Waterton in 1864, the year before he died, and are all inscribed by him. Unfortunately they are so discoloured as to possess little value except that of sentiment, for they were all taken and inscribed by him during his visit to the Yorkshire cliffs in the first week of June 1834, as recounted by him the following year (Mag. Nat. Hist. viii. pp. 162-165), It is curious that from the time of Pennant (‘Tour in Scotland, 1769,’ ed. 1771, p.15) no zoologist seems to have published any notice of the locality and the birds which throng it in the breeding-season until Waterton did so. Pennant was there 3 July, 1769, but his account was passed oyer by all his successors, and thus by far the greatest resort of sea-fowl on the English coast remained practically unknown until the appearance of Waterton’s paper, which was subsequently included in his ‘Essays on Natural History,’ and having been several times reprinted there is no need to quote from it here, but it may be remarked that, according to Mr. J. Stuart Menteath (Mag. Nat. Hist. viii, p. 31), Waterton was let down the cliff eleven times. Deplorable as is the condition of the eggs, it can be seen that his selection of specimens to shew the chief varieties was good, and one of them from its size and shape is unlike any other that I have seen, measuring 2°55 by 1:94 in., while 3:25 by 29 in. may be taken as the average dimensions. I am indebted to Mr. Harting for a reference to an older notice than Pennant’s of the “ Whillocks” and other sea-fowl at Flamborough, contained in a letter from Dr. Richard Richardson (1663-1721), of North Bierley in the West Riding of Yorkshire, to Dr. James Sherard, the botanist, dated 7 January 1724-5, and printed in ‘ Extracts from the Correspondence’ of the former (pp. 216, 217) which appeared in 1855, with a preface and notes by Mr. Dawson Turner. } [§ 4890. Mowr.—Farallones, California. From Dr. Heermann. [§ 4891. Two.—Farallones. From Dr. Heermann, 1861. [§ 4892. One.—Farallones. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Prof. Baird, 1870. The note accompanying this egg shews that it was obtained by Dr. Griiber. It will be seen that all the specimens in §§ 4890-4892 belong to the so-called Catarractes californicus of Bryant, which is now admitted by American autho- rities not to differ specifically from the Atlantic Colymbus trotle of Linnzus. | 396 CEPPHUS GRYLLE. ' CEPPHUS GRYLLE (Linneus). TEISTY or BLACK GUILLEMOT. § 4893. One.—Bought at Liverpool before 1843. § 4894. One—From Mr. Green, 1844. Bought of James Green, Poulterer, 10 Mulberry Court, White Cross Place, Finsbury, a man who understands birds and eggs well. He was recommended to me by Mr. Leadbeater [cf. § 3636]. § 4895. Ywo.—Shetland. From Mr. Tuke, 1847. [No doubt received from Mr. James Smith; of Unst (ef. § 4675).] § 4896. One.—Oxna (or Papa), Shetland, 22 June, 1849. ‘Saw bird on. J. W.” § 4897. Seven.—Shetland, 22 June, 1849. I took one egg [$4896] in an island off Scalloway, and I bought from a boy seven which were fresh, and probably of the second laying. I believe I caught the bird on the egg mentioned above, at all events it was under the large stone where I found it. I saw some of the birds off Handa [cf. § 4865], and I have seen one or two on the Bass Rock. They are very abundant round Shetland. § 4828. Zwo.—Ferée, 1850. From Sysselmand Winther. Herr Winther writes that the eggs of this bird as well as those of ~ the Shearwater are “ difficult to get, as the people like the young so well” [to eat]. We saw and shot plenty of the adults; plumage § | beginning to change at the end of July, or sooner. We also found their two black young under a stone, the old birds sitting near with long, little fish in their mouth, making a plaintive noise. § 4899. Siz.—Shetland, 1850. From Dr. Frere, 1851. (These no doubt from Mr. Smith, of Unst.] abe CEPPHUS GRYLLE. 397 § 4900. One.—From Mr. Green, 1851. ’ anew Selected from a great number, on account of its yellowish tinge and general beauty. § 4901. Zwo.—Orkney, 1851. From Mr. George Harvey, of Stromness. § 4902. Strv.—Head of the Gulf of Bothnia, 1853. From Dr. Wretho!m. (These were not entered by Mr. Wolley in his Egg-book. The inscriptions shew that they were obtained by him on the 20th of July on his short visit to Haparanda (cf. Memoir, p. xxvi) from a Dr. Wretholm, of whom I know | nothing. No doubt they were taken from some place on the shores of the head of the Gulf of Bothnia, where this species is not uncommon. | % § 4903. One.—Horno, East Fimmark, 1855. [Not entered by Mr. Wolley, though inscribed and most likely taken on the island by him, 31 May. | § A904, Five.—Vardo, East Finmark, Sao. Selected out of twenty-seven brought to me [at Vadsé] for sale, under the name of Teiste. § 4905. Onve.—Vard6, 1855. From Lehnsmand Reen. § 4906. One.—Naalsée, Ferde, 1856. From Sysselmand Miller. § 4907. One.—Iceland. From Herr Cristian Zimsen. § 4908. Mine.—Ferde, 1859. From Sysselmand Winther. [§ 4909. One—Shetland. From Mr. Dunn, not later than 1848. ] [$ 4910. Zhree.—Shetland. From Mr. Dunn, 1853. ] 398 CEPPHUS GRYLLE. [§ 4911. Zwo.—Iceland, 1852. From Mr. Proctor, 1853.] [§ 4912. Seven.—Unst, Shetland, 1854. From Mr. James Smith. | [§ 4918. One—Horné, East Finmark, 17-18 June, 1855. WF Re Taken by Mr. Simpson (Hudleston) on our visit to the island. ] [§ 4914. Zwo.—EKast Finmark, June, 1855. Bought by me at Vadsi, I think out of those from which Mr. Wolley as above (§ 4904) took five. } [§ 4915. Five—Unst, 1856. From Mr. James Smith. ] [§ 4916. Zwo.—lIsle of Doagh, Co. Donegal, 5 June, 1863. From Mr. Robert Harvey. Mr. Harvey wrote :—“ Taken from a hole in a precipitous rock in my presence by Paddy Donald Veaghal (cf. § 3511). I have seen seven nests of this species taken, and I have never known them to contain more or less than two eggs.” ] [§ 4917. One.—Flamborough, June, 1834. ‘C. Waterton.” From Mr. Waterton’s Collection, through Dr. Norman Moore, 1906. Given to Dr. Moore with the Guillemots’ eggs before entered (§ 4889), and inscribed by Mr. Waterton “ Razorbill”; but it is so evidently that of a Black Guillemot that I include it here without hesitation. This species was not named by him in the “ Notes” of his visit to Flamborough (Mag. Nat. Hist. viii. pp. 162-165), but that paper leaves the impression that he had had but little acquaintance with sea-fowl; and, seeing that this egg was not that of the common Guillemot, he might well have set it down as that of the next abundant species—the Razorbill. Pennant (Tour in Scotland, wt supra cit.) mentions his having observed ‘a few Black Guillemots very shy and wild,” on his visit to Flamborough, 3 July, 1769, while Messrs. Roebuck and Clarke, in their ‘Vertebrate Fauna of Yorkshire’ (p. 87), state that Mr. Allis was told in 1844 by Mr. Arthur Strickland that thirty years before he had killed one in summer plumage out of a small flock there, and Mr. Harting (Handb. Brit. Birds, ed. 2, CEPPHUS MANDTI. 399 pp- 281, 282) says that a few pairs used formerly to breed at Flamborough, whence he, in the summer of 1863, received an adult bird in full breeding plumage. | CEPPHUS MANDT] (H. Lichtenstein). § 4918. One.—Spitsbergen [1856 ?]. From Pastor Sommer- felt, 1857 [?]. [There is some little doubt as to the history of this egg, which was not entered in his book by Mr. Wolley; but I believe it was brought from Spitsbergen in 1856, by a yagt (the name of which is not clearly to be read, but looks like “Shedila”), and given to Mr. Wolley by Herr Sommerfelt together with the Rotche’s (§ 4928), in which case it unquestionably belongs to the northern form of Teisty (C. mandtz). | [§ 4919. One.—West coast of Baffin’s Bay. From Dr. David Walker, R.N., Naturalist to the ‘ Fox,’ R.Y.S., 1860. This ege was sent to me by Dr. Walker as that of a Kittiwake taken in Lat. 73° N., which it clearly is not, and is as clearly that of the Teisty or Dovekey of that coast, which I suppose to be C. mandti. It was probably taken in 1858. | [§ 4920. Zwo.—Safe Haven, Ice Sound, Spitsbergen, 10 July, 1864. ‘“ With bird.” These brought to me in the evening of that day with a bird knocked down with an oar. Campbell, the mate of the ‘Sultana,’ and one of the men had been on shore on the east side of the bay and got them. They said the eggs were lying on the rock and not in a hole; and Herr Malmgren afterwards told me that in Spitsbergen, both this species and the Little Auk often lay their eggs on the rocks instead of in a hole. The bird which I had from this nest has no black bar on the wings. The skin is now in the Museum of the University. | [§ 4921. Onxe.—From the late Mr. Scales’s Collection, 1885. This egg is inscribed in Mr. Scales’s handwriting “Sabine... . llemot,” and I can hardly doubt was obtained by him from one of the brothers Sabine, in which case it was most likely brought home by one of the old Arctic Expeditions, and therefore would belong to C. mandtz, for it is obviously that of one of the forms of Black Guillemot. | 400 CEPPHUS COLUMBA.—URIA ALLE. CEPPHUS COLUMBA, Pallas. — [§ 4922. Fowr.—Farallone Islands, California. * From Dr. Heermann, 1861. ] [§ 4923. Mowr.—Farallone Islands. From Dr. Heermann. | BRACHYRHAMPHUS WUMIZUSUME (Temminck). [§ 4924. One.—West coast of Japan. From Dr. Isao [jima, through Canon Tristram, 1891. Given to Canon Tristram at Tokyo, by Dr. Ijima, who said he had taken it himself, from a rock on the west coast near the Seven Islands. There were several specimens of the birds obtained at the same time. The egg of this species seems not to have been described. The present one is of a clay- brown colour, with streaks, mostly vermiform, but occasionally coalescing to form a blotch, of a deeper shade. In shape it is elongated, with both ends nearly similar, as in a Sand-Grouse’s egg. It measures 2-17 by 174 inch. } URIA ALLE (Linneus). ROTCHE or LITTLE AUK. § 4925. One.—‘ Baffin’s Bay.” From Mr. Hewitson, 1844. [Apparently received from the north by Mr. John Hancock. | § 4926. One.—Grimsey, Iceland, 1843. From Mr. Proctor, 1844. § 4927. Two—Melville Bay, 24 June, 1849. From Mr. Robert Goodsir, 1850. These two eggs were cut out of the birds, shot in Melville Bay, as mentioned in Mr. Goodsir’s ‘ Arctic Voyage’ (p. 56), where he says he has more than once killed four or five hundred in anhour. Eggs were fully developed in almost all the females. He very kindly gave me these two, drilled with a piercer with which I had provided him. 8 URIA ALLE. 401 May he be successful in his second expedition this year (1850) with Captain Penny in his search for Sir John Franklin and his brother Harry ! § 4928. One.—Spitsbergen, 1855. From Pastor Sommerfelt [1857 ?]. [§ 4929. One.—Grimsey. From Mr. Proctor, 1851.] [§ 4930. Zwo.—Cape York, North Greenland, Lat. 76° 30' N., 2 July, 1858. From Dr. David Walker, R.N., Na- turalist to the ‘ Fox,’ R.Y.S., 1860 and 1861. Kindly given to me by Dr. Walker with other eggs (§§ 242, 4858, etc.) on his return from his voyage with Captain McClintock. One of these eggs is inscribed by the doctor “laid upon a stone, in crevices among stones.” The other is the most beautifully and strongly marked egg of this species that I have ever seen. | [§ 4931. One.—Godhavn, North Greenland, 1859. From Pastor Theobald, 1860. | [§ 4932. Zhree.—Magdalena Bay, Spitsbergen, 1873. From Mr. A. E. Eaton. These, kindly given to me by Mr. Eaton, were said by him to have been taken by some of the crew of the ‘ Molus,’ Mr. Leigh Smith’s yacht, on board of which Mr. Eaton was. | [§ 4933. Zwo.—Grimsey, 1885. From Mr. Thomas Carter, 1903. Obtained, Mr. Carter informed me, while he was in Iceland, from Herr Hansen, of Akureyri. | [§ 4934. One.—Gronne Hiland, Disko Bay, 28 June, 1878. From Herr Schidler, 1906. Inscribed by and formerly in the collection of Inspeltor Fencker, who, PART IV. 2D 402 URTA ALLE.—FRATERCULA ARCTICA. according to Herr Winge (Grénlands Fugle, p. 231), found the species breeding abundantly on this island. An egg beautifully marked with pale reddish- brown blotches, and kindly sent to me on that account by Herr Schioler. ] [§ 4935. Ove—Grimsey, 15 June, 1900. From Herr Schidler, 1906. Received, as its donor informs me, from Herr Havsteen. glhis egg is much freckled at the larger end with fine brownish-red spots. ] [§ 4986. Zwo.—Cape Grant, Franz-Josef Land, 16 July, 1895. Jackson-Harmsworth Expedition, through’ Mr. Dresser, 1905. These are unmistakably Rotches’ eggs, but they came to me under the name of “ Uria mandti”’, which species Mr. Jackson says (Thousand Days in the Arctic, ii. p. 408) he found “ nesting in small numbers amongst the Rotches, whose company it seemed to prefer as a rule ”’—the mistake could hence be easily made by anyone unacquainted with the eggs of the two species. He adds (tom. cit. p. 409) of the latter: “ We found incubated eggs at Cape Grant on July 14th, 1895.”] FRATERCULA ARCTICA (Linnzus). PUFFIN. § 4937. Three—Flamborough, Yorkshire. Not later than 1843. These are from Flamborough Head, where the birds breed in clefts of the rock. The specimens are unusually strongly marked. § 4938. One.—Flamborough. From Mr. Williamson, 1847. § 4939. Thirteen Handa, Sutherland, 9 June, 1849. ‘The Puffin was far advanced in incubation. I got many of its eggs in holes in sloping banks on the sides of the cliff—little or no nest—the egg generally exceedingly dirty. The birds were easily FRATERCULA ARCTICA. 403 caught on the eggs*. One of them inscribed “ N.B.” is, I think, the most highly marked one I ever saw. [This egg is certainly extraordinary for its amount of marking, and, like Mr. Wolley, I never saw its equal. It is also inscribed “ Bird caught. J. W..,”’ and his initials are written on eight others, shewing that he took them with his own hands. | § 4940. Lwenty.—Ferde, 1850. From Sysselmand Winther. The Puffin [in Fierde] was in myriads, literally looking like swarms of bees about the cliffs. Lille Dimon, where are the black Sheep, is perhaps the greatest station. This island is nearly in- accessible from the sea; but when once you get up the south-west corner, by a rather dangerous clamber, it is easy enough, as it slopes gradually to the top with intervening ranges or terraces of low cliffs. The ground in many parts of this island is completely undermined by the Puffins. I caught some of their young covered with very long grey down. We descended from the island by another track easy for us strangers as we were let down partly by ropes. In their flight these birds often cannot turn quickly enough to avoid the hand-net which is suddenly raised before them. [A rude sketch follows.| We saw parties engaged in this way in bird-catching down the cliffs at Enneberg, the north cape of Viderde. The minister was away watching the proceedings. We rowed home in * “Cogebantur tamen sibi cauere, ne rostris quibus magnis admodum aduncis preeditee sunt, vel in brachio vel crure prehenderétur, quod viribus valentes morsus inferre non leves solerent.”—De Bry, Pars [X. [This note is an extract from the account given by De Bry in 1613 (Supple- mentum none Partis Indie Orientalis, p. 22) of the voyage under Pieter Willemsz.-Verhuff or Verhoeff in 1607-1610, which Mr. Wolley must have read and copied during his Dodo researches (Memoir, p. xvi), for Dodos are the birds therein referred to. The passage is not quoted from De Bry by Strickland in his ‘ Dodo and its Kindred,’ but he gives (p. 18) what he says is the earliest account in the original German from Hulsius. It was put together from the information of Johann Verken, a Saxon, according to Heer P. A. Tiele (Mémoire bibliographique sur les Journaux des Navigateurs Néerlandais, p. 178. Amsterdam: 1867), the compiler being Gotthard Artus.—Ep. | 404. FRATERCULA ARCTICA. his boat, women-servants pulling. They were very particular in preventing us from firing for fear of startling the climbers, who remain on these ledges for several days or even weeks, and provisions are let down to them. Boats go out to take the birds they throw down. On a holm, like the Doreholm in Shetland, between Tindholm and the main island Vaagée, is a chain hanging down like a bell-rope, to assist in climbing to the slope where Lundis breed. They are dressed and dried. (It appears that Mr. Wolley’s visit in 1849 was too late in the season for him to obtain any eggs himself. I have had the sketch of the hand-net copied and inserted here, though Landt (Beskrivelse over Feréerne, tab. ii. fig. 7) figures it well; because I believe that its use is being given up. | § 4941. Twelve—Orkney, 1851. From Mr. George Harvey, of Stromness. § 4942. Siv—Ferobe, 1851. From Sysselmand Winther. Out of about fifty-six sent me by Mr. Winther. Very few well marked. § 4943. Three.—Feerde, 1852. From Sysselmand Miiller. § 4944. Five-—Ferde, 1853. From Sysselmand Winther. § 4945. Zwo.—Horné, East Finmark, 31 May, 1855. CoM [These were not entered by Mr. Wolley in the Egg-book. They are inscribed ‘ Common Puffin,” no doubt to shew that he was sure that they did not belong to the northern form Fratercula glacialis. | § 4946. One-—Wardo Island, East Finmark, 1855. From Lehnsmand Reen. § 4947. Four.—Feroe, 1859. From Sysselmand. Winther. {One of these is curiously shaped, measuring 2°77 by 1:74 inch, but cannot well be anything else than a Puffin’s. ] FRATERCULA ARCTICA. 405 [§ 4948. One. — Staples, Farne Islands, 21 June, 1551. AL i: N.” The only egg of this species taken by us on our first visit to the islands. The bird was drawn from its hole clinging by its beak to the back of my hand, Our men made merry with its futile attempts to rise from the level grass— “ Ah, Tammy, ye canna’ fly fra aff the plain! ”—till it scrambled to a place whence it could drop a short distance, and then sped away. | [§ 4949. Fouwr—Flamborough Head, 1851. From Mr. Jones, of Bridlington. | [§ 4950. Zwo.—Unst, Shetland, 1854. From Mr. James Smith. | [§ 4951. Ove.—Hornd, 17-18 June, 1855. “ Bird caught. A. N.” Taken by myself. The bird, which I let go, was decidedly not F. glacialis. } [§ 4952. Oxe.—North Warmsey, Farne Islands, 18 June, 1856. “Bird caught. A. & HE. N.” The only egg of the species taken by us on our second visit to the islands. | [§ 4953. Four.—Bull Rocks, Rathlin, 25 May, 1863. From Mr. Robert Harvey. Taken, wrote Mr. Harvey, by Donald Dan. | [§ 4954. One.—Dun, St. Kilda, 22 May, 1868. aa ed ad Dee From : Mr. Elwes. [§ 4955. One—Barra Head, Outer Hebrides, Lo Dunes tsGsee A. Jin.” Both the above obtained by Mr. Elwes himself, whose notes on the birds of the last-named island are in ‘ The Ibis’ for 1869, pp. 26, 27.] 406 FRATERCULA ARCTICA.—COLYMBUS GLACIALIS. [§ 4956. One—Grand Manan, Bay of Fundy. From Mr. Henry Osburn, 1867.] [§ 4957. Four.—Ailsa Craig, 6 June, 1884. From Mr. Robert \ Service, 1886. Mr. Service wrote that they were all obtained by himself on the island.] FRATERCULA GLACIALIS, Stephens. [§ 4958. One.—Grimsey, Iceland. From Mr. Proctor, through Mr. Tristram, 1867. This is one of two eggs which had been for a long while in Mr. Tristram's collection. Mr, Proctor had told me of his having formerly received skins of the larger Puffin from Grimsey. This egg is certainly much bigger than the average of our Puflins’, but it is equalled in size by one or two. Herr Hantzsch (Vogelwelt Islands, pp. 105 et segg.) treats the Icelandic Puffin as belonging to the large Northern form, but I do not feel quite sure that the emaller and more southern /’. arctica may not also be there. | COLYMBUS GLACIALIS’, Linnzeus. GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. § 4959. One—Near Myvatn, Iceland, June, 1843. From Mr. Proctor, 1844. The Icelandic name [Himbrimz] was written on this egg. § 4960. One.—From Mr. Green, 1846. § 4961. One.—From Mr. Argent, 1852. ‘ (Mr. Wolley wrote in his Egg-bvvk of this species in Sutherland in 1849:— “ Great NoRTHERN DivER—I saw many pairs on the saltwater Loch Eribol— ‘not known to breed there—not seen with young; leave soon.’ This was on the 8th of May. I nearly shot two Ember Geese with ball.” The name “ Ember Goose ” (Danish Jmber) is from the Icelandic Himbrimt.—Eb. | COLYMBUS GLACIALIS. 4.07 § 4962. Oxze.—From Mr. Williams, of Oxford Street, 1852. § 4963. Zwo.—Sandhvass-holmi, West Iceland. May or June, 1858. These eggs of Himbrimi, found about a month and a half ago, were brought on the 14th of July, 1858, by Jon Gislasson, of Akrattinga in Hraunhrepp in Myya-Sjsla, to the Apothecary Randrup in Reykjavik, while we were there, and we bought them of him for one mark each, the price the apothecary had given on former occasions. (§ 4964. One—North Iceland.. From Mr. Proctor, 1851. | [§ 4965. One—Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. From Mr. Andrew Downs, 1857. Obtained by me from Mr. Downs at Halifax, when I was there in August, 1857. I understood him to say that it was an egg of that year. | [§ 4966. Zhree.—Iceland, 1860, From Mr. J. W. Clark, 1868. Given to me by Mr. Clark, who brought them from Iceland, whither he went in Lord Fitzwilliam’s yacht in 1860, and wrote an account of his voyage in ‘ Vacation Tourists’ for that year (pp. 323-361). | [§ 4967. Zwo.—Newfoundland. From Mr. Henry Reeks, 1868. Mr. Reeks has some interesting notes on the breeding of this species in Newfoundland in ‘ The Zoologist ’ for 1869 (pp. 1852, 1853). These two eggs differ so much in shape that they can hardly have been laid by the same bird. | [§ 4968. Zwo.—Ikamiut, Egedesminde, Greenland, July, 1883. From Herr Schidler, 1906. From Inspektor Fencker’s collection and inscribed by him, as the kind donor informs me. According to Herr Winge (Gronlands Fugle, p. 187), skins of a male and female shot on a lake at this place are in the Museum of Copenhagen. } 408 COLYMBUS GLACIALIS.—C. ARCTICUS. [§ 4969. Zwo.—Lyosavatn, North Iceland, 9 July, 1885. From Mr. T. Carter, [§ 4970. Oue.—Myvatn, North Iceland, 1903. | 13 July, 1885. COLYMBUS ARCTICUS, Linnzus. BLACK-THROATED DIVER. § 4971. One.—Loch Scatavagh, North Uist, 5 June, 1847. From Mr. Henry Milner. Brought to me this 26th of October, 1847, and [the name of the place] written on it by Mr. Henry Milner at Beeston. This valuable egg is one of the only pair the Messrs. Milner met with on this loch, though they found the bird on many of the large lochs [in Sutherland and Ross (‘ Zoologist,’ 1848, p.2017)j. Mr. Milner wrote of this egg on the 2]st that “It was taken by my own hands.” Sometimes the bird makes a considerable nest, often scarcely any. The eggs vary in colour. Mr. Milner did not find this bird in Iceland. I hear that Mr. Strickland has attempted to prove that the Norwegian Black- throated Diver is different from ours—see British Association Report. [In Mr. (afterwards Sir William) Milner’s paper in ‘ The Zoologist’ for 1848 (p. 2061), Loch Ean is given as the place where this egg was taken; but Mr. Harvie-Brown kindly informs me that that loch, the name of which is more correctly written Loch nan Eun (Lake of the Birds), may be easily and pardonably mistaken for Loch Scatavagh, the name inscribed on the egg by Mr. Henry Milner, owing to their proximity and the extraordinary ramifica- tions of the latter, though the two are not connected. I find nothing in the Reports of the British Association to bear out the truth of the rumour which Mr. Wolley mentions; but there may have been some communication by one or other of the Messrs, Strickland to the effect stated, and it may have been noticed in some newspaper of the time. In 1824 C. L. Brehm described (Lehrbuch der Naturgeschichte aller europiischen Vogel, ii. p. 888) a “ Colymbus balticus, Hornschuch et Schilling ”, from infor- mation given to him by those naturalists; but from what he subsequently wrote (Handbuch u. s. w. p. 976) it seems that the supposed new species had its home in South-eastern Russia, only visiting the Pomeranian coast of the Baltic in winter, and nothing is said of its occurrence in Norway, though the rumour, if true, probably had its origin in this alleged species, which has been COLYMBUS ARCTICUS. 4.09 by almost everyone else referred to C. arcticus, and no doubt properly. The rumour, however, seems to explain Mr. Wolley’s desire to identify the eggs he took in Sutherland by shooting the parents, which would otherwise have been needless. ] § 4972. Two.—Loch Shin, Sutherland, 14 May, 1849. oe Ws The first nest of this species I found was by the side of Loch Shin. Half a mile on, after finding a Goose’s nest and a Wild Duck’s, I come across a Black-throated Diver’s pair of eggs. I do not see the Lird, but on my going away it comes in sight, and I make it out well with my glass. On my returning it is on or close to the nest, and swims out to about eighty yards, where it stops. The nest is a mere depression of some size in the very short grass. Round it there are scattered bits of willow growing about six or eight inches high, and in it are broken bits of willow. The grass growing in it is yellow, shewing that the bird has been sitting some little time—several days from the appearance of the contents of the eggs. The island may be twenty yards long, and has on it two or three scattered bunches of heather. I see no track to the water’s edge, which is about four yards off—large stones reaching halfway. The “islet” was connected with the mainland by a ridge of sand, along which I walked. I visited if as appearing likely for a Diver’s nest. Ferguson, the game- keeper at Lairg, thought us wonderfully lucky in finding the nest. The islet or peninsula on which I found the eggs was in a kind of bay just opposite the island or islands in Loch Shin. § 4973. TZwo.—Loch Awe, Sutherland, 17 May, 1849. After dinner at Altnagallagagh I walk to the gamekeeper’s, John Sutherland. He is not in, but there I see two shepherds who tell me that the two Mr. Clarkes! have just got their boat into Loch Awe, and want the keeper to search the islands. I start for it, and they arrive about the same time. Having stated my case I am carried out in the boat, a Norwegian skiff bought at Stornaway, to an island near the middle of the loch; but before I get there I have broken an oar. Mr. Clarke takes one side of the island, I the other. I find the nest almost immediately—two dark, dead-looking eggs about four feet 1 [The tenants, as Mr. Harvie-Brown informs me, of a farm near Ledbeg, where Sutherland lived.—Ep. | 410 COLYMBUS ARCTICUS. from the water’s edge, lying head and foot together. Close to them and rather overhanging is a bit of willow. No nest, but a little of the dry thin ribband-like grass pressed down. After rowing after the birds, which are seen near, fishing a bit, I lie in wait. They come close together round a corner within shot, but see me as I move my gun, and gradually sink themselves in the water, till their beak disappears. There are no weeds near. They come up and remain at from eighty to one hundred yards’ distance, as in the case of the bird at Loch Shin [§ 4972]. They frequently put their head under water, a kind of symptom of anxiety I supposed. I have observed this habit in others and it is mentioned by Yarrell [Brit. Birds, iii. p- 831]. I draw my charge and put in a bullet, but nearly break my ramrod in forcing it home, for the gun is much “leaded.” With a steady aim [resting] on a grassy stone, the two birds being close together, I fire. I fancy that both disappear. One, however, is lying on the water. I put in another bullet, and presently send it within an inch or so of the head of the survivor, which does not dive for a second after. It then comes up far away. On picking up my bird it is found to be shot through the back of the head, and a great beauty it is, but I regret its fate. The captain says with a grimace «« What will the keeper say ?”? I shewed him my paper [permission to shoot]. The bird’s skin is preserving for me at Newcastle. Next day I walk with John Sutherland to a loch over the ‘hill in which last year were a pair of Divers which reared a young one un- disturbed. A small island in the loch, but a shepherd’s lad told me he had once found the eggs on the shore of the mainland there. In it I see Otter’s dung. § 4974. Zwo.—Loch Urigil, Sutherland, 19 May, 1849. “ Bird shot. J. W.” We drag the landlord’s boat [from Altnagallagagh | over to Loch Urigil. In a little island with hummocks is a Black-throated Diver’s nest, two feet from the water’s edge. A little grass and mayblobs [Caltha palustris] gathered into it. The eggs very pale, one scarcely spotted. John Sutherland found them almost before the boat touched the land. He proposes to lie in wait, which I then ° volunteer to do, with his gun. After a little time the Divers were driven to the windward side of me, and I get ashot atone. The bird turns and floats to me, apparently quite dead. I see it to within a COLYMBUS ARCTICUS. 4l]1 few yards of me, but Iam watching for another shot, which I get at last ata great distance, and with no effect. The crew have been searching for Goose’s nests on the shore by my direction. We could not find the bird, which we supposed must have recovered itself. The island was covered with high hummocks, which made lying in wait very easy and agreeable. It was not more than twenty yards across. I saw a Black-throated Diver on Loch Assynt near the island where I found the Mergansers. I also saw a pair on Loch Maddie, where Mr. St. John [Tour in Sutherlandshire, i. p. 40] found them breeding. On the lst of June a bird was brought to John Sutherland, which had been caught on the road between Loch Urigil and Loch Camaloch, and believed to be my Diver shot at and stunned, as mentioned above. Its beak was broken, but that appeared to have been done last year. Sutherland skinned it for me. § 4975. Zwo.—Sutherland, 1850. From Mr. Bantock. Mr. Bantock is the head gamekeeper to the Duke of Sutherland at Dunrobin, whose Museum I saw in 1849. Mr. Heyworth has brought a specimen from Sweden, precisely like other eggs of the Black- throated Diver, which, however, it is merely supposed to be from its appearance. [One of these eggs is curiously pear-shaped. } § 4976. One.—Assynt, Sutherland, 1851. Of a pair received from John Sutherland. I wrote to ask him in which loch they were taken, but I had no answer. The other egg I gave to Mr. Salmon. § 4977. Zwo.—Kaarressuando, Sweden, 1853. From Pastor Engelmark, who said they were those of Colymbus arcticus. He does not at all know eggs by their appearance, as this is the first year he has paid any attention to them. § 4978. Zwo.—Salmojarvi, Finland, 1854. Brought to me at midsummer. 412 COLYMBUS ARCTICUS. § 4979. Two.—Nilima, F., 1854. Brought by Nalis Aaron, under the name of Tohtaja, that is Black-throated Diver. He lives at Kangasjarvi, a little distance from Nalima. § 4980. Zwo.—Palajoki, 1854. From Johan Matthias, son of the gdstgifvare [innkeeper]. § 4981. Zwo.—Unkari-niemi, Kangasjirvi, 1854. [Inscribed by Mr. Wolley, but not entered in his Egg-book. | § 4982. One.—Hakkokangas-koski, Patsjoki. 8 June, 1855. CALs Nest on the level of the water, out of which it was built, ona margin of the island in a branch of the lake projecting into Russia, just above the fos [rapid]. The bird fluttered off and I shot at it, but apparently missed it. I had a good sight of it. § 4983. Zwo.—Mask Fjord, East Finmark. From Pastor Sommerfelt, 1855. Given to us as specimens of the largest size of Diver found here. I myself have only seen Colymbus arcticus and C. septentrionalis about; but to-day [10 July, 1855] a C. glacialis in full summer- plumage, shot at Mortensniis, has just been brought in. § 4984. Two.—Wuontisjarvi, 16 June, 1855 (with skin). Obtained by Ludwig at the Wuontisjarvi of Wuontisjarvi Anti, between Keras- and Toras-sieppi, on the morning of the 16th of June. The bird had been snared, and Ludwig bought the skin of the head and neck which he now shews me. It is clearly Colymbus arcticus. The eggs were fresh and taken that morning. § 4985. Two.—Kontajarvi, 1854. COLYMBUS ARCTICUS. 413 § 4986. One.—Sudiarvi, 1855. Taken by Olli Nyimakka between that place and Mukka-uoma. § 4987. Two.—Salmojarvi, 1855. Brought to me 5 August by Fredrik Vilhelm. § 4988. One.—Keras-sieppi, 1555. From a nest of two brought to Knoblock 7 July by Matthias Hendriksson. § 4989. One.—Kangasjarvi, 1855. Brought by Piko Heiki, 1] June. § 4990. One.—Kitkessuando, 1855. [A very large specimen, inscribed but not entered by Mr. Wolley in his Egg-book. It measures 3°57 by 2°27 inches. | § 4991. Zwo.—Mukka-uoma, 1855. § 4992. One.—Kangasjarvi, 3 July, 1857. Brought on the 4th by Olof Johansson, who said he found the nest on Kossari on the 2nd, and snared the cock bird from it. H. C. Erichsen, 1859. 5058. Zwo.—Sodborg 86, 4 June, 1857. J All the above given me at Copenhagen by Mr. Erichsen, who seems to have taken them himself. The lake is about five English miles from Copenhagen. | 5059. One.—* South Russia.” From Herr A. Heinke, of Kamuschin, through Dr. Ginther, 1863. | Soborg Mose, 8 May, 1892. From Herr J. S. 5061. One.—Soborg Mose, 19 June, 1892. Regenburg. Given to my brother Edward when in Denmark, the last picked out of the water by Herr Regenburg on the occasion of his visit to Soborg in company with Herr Herluf Winge and my brother, whose account of the place is as follows :—“ On arriving at the Aro (public house) we walked down to the mose (moss) and got into a boat. We soon saw a Red-necked Grebe, Black ‘Terns, and Black-headed Gulls. The land round the mose is cultivated down to its edge. It is perhaps half a mile long, running from north to south, and is mostly edged with common reed, then thick masses of a large species of Equisetum, with vast quantities of water-lil’es and the curious pine-like weed (Stratzotes aloides ?) which grows at South Walsham, and floats upright, the roots only touching the bottom. The whole of the mose is nearly covered with this, and there is consequently very little open water. We tried to force our way to the east, but were prevented by the mass of weeds. There were in this part about four Black Terns. I could neversee moreatatime. They evidently had eggs, 5060. Three. PODICIPES AURITUS. 429 as they came quite close, screaming angrily; but we were not able to get within one hundred and fifty or two hundred yards from where they settled down, and where their nests probably were, though we passed over where my companions said they had nests last year. There were also about one hundred Black- headed Gulls, which evidently had nests, but we could not get near to them. After some labour we got the boat into a sort of canal where the water was deeper and the weeds fewer, and went about a quarter of a mile, landing on a small island covered with high grass, and having a mound of earth about ten feet above the level of the mose, from which we could see over it. Here were more Black Terns, different birds, we thought, from those we had seen before, about four old Red-necked Grebes and two broods of young—one and two,—and one or two Coots. After remaining about a quarter of an hour, we rowed across to the land about a hundred yards off, and then walked along the north-west side. Here we counted eleven Black Terns at one time. Herr Regenburg picked up a cracked Grebe’s egg out of the water and gave it to me. The mose, Herr Winge said, could not be drained, as it is part of the scheme for flooding the neighbourhood of Copenhagen, in the event of invasion by an enemy on the land-side.”’| PODICIPES AURITUS (Linnzus). HORNED GREBE. § 5062. Oue-—Iceland. From Mr. Proctor, through Mr. Hewitson, 1844. % § 5063. One.—Myvatn, Iceland, 1846. From Mr. Henry Milner, 1847. They did not see the Eared Grebe in Iceland. The Horned was abundant. § 5064. One.—Myskemyr, Gottland, 10 June, 1854. From Herr Meves, 1855. Given to me at the end of September by Herr Meves, Conservator of the Museum of the Academy of Sciences at Stockholm. He took it himself on a lake in the south of the island from which all the specimens of this Grebe in the Museum were obtained. It is Prof. Sundevall’s opinion that Linné’s auritus is cornutus, auctorum, and that Pod. arcticus is the summer dress of the same bird. 4.26 PODICIPES AURITUS. § 5065. Zwo.—Marsjo, Eland, 7 June, 1856. “J. W. and W. Hos Out of anest of five eggs found by Mr. Simpson [Hudleston], who was wading a little tomyright. The eggs were covered, and the nest floating among sedges where the water was nearly up to the fork. We could not get a sight of the bird; but as the Sclavonian Grebe is known to breed in Gottland (teste Meves and the Stockholm Museum [§ 5064]) we supposed the nest might belong to that species. Of the eggs three were hard sat upon, and two apparently fresh. I kept the feet of the young Grebes in spirit. § 5066. Zhree-—Knise Mosse, (Céland, 11 June, 1856. SAW NE Found by Mr. Simpson [Hudleston] ina nest of six. He saw the bird close, and saw it twice leave the nest. He has a stuffed speci- men at home and is certain this was the same, namely Sclavonian Grebe. On the 17th I went with him to the moss, and saw a Sclavonian Grebe distinctly with my glass. He found another nest in the same place with young birds, of which he caught two or three. [One of the above was giyen to us by Mr. Hudleston on his return. } § 5067. Zwo.—Orméga, Eland, 17 June, 1856. § 5068. Zwo.—Ormiga, 18 June, 1856. “J. W.” Out of two nests which I visited, 18 June, the second still untaken. It was among bog-beans in a piece of water with very little cover. Here I saw and watched three pairs of Sclavonian Grebes swimming about, with their crest up. After the eggs were taken I saw one of the birds fly up towards the spot. The first nest had six eggs, of which Mr. Simpson [Hudleston] has three, as well as one from the second nest, which is white and nearly round. It was laid the night before. [One egg from the first nest was given to us by Mr. Hudleston and two others were sold at Mr. Stevens’s, 51 May, 1860, to Mr. Braikenridge, one of which has since passed into the possession vf Mr. Parkin. The following extract which Mr. Hudleston has allowed me to make from his PODICIPES AURITUS. ADT journal of 18 June, 1856, renders the history of these specimens more complete :— “‘ My boys having found a Sclavonian Grebe with six eggs yesterday, and also another nest close by containing two eggs, which they left, we started for the place this morning. It proved to be a pool of water lying in a depression in the large common which extends from the back of the Merlin wood ' to the west coast, No aquatic vegetation covers this pool except a thin fringe of bog- bean on one side. In a little bay, where this fringe was thickest, were the two nests, one of which now contained three eggs, the one laid this morning being fresh and of a curious round shape. There were three pairs of the birds floating on the pool, and we lay down to watch them for some time—an interesting sight. They were not very shy, and appeared quite unconcerned, floating smoothly along, and sometimes taking a short flight.” } [§ 5069. 7hree—Flankastadr, South-western Iceland, 7 June, 1858. 2° Aa Ne From a nest built on a floating bog-bean off a little islet in a small pond close to the house at Flankastadr. The day we came here first (21 May) we saw some Grebes on this and the adjacent pond at Sandgerdi; and passing it again on returning from our visit to Pastor Sivertsen at Utskala, we thought it best to enquire of the inhabitants respecting this and other kinds of birds. While Mr. Wolley was talking to the man through Geir Zoega, and trying to make him understand what we meant by our enquiries, I saw a Grebe quietly sitting on its nest, as above described, not forty yards from us. The man brought a plank, and we got on to tlie islet, the bird leaving its nest as we approached, and Mr. Wolley holding me by one hand I reached out and took these eggs out of the nest. The bird continued in the pond for some time, and several times rose to the surface. It appeared to me to have a full amount of feathering round the head, and therefore not to be the supposed P. arcticus. The native called it Fléaskitr. The nest was truly a floating one, and composed of plants newly gathered, as seen from their freshness. There were several pairs of Red-necked Phalarope about; but they did not seem as yet to have got nests, also on the adjacent bigger pond of Sandgerdi there were three more pairs of Grebes and the beginning of a nest. | [§ 5070. Zhree.—Flankastadr, 18 June, 1858. “A. N.” Out of four from the same nest as before (§ 5069). I had a still better view of the bird than I had the last time, as I was within five yards of her when she left the nest, and I could plainly see her crimson eye. I have no doubt she was positively the Horned Grebe. I got out to the nest as before, and took the eges myself. The little islet close to which the nest was built was now much grown up with grass, among which were some six or eight nests of Arctic Tern. Four of them contained two eggs each and these I took (§§ 4478-4481). The fourth Grebe’s egg I gave to Mr. Salvin. ] ‘ {A wood in which Mr, Hudleston had taken a Merlin’s nest.—Ep. | 428 PODICIPES AURITUS.—P. NIGRICOLIIS. § 5071. Zwo.—Sandgerdi, South-western Iceland, 18 June, TS58. 465, We? § 5072. Five—Sandgerdi, 6 July, 1858. [These two sets (the first from a nest of three) were taken and marked as above by Mr. Wolley, but not entered by him in the Egg-book, the pool at Sandgerdi being, as already mentioned, very close to that at Flankastadr, At the former place I saw on the 18th of June a nest built among and on a patch of bog-bean, in a broadish channel between two islets. The proprietor’s son got out to it, and took the two eggs it held, which I afterwards gave to Mr. Percy Godman. I could just see, one of them as I stood on the brink. I afterwards saw a Grebe come quite close to the nest, and it appeared, as all the Grebes on this and the adjoining water at Flankastadr, to be a Horned Grebe. The third egg of Mr. Wolley’s nest of the 18th of June was sold at Mr, Stevens’s, 31 May, 1860, to Mr. Braikenridge. ] [§ 5073. Zhree—North Iceland. From Mr. Proctor, 1851, 1852. PODICIPES NIGRICOLLIS, Brehm. EARED GREBE. § 5074. One.—From the Geneva Museum, 1846. All the man’s eggs, if I remember, were of the neighbourhood, and this bird probably breeds in the Swiss lakes. It is rather smaller than the egg of the Horned Grebe, as is the bird itself. § 5075. Three. From M. Parzudaki, 1856. § 5076. One.—* Sardaigne.”’ [The three were most likely from Algeria. ] § 5077. Zwo.—Lake Halloula, Algeria, 20 May, 1856. From Mr. Tristram, 1858. Lot 248 at Mr. Stevens’s rooms, 9 February, 1858. The note on the species in the Sale Catalogue says :—‘ Breeds in society on PODICIPES FLUVIATILIS. 429 artificial islets raised in the centre of the lakes. Some of the nestS examined were piled more than a yard under water; none were taken in 1857.” It is said that in Algeria no other Grebe can be confounded with it. 5078. Four. ’ a Lake Halloula, 20 May, 1856. From Mr. Tristram, 1858. § 5079. Four. Complete-nests, all taken by Mr. Tristram, who said that he took some 86 in about half an acre of pond, by means. of a boat extemporized with rushes and worked by a pole. The other Grebes of the country are Great Crested and Little Grebes. Mr. Tristram did not see the Sclavonian anywhere. The Great Grebe is always in company, while the Little Grebe is solitary. The Whiskered Terns tuke the nests of the former afterwards [cf. § 4387]. [§ 5080. Zwo.—Lake Halloula, 20 May, 1856. From Mr. Tristram. Given to me by the Canon on his return in the same year. | PODICIPES FLUVIATILIS (Tunstall). DABCIHIICK or LITTLE GREBE. § 5081. Four.—Eton, not later than 1842. Common on the Thames. I have also seen and shot the Dabchick on the Cam. It is also found on the Trent, and I have frequently seen it fly early in the spring. The egg marked has the calcareous surface scraped off by the assistance of water with the edge of a quill. [Mr. Rowley’s note (Memoir, p. xi) shews that “hunting Dabchicks” was one of Mr. Wolley’s amusements at Eton. | § 5082. Four.—Tangier, June, 1847. From M. Favier. I saw one of these birds in one of the Tortoise-pools in September, 1845. Another specimen sent to Dr. Brewer. A430 PODICIPES FLUVIATILIS. § 5083. Zwo.—Eton, 1850. From G. Hall. § 5084. Zwo.—Kton, April, 1852. These were from a nest of seven eggs which Fisher, of Eton, had on the Ist of May. They were taken somewhere about Boveney. He says that there is no great demand for eggs at Eton now, in consequence of the numberless impositions practised on the boys. § 5085. One.—Thetford, 1836. “J. D. S.” From Mr. Salmon. [No doubt taken by Mr. Salmon himself; but there is no note of when he gave it to Mr. Wolley. It appears to have been in his old cabinet. | [§ 5086. Zwo.—Barnham, Suffolk, 1847. [§ 5087. Oxe.—Barnham, 1848. [§ 5088. Oxe.—Barnham, 1849. [§ 5089. Three —Barnham, 1851. The above seven, with several more, all brought to my brother or myself by the same man, William Baker. | [§ 5090. Zhree.—Kast Wretham, Norfolk, 18 June, 1853. OA olaN. Taken by ourselves as above, on a mere. | [§ 5091. Four.—lIsle of Doagh, Donegal, 11 July, 1863. From Mr. Robert Harvey. Mr. Harvey wrote :—‘“1 had nearly given up hope of these eggs what my nephew sent me this nestful, and three others, all taken by Paddy Donald ‘Keaghal, on a small lake, where I had seen the birds in June; but could get no eggs. I believe the delay was caused by the heavy rains, which had flooded the lake and prevented the cover for the nest from growing up.” ] PODICIPES FLUVIATILIS.—PUFFINUS KUHLI. 431 [§ 5092. Five-—Bloxworth, Dorset, 19 May, 1876. “Saw bird. EN.” My brother’s note, written at Bloxworth, is:—“I have noticed a Little Grebe, and once two, on the Oakermire pond here ever since I first went to it, on the 27th of April, and having seen a nest with two egys at Littlesea, near Studland, on the 15th of May, I thought it was time to look for their nest. On the 19th I accordingly went to the most likely spot, the sallow bushes on the south side, and on getting up a few feet into one, I saw the nest below me, resting on a bough of the tree which was submerged. The eggs were entirely covered up with the weeds of which the nest was made, but were warm. I saw what I believe was the male bird on the pond just before. Two of the egos contained young within a few hours of hatching, the others were addle.” | [§ 5093. One.—Loch na Feith Direach, Ross-shire, 21 May, P90. << J D7 From Mir A} He Evans: This was given to me by Mr. Evans, 2 June, being one of a pair sent to him by Mr. J. H. Dixon, of Poolewe in Ross-shire, and the produce of the Grebes that breed in a loch above that place, and have been supposed by Mr. Booth (Rough Notes, iii. sub cap. Sclavonian Grebe) and others to be Horned Grebes (P. auritus). Mr. Evans was at the place about six weeks before, and saw tie birds well. He then satisfied himself that they were only Dabchicks; but waited till the eggs had been taken before declaring himself. Having compared this ege with those of other Podicipedes there cannot be a doubt that he was right. Indeed he told me that he had been near enough to the birds to see not only that they were not horned or tufted, but also to see the little white spot at the gape, so that I feel pretty sure that the story, which has also been published in Mr. Dixon’s ‘ Gairloch,’ (p. 253), must be founded in error (cf. Ann. Scott. Nat. Hist. 1892, pp. 171, 172). It was said that there was never more than a single pair of Grebes breeding on this loch. | PUFFINUS KUHLI (Boie). § 5094. One.—Desertas, Madeira, 1850. ‘ With bird.” From Dr. Frere. Dr. Frere, in a letter of 24 September, 1850, says :—“I have promised to send him [ Mr. G. R. Gray, of the British Museum] an egg of the Great Shearwater which I have, also with the bird, and which I showed to him. I don’t know whether I ever gave tongue to my intention of sending you an egg also; but if I did I fear it must not be this year, though next I hope to have some more 432 PUFFINUS KUHLI. specimens. Can you wait?” Again, writing 8 October, 1850, he says: ‘J will send also (for I have received two more since I wrote to you) the egg of the big Shearwater.” The following is a copy of another letter to me from Dr. Frere, dated 9 Queen Street, Mayfair, 12 October, 1850 :—“ You are quite right in your wish to learn more about the eggs. What I have told you is, I dare say, far from conclusive to your sceptical mind; but I felt that I had no right, and have no right, to make you, whether you will or no, the depository of a fact that I do not want generally known, till after next season at least. I have been at some trouble and it has cost me something to get at these eggs, and I do not wish to be forestalled, as I might be, did it get more known than it is at present. A friend who was travelling promised to look out for» — eggs for me. He reported that on a certain rocky island there were four kinds of Shearwaters and Petrels, that he saw a fifth which he knew was the Common Petrel, out at sea, but he did not see it on land. He believes that he was the first Englishman who ever landed there. He gives me the Portuguese name for these four birds, and also the address of a bird-killer, I cannot call him a naturalist, in the neighbourhood of it. I wrote to him for what he can send. He sends me, with their country-names (he knows no other), four kinds of birds from this place—the Great Shearwater, the [Puffinus] obscurus, Bulwer’s Petrel, and Leach’s Petrel, besides a young Tern—also eggs which he asserts belong to each of these birds. They correspond with what the eggs of the birds ought to be, at least the large Shearwater does (so much so, indeed, that I received the egg first and never doubted that when I sent for the skin I should find it to be the Great), the Leach’s Petrels’ eggs are exactly like other Leach’s Petrels’ eggs, and some of the Bulwer’s my friend took himself, kicking the bird off the egg. «‘The man has no object in deceiving me. I should have paid him, for all he knew, just the same under all circumstances, and for my own part I am certainly quite satisfied, though I cannot say that this particular egg was laid by the bird that owned that particular skin, and if I were not so, I should begin to think whether, provided I shot a bird off the nest, that bird were the parent, a visitor, or a hired wet nurse. | can understand a man being doubtful with an egg like the Roseate Tern’s or any of the Ducks, when the mere fact of the eggs coming in the same box would not be sufficient ; but, if one is to believe anything, I believe these eggs to be, I don’t say Great Shearwaters’ eggs or Bulwer’s PUFFINUS KUHLI. 433 Petrels’ eggs, but eggs of birds with jackets similar to those that lie in that drawer that Gray tells me are Great Shearwater and Bulwer’s Petrel.” [I believe that Dr. Frere’s friend, through whom he obtained these Petrels’ eges, was the late Mr. T. Vernon Wollaston (cf. § 5147), the well-known entomologist—a friend also of Mr. Wolley’s. At that time the large Shearwater which bred in the Desertas was fully believed to be Puffinus major, Faber, that is P. gravis, O'Reilly, with which it was so long con- founded, while the “ Leach’s Petrel ” is now separated as Oceanodroma castro. | § 5095. Z7wo.—Desertas, 1851. From Dr. Frere. “ Grey Shearwater, P. cinereus, Steph. Briciano, 1851,” in Dr. Frere’s book. These two valuable eggs among a number of the kind sent to him with the birds from Madeira. {§ 5096. Onxe.—Desertas. From Dr. Frere, 1861. Given to me by Dr. Frere, on breaking up his collection. This was the last of the large Shearwaters’ eggs he had left. | [§ 5097. One.—Desertas, 15 June, 1892. ) From Padre E. Schmitz, through [§ 5098. One.—lIlha de Fora, Porto Santo, | Mr. Borrer.] 20 June, 1892. [§ 5099. One.—< Grecia,” 1863. From Dr. Kriiper, through Herr Seidensacher, 1864. Inscribed by Dr. Kriiper “ Puff. cinereus,” and under that name its breeding-habits in the Cyclades are described by him (Journ. fiir Orn. 1868, pp. 826-339). He found an egg on the 3lst of May, 1862, and the beginning of June can be regarded as the regular time for laying, while at the end of July the young are still small and covered with down, and they had not left the nest at the beginning of October. The old birds are neither seen nor heard during the daytime at their breeding-place, but become active at night, flying to and fro with fearful cries in the most varied tones (ef. etvwm Griechische Jahreszeiten, iii. p. 298). It is to be noted that this egg is much smaller than the average of P. kuhli, and its reference to that species is hardly free from doubt. | PART IV. an) A3A PUFFINUS ANGLORUM. PUFFINUS ANGLORUM (Temminck). MANKS SHEARWATER. § 5100. Onze.—{Shetland?] From Mr. Hewitson, 1844. Of two, the other given to Dr. Brewer. They are very like Hens’ eggs, but may be distinguished by the more chalky feel, the greater thinness of the shell, and the greenish appearance on being held to the light, so as to shew the inside. [Apparently obtained by Mr. Hewitson in Shetland, where he states (British Oology, text to plate xxxix.) that he procured about fifteen specimens :— “These I had some difficulty in obtaining, from the very high estimation in which they are held by the fishermen as food.” He adds that Dr. Edmondston told him that the knowledge of their breeding-places is kept as a family secret, and handed down from father to son. This was in 1832.) § 5101. One—From Mr. Hancock, 1846. § 5102. One.—From Mr. Robert Dunn, 1848. § 5103. Four.—Hoy, Orkney. From Mr. George Harvey, 1848. Mr. Harvey had a large stock of the eggs of this bird, of which I took the half. § 5104. Onve.—Sund, Strémoe, Ferde, 7 July, 1849. “J. W. ipse.” Of the Shearwater we examined two holes on the 7th of July, near Sund. Schmitz, through [§ 5119. One.—Porto Santo, 22 February, | Mr. Borrer. 1893. J Sent with two other eggs and the skin of an adult bird to Mr. Borrer, to whom I returned the skin and the other two eggs. They correspond accurately with those formerly received by Dr. Frere (§ 5117). ] FULMARUS GLACIALIS (Linneus). FULMAR. § 5120. One—* St. Kilda,’ 1847. From Mr. Graham. Mr. Henry Milner told me that they had great difficulty in blowing the Fulmars’ eggs on their way home, as most of them were hard sat upon, and this at a time when the Common Storm-Petrels had only just begun to lay—say about the 10th of June. St. Kilda is very seldom visited. The natives could not speak a word of English, but 438 FULMARUS GLACIALIS. luckily the Messrs. Milner had a minister with them. One oldish man could remember seeing the Great Auk very many years ago. (Mr. Graham, afterwards a well-known bird-stuffer at York, was taken by the Messrs. Milner with them on their visit to St. Kilda in 1847, an account of which was given by the elder of the brothers, afterwards Sir William Milner, in ‘The Zoologist’ for 1848 (pp. 2054-2062). This egg was one of those then obtained, but from which of the islands which make up the group known as “St. Kilda” there is no evidence to shew. The species breeds in vast numbers on Soay, but there are a good many on St. Kilda itself. ] § 5121. Sia— [As already stated (Memoir, p. xvii), Mr. Wolley had for more than two years been in correspondence with Mr, Strickland on the subject of the Dodo, but this was their first meeting.—Eb. } SULA BASSANA. 455 were there, mending their nests. Nota single egg laid: 1700 young were taken in 1850, about half, [Two of these eggs, marked “J. W. ipse,” are very small, measuring 2°75 by 1:67 inch, the largest of the whole is 3:26 by 2:01 inches. | § 5176. Twenty-four —Bass Rock, 1851. I received twelve dozen Solan Goose eggs from George Adams in the summer of 1851. When they arrived at Beeston they had been taken for some weeks, and most of them were more or less tending to rottenness. Inside, many of them had assumed in the skin, or parts of it, a beautiful carmine colour, which had affected more or less the soft parts of the egg. I did not examine it with the microscope. (Mr. Wolley notes that about a dozen of these eggs were broken in the journey. Mr. Walter and Dr. Frere had each three, and Mr. Hancock two dozen. Others of the remaining three dozen must have been otherwise distributed, but the twenty-four now in the collection no doubt sufficiently represent the original large number. | § 5177. Twelve—Myggenes-holm, Fede, not later than 1856. From Sysselmand Miller. The Gannet we failed to visit at Myggenes-holm. The men considered the sea too rough, though this might be an excuse, as they were afraid of the fever [reported to be raging on Myggenes itself]. We got nearly halfway out to Myggenees, and saw some of the birds flying over. Landt says [ Beskrivelse over Feréerne, p. 259 ; Engl. Transl. p. 237] that if they had good luck they caught two hundred in the spring, and as many of the young in autumn. It seems therefore that it is not so numerous as on the Bass. [The above was written by Mr. Wolley on his return from the Feeroes in 1849. These eggs are the first that he received from that locality, of which a good account, attributed to Sir George Dasent, was given in ‘ The North British Review’ for May, 1864 (no. lxxx. pp. 321-323). One was sold at Mr. Stevens’s, 23 February, 1858, to Mr. Shepherd, and I gave one each to Mr. Percy Godman, Dr. Heermann, and Mr. J. H. Gurney. | [§ 5178. One.—Bass Rock, 1854. From Mr. Evelyn Fairlie. } [§ 5179. Zwo.—Bass Rock, 1855. From Mr. Southwell.] 456 SULA BASSANA. [§ 5180. Zwo—Gannet Rock, 23 June, 1860. J. Kees From Dr. Heermann. The initials are those of Mr. John Krider, from whom Dr. Heermann doubtless obtained these eggs; but the rest of the inscription points to their coming from Dr. Bryant, who, on the day named, arrived at the “ Bird Rocks” in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Proc. Boston Soe. N, H. viii. p. 65), one of which, called “Gannet Rock”, and known as a breeding-station of this species since the time of Jacques Cartier (1534), he minutely describes (pp. 68-70), computing that there were 50,000 pairs of Gannets nesting on the summit, an estimate perhaps too great. The place seems now in a fair way of being made desolate through their destruction during the last forty years (cf. H. K. Job, ‘Among the Water-birds’, part ii.). | [§ 5181. One.—* Stack Rock, South Wales,” not later than | 1864. From the late Mr. Sealy’s Collection. This is also inscribed by Mr. Sealy “ taken by Ed. Walker” ; but owing to the loss of his Catalogue nothing more is known of it. Mr. Saunders has informed me that the locality was most likely Grasholm (cf. § 5186) ; but the existence of a Gannet’s breeding-place off the Welsh coast was quite unknown to me and most ornithologists so long ago as 1864, and this egg must have been taken before Mr. Sealy’s departure for India in 1863 or 1864. ] [§ 5182. One.—Ailsa Craig, 6 June, 1884. “R.S.” From Mr. Robert Service, 1886. Taken by Mr. Service himself, as he kindly wrote to me. ] [§ 5188. Zwo.—Bull Rock, Co. Kerry, June, 1884. From Mr. J. H. Gurney. Bought by Mr. Gurney at the sale of Mr. Ussher’s Collection, at Mr. Stevens’s rooms, 21 October, 1902, where they formed Lot 136, and kindly given to me. In 1899 Mr. Henry Evans took me in his yacht to the Bull Rock, but the number of Gannets frequenting it appeared to be very small. According to Mr. Ussher (Birds of Ireland, p. 156), the existence of this settlement was not made known until 1868. } [§ 5184. One.—* St. Kilda,” 1887. Obtained by my brother and myself at St. Kilda, 11 July, 1887 ; but from which of the three Gannet-stations in that little group of islands it came the people did not say, though most likely from Borrera. Thanks to the kindness of the late Mr. Henry Evans J have made five visits to St. Kilda, and my admiration of its scenery and the abundance of its bird-life has continually increased each time that I have been there. Mr. Evans used to say that a number of Gannets equal to that frequenting the Bass or Ailsa might be taken away from St. Kilda without the population of the last being sensibly SULA BASSANA. 457 diminished. Certainly its number is prodigious, and I have never attempted to estimate it, but Iam prepared to believe that there may be more Gannets there than in all the rest of the world beside. | [§ 5185. One.—Lundy Island, 1887. From Mr. Howard Saunders. This was kindly brought for me from Lundy Island, where Mr. Saunders had been staying during the summer, and reported, to my regret, that there were not more than fifteen or sixteen pairs of Gannets then breeding there. Kven this number, I understand, has now seriously decreased. | [§ 5186. Zwo.—Grasholm, South Wales, June, 1887. From Mr. Wilkinson, 1901. Kindly ‘sent to me by Mr. Wolley’s old friend, Mr. Clennell Wilkinson (cf. §§ 8406-8409), after a second visit he had paid to the Collection in 1901. He wrote with the egg :—“I cannot make out from any books I have when the Gannets first came to Grasholm; but they were there when I first went into Pembrokeshire about thirty years ago.” It is a bare rocky island, about twenty miles from the west coast of Pembrokeshire, he adds, and not likely for visitors to make excursions to it. The eggs “ were taken by the son of our village blacksmith, who had a small steam launch of his own, and sometimes took parties out for a cruise, but usually on Sundays, and so I was unable to go with him. He sometimes got other eggs beside the Gannets’, such as Razorbills’, Guillemots’, Puffins’, and Gulls’. These I send you I marked in pencil as to date and locality, lest they should get mixed with others. They were quite fresh and were blown by myself.” The history of this settlement is very obscure. Its existence was practically unknown to ornithologists (cf. § 5181) until 1890, when a wanton massacre of its inhabitants attracted general attention, though it is to be hoped that the accounts of it published in the newspapers were exaggerated. According to Mr. Murray Mathew (Birds of Pembrokeshire, pp. xxix and 60), there were in 1886 at least 250 nests “ in four separate colonies ” on the island, of which ke gives a photographic view. | [§ 5187. One.—Sulisgeir, 1887. From the late Mr. T. E. Buckley’s Collection. This is one of three received by Mr. Buckley from Mr. Harvie-Brown, and taken by the latter on his visit to this locality so diflicult of access (cf. Vertebr. Fauna of Outer Hebrides, p. xlix).] [§ 5188. Zwo.—Little Skellig, Co. Kerry, 4 May, 1891. From Mr. J. H. Gurney, 1905. Kindly given to me by Mr. Gurney, who obtained them at the sale of 458 SULA BASSANA. Mr. Ussher's Collection, at the same time as those from the Bull Rock, which is not far distant (§ 5183). The gentleman last named gives (Birds of Treland, p. 157) a figure of this fine station from a photograph taken by Capt. Barrett-Hamilton from Mr. Evans’s yacht when we visited it in 1899.] [§ 5189. Zwo.—Eldey (Melsekken), S.W. Iceland, 7 June, 1879. From Herr E. Lehn Schidler, through Herr Herluf Winge, 1905; and Dr. Otto Ottosson, 1906. Herr Schidler has since been so good as to inform me that these eggs were received from Herr Nielsen, of Eyrarbakki, who told him that one Hjalti J6nsson with four other men, two of whom were professional fowlers from the Westman Islands, went out to Eldey, and when near the rock rowed to it in their boat. The weather being fairly calm they landed—their object being to ascertain the quantity and quality of the “guano” upon it. They hammered big iron nails into the steep side of the cliff so as to reach the top. This was accomplished by one man standing on the shoulders of his com- panions, and by a jump throwing himself over the edge. Then a rope was lowered and all the others followed. ‘There they collected a vast quantity of eggs, thirty of which came to Herr Nielsen, who blew them himself. The men told him that they thought there were 10,000 pairs of Gannets; but upon Herr Schidler asking whether it was not rather 10,000 birds, Herr Nielsen said he could not be sure. I feel very grateful to all concerned for the possession of these specimens, obtained at so much risk and from a locality so interesting as the last home of Alca impennis, which was most likely ascended on this occasion for the first time, as the Kyrkjuvogr people, in their several expeditions after the Gare-fowl, never thought of going further than the sloping undercliff frequented by that bird, above which rises a sheer wall of rock. ] [§ 5190. One.—Sulaskér, Westman Islands, 15 June, 1899, From Herr E. Lehn Schidler, through Herr Herluf Winge, 1905. Received by Herr Schidler from Herr Hafstein, of Oddeyri.] [§ 5191. Zwo.—Grimsey, North Iceland, 27 June, 1903. From Herr Bernard Hantzsch, 1905. Most kindly sent to me by Herr Hantzsch, author of ‘ Vogelwelt Islands,’ who himself obtained them with two other specimens at Grimsey, the most northern breeding-station of the species known. One of them, he wrote, was fresh with a pale yellow yelk, and weighed 104 grammes, the other had been incubated perhaps two or three weeks and weighed 108 grammes. Its shell is much soiled. In Herr Hantzsch’s work (p. 67) is a view of the Grimsey Gannet-cliffs. | PHALACROCORAX CARBO. 459 PHALACROCORAX CARBO (Linnzus). THE CORMORANT. § 5192. Zwo.—Speeton Cliff, Yorkshire. Not later than 1843. These from the Buckton rocks, where the Cormorants occupy one side of the cliff, and the Shags the other, according to Mr. Williamson. They were sold to me as Cormorants’ by Wilson, of Bridlington ; but I do not feel sure about it. Cormorants look like black Geese as they fly. [These eggs are inscribed “ Speeton.”} § 5193. Zwo.—Handa, Sutherland, 9 June, 1849. ‘ Cormorant seen on nest. J. W.” Of the Cormorants I took one nest in Handa. Foolishly I fired at the bird with ball and broke three of the five eggs. These were fresh, but many of those about were even hatched. The nests were quite white-washed with dung. It was a very awkward place to get down to, perpendicular and perhaps fifty yards from the top. I climbed almost entirely, and this made the feeling of insecurity greater even than necessary. Shags were breeding near or among the Cormorants [ef. § 5214]. § 5194. Zwo.—Orkney, 1851. From Mr. George Harvey. Cormorant and Shag. ‘Twenty-four specimens, several having been thrown away as broken. There are in Mr. Harvey’s list fifteen of one and fourteen of the other. I do not think it possible to separate all these with certainty. The spots upon them I imagine to proceed from the lice with which the old birds are frequented ; as I was told at the Bass Rock that they recognize fresh eggs of the Gannet by the absence of such specks. [Wholly agreeing with Mr. Wolley as to the impossibility of always separating the eggs of our two species of Phalacrocoraxr by their appearance, I have only selected two of the largest as representing P. carbo and two of the smallest as representing P. graculus (§ 5215). Mr. Wolley’s later experience in 1855 in East Finmark entirely justified his former hesitation. | 460 PHALACROCORAX CARBO. § 5195. Mve.—Hornd, East Finmark, 31 May, 1855. “ Bird well seen. J. W.” § 5196. Zwo. | § 5197. Three. - Hornd, 31 May, 1855. “J. W.” § 5198. One. | § 5199. Five.) § 5200. One. | Rast Finmark, 1855. ‘ Wellseen. J. W.” § 5201. One. § 5202. One—Reend, East Finmark, 1 June, 1855. “ Seen. Taw 2 § 5203. One—East Finmark, 1855. “J. W.” [The above (§§ 5195-5203), though inscribed by Mr. Wolley, were not entered by him in his Egg-book. I remember his telling me he had taken no eggs of either this species or P. graculus, without determiuing to which they belonged. Those for which no precise locality is given were, I think, from Reené, but the distance between that island and Horné, both lying off Vardé, is inconsiderable. | [§ 5204. Oze.—From Mr. Hancock, through Mr. Reynolds, before 1848. ] [§ 5205. Oze.—North Ronaldshay, Orkney. From Mr. Robert Dunn, 1850. | [§ 5206. Five—North Warmsey, Farne Islands, 21 June, 1851. Taken by my brother and myself on our first visit, from four nests. } PHALACROCORAX CARBO.—P. GRACUMLUS. 461 [§ 5207. Two. North Warmsey, 23 June, 1856. “E. N.” [§ 5208. Zwo. [§ 5209. Zwo.—North Warmsey, 23 June, 1856. ‘A. N.” The last six taken by my brother and myself on our second visit, when Mr. Salvin was with us. ] [§ 5210. Howr—Women’s Islands, Greenland. From Dr. James Taylor, 1861. Dr. Taylor’s label states that these were from the northernmost of this group of islands, lat. 74° 30’ N.] [§ 5211. One.—From the late Mr. Scales’s Collection, 1885. Marked by Mr. Scales “‘ From A. Hamond, Esq.” § 5394. Zwo.—Loch Langevat, Lewis, 31 May, 1847. From Mr. Henry Milner (one through Mr. Graham). I believe the bird was not known to breed in Great Britain * before the Messrs.. Milner found its nest in Lewis this year [Zoologist, 1848, pp. 2055, 2061]. It is therefore a very interesting specimen, and Mr. Henry Milner has made another one equally so, for he has this morning [26 October, 1847] attached his signature to one I bought of his attendant, Mr. Graham, being well assured of the identity of the egg. , § 5395. Zhree-—Loch Laighal, 15 May, 1848. From Mr. William Dunbar. Mr. Dunbar says the Grey Lag Geese are from Loch Laighal. “Mr. St. John was with me when we got the eggs and we shot the birds. The eggs are from three to eight in number.” [The shooting of the birds at this particular loch is not mentioned by Mr. St. John in his ‘ Tour in Sutherlandshire,’ though (i. p. 41) he speaks of the islands in it as “ the breeding-places of grey geese,” and of shooting Grey Lag Geese at Loch Meadie (p. 35). ] 1 [An evident slip of the pen for “ North ” Britain, as Mr. Wolley must have been familiar with the numerous records of its haying formerly bred abundantly in the English fens.—Ep. | ANSER FERUS. 50d § 5396. Four-—Loch Shin, Sutherland, 25-27 May, 1848. From Mr. W. Dunbar. [These sent under the name of ‘‘ Bean Goose,” which was then believed by Mr. Dunbar, and through him by Mr. St. John (Tour in Suth. i. p. 36), to be the species breeding in this loch (cf. § 5400). ] § 5397. Two.+-Loch Meadie, Sutherland, 11 May, 1849. “Bird: shots, 7J.cW On Loch Meadie I visited eight of the islands—on the northern- most one of which were Geese and an Eagle’s. nest [ef. supra, vol. 1. p. 55]. Some days before my visit Mr. Donald Campbell’s brother had taken off one of the islands a sitting of Goose’s eggs, and thev were under ahen at the farm at Moudala. The island where I found this nest had not been visited for some years, as it was believed to have too short heather to contain anything, as it had been burnt to unharbour a fox. However, we found it beautifully long. These little islets are the most lovely spots. Heather and fern perhaps three feet high growing on a delightful bed of dry moss. The Goose’s nest was on one of the highest points of the island, perhaps twenty feet from the water’s edge. The bird rose when I was within a yard of the nest and flapped direct to the nearest water, and I shot her just as she reached it. (She is now preserving at Mr. Duncan’s at Newcastle, 3 Sept., 1850.) The nest made of down and little bits of dry heather. I saw several others of these Geese on Loch Meadie. On Loch Naver I believe a few breed at the far end. § 5398. FMour.—Loch Shin, 14 May, 1849. “J. W.” From Lairg I walked to Shinness, a farmhouse where I saw the herd Thomson, and then by the mouth of the Fiag river to Over- skaig, John Oliver’s. Isaw several Geese, two of which I believed to be Bean ; but on putting a Goose off the nest close to me, it appeared to be a Grey Lag, and just afterwards I saw some Grey Lags flying. The nest was made of thin soft grass, and there were four eggs in it newly laid. Six feet off a Wild Duck got up off nine eggs just at the same moment. It was not far from the entrance of the Fiag river on a kind of large promontory. I was walking along between a low bank and the edge of the water, among a small quantity of heather, two or three feet high, I was wearing a macintosh cape, when suddenly the Goose got up at my feet. Of course the gun got ? 506 ANSER FERUS., ‘entangled in my cape, and as I was anxious to kill the bird before it got to the water I fired before I got the gun to my shoulder, and unhappily only broke a wing. Down came the bird within twenty yards of me, and seemed scarcely inclined to go away. O for another barrel! The wind unfortunately was from the shore, blowing from the north-west. I watched the poor bird till it was nearly at the other side. With my glass I saw it once turn face to wind and attempt to rise. I saw distinctly that it was a Grey Lag. IT left the eggs till next day, when I took them on my return from Overskaig— the bird of course not near them, nor had the Duck returned to hers, having no doubt beea scared by my shot. I beat some more very likely grounds, especially a peninsula with very long heather, to no purpose. I thought the yelk of the Goose’s eggs remarkably sweet. They were somewhat stained by the dry grass, of which the nest was composed, becoming wet in the absence of the bird, for I do not think they were so the first day. Both these nests, the Goose’s and the Duck’s, were entirely concealed by the heather, as also the Goose’s on Loch Meadie [§ 5397]. Oliver led me to some ponds where he said a small dark kind of Goose bred ; but 1 found out in the course of the walk that they were Divers and not Bean-Geese. .The herd, Thomson, was mentioned to me by Mr. Dunbar, and no doubt it was from him that Dunbar got the “ Bean’’-Goose’s eggs he sold me [$§ 5396]; but I did not understand from Thomson that he knew of two kinds of Geese. He shewed me the nest from which be took the eggs last year that he gave to Dunbar. It was a good part of a mile from the loch-side in a kind of swampy hollow. On the 12th of May Ferguson, Lord Ellesmere’s keeper at Lairg, told me that he had just come down the loch in a boat. He and his crew were detained a night on the island, about halfway up the loch. They had found a Goose’s nest and had eaten the eggs. On the 16th I called on him again. He did not know that there were two kinds of Geese on Loch Shin—“ if so they must be very like each other.” I saw on that day three Geese that I could be certain were Grey Lags, and at least four the day before, seven in all on Loch Shin, certainly Grey Lags. Two, the first I saw, I took for Bean-Geese. My experience thus shews that the Grey Lag does breed on the loch- side, and so the eggs he sent me as Bean [§ 5396] are probably Grey Lag—that is, I cannot but feel doubt as to whether the Bean-Goose really breeds in Sutherlandshire. Still Dunbar believes it and it is his authority upon which Mr. St. John rests for the “facts” about ANSER FERUS. 507 the periods of the breeding of the two on Loch Shin. It is possible that Dunbar may not have distinguished the two species accurately before he got Yarrell [’s work], and Mr. St. John’s experience may be more of Shinness in winter, for he once resided there for a time— shooting, I believe. All the certain information I have is of Grey Lag—as Mr. St. John shooting it on Loch Laighal and on Loch Meadie, I on Loch Meadie and Loch Shin. It does not appear that the Milners obtained any Bean Goose*; but they shot the Grey Lag in the Western Islands. Mr. Selby’s party is the original authority for Bean Goose in Sutherlandshire [ Edinb. Nat. Philos. Journal, xx. pp. 292, 293]. They saw it on Loch Shin—a single pair. They captured a young bird, after a severe chase, on Loch Naver. They saw several old birds on Loch Laighal, and at Tongue some goslings hatched under a hen, which, they were told, were not in the habit, when they grew up, of intermixing or breeding with tame Geese. We do not find it mentioned that they procured an old bird, and as nothing is said of the Grey Lag Goose being seen, which we know breeds at two of these lochs, if not at all three, it is probable that al/ they saw were Grey Lag and that they mistook the species. § 5399. Three.—Loch Urigil, Sutherland, 1849. “J. S.” 19 May, 1849. We dragged the landlord’s boat over [from Aultnagealagach] to Loch Urigil—four men. We found no Goose’s * The Miiners, I believe, trusted much to the assertion of Ross, the gamekeeper at Tongue ; but Ross described the birds to me with grey fronts to the wings, and therefore as Grey Lag. Certain it is that all the Geese I saw distinctly were Grey Lags. I did not visit the island in Loch Laighal, as the boat required fetching from a distance. I saw one Goose at the far end of the loch, which I thought was Grey Lag. Mr. Henry Milner wrote to me 24 March, 1849 :—“ In reference to the occurrence of the Bean-Goose at Loch Laighal [§ 5393], I should much like to have that point accurately cleared up. KR. Ross, the keeper at Tongue, from whom we got some of the eggs (two we found in an addled state), assured me that the apex of the beak was black or horn colour, and those I saw on the lake from their darker shade of brown and the bright ash-colour in front of the wing, which is more conspicuous in the Bean than in the Grey Lag Goose, owing to its darker body, convinced me as to the identity of the species, and the correctness of Ross’s information, Onur specimens of the Grey Lag I obtained at Loch Langevat, also about a dozen eggs.” This convinces me Mr. H. Milner saw nothing but Grey Lag, since it is the Grey Lay that has the conspicuous ash-coloured patch on the wing, and not the Bean- Goose as Mr. Milner imagined }. 508 ANSER FERUS. nest, but some egg-shells or fragments on an island so near the shore as to. be accessible to boys. John Sutherland [the gamekeeper, cf. § 4973] had been there before this year, and found a Goose’s nest. Last year he had been there just before Mr. St. John and Dunbar, having heard of their approach. I saw seven Geese flying together over the loch, which with my glass I can make out to be Grey Lags. The keeper knows no other kind, though he has often looked for [one with] the black mark on the bill. He gives me three eggs. At Loch Assynt, on the 22nd of May [1849], on the beautiful islet where so many plants and shrubs grow, I found some last year’s Goose-eggs. On the islet further up the loch where were the Common Gull’s eggs [§ 4558] and the Wild Duck’s, I found some fresh Goose-droppings, and another day I saw a pair of Wild Geese in one of the little bays at the north side of the loch. They frequent Loch Urigil much more than Loch Assynt. On the 4th of June I saw at Inchnadamph Mr. McIver, the Duke of Sutherland’s factor at Scourie. This gentleman imformed me that in the Duke’s permission to the Messrs. Turner to shoot Wildfowl in the county “not for sporting purposes,” there were excepted Ospreys and Wild Geese. 5 June [1849] walked from Scourie to Badcoll, the fishing station, where we got a boat to go to Big Calva and other islands. In the former, Mr. Gunn of Glendbu assured me Geese built last year— “ Geese of a very dark kind” (in answer to my question), the darkest he ever saw. Mr. Edge found a Goose’s nest, eggs broken, of this year, much sat upon, and the nest placed some hundreds of yards from the water’s edge, and at a considerable elevation, in a kind of little valley or amphitheatre, very shallow, like the site of the nest Thomson [ef. anted p. 506] had taken near Loch Shin. By a fishing station on another island, or on the mainland, I detected another broken egg-shell—a good deal sat upon—perhaps from the same nest, as these people are in the habit most days of nesting on Big Calva, Gulls breeding there in numbers *. * In the island of Calva on this day eggs of Lesser Black-backed and Herring- Gulls were plentiful. I selected some from a lot that had been collected there, for the islands had been robbed that very morning. Qu. Are these two Gulls varieties ? The only difference I could detect on comparison was that one was lighter on the back and had pale legs instead of yellow. ANSER FERUS. D09 § 5400. Two. : Sutherland, 1850. From Mr. W. Dunbar. § 5401. Zio. With these Mr. Dunbar wrote from Loch Inver, 29 June, 1850 :— ““T am convinced that the Bean-Goose breeds on Loch Shin, and only on Loch Shin in this country, so far as I am aware. I have seen several Grey Lags, but not one Bean in this district [Loch Inver], so very positive am I that they are the Bean Goose on Loch Shin, and also the Grey Lag ; but the former are much more scarce. I believe there are not half a dozen Bean-Geese’s nests on the whole of Loch Shin; but that they are or were there no person can convince me to the contrary, as I have taken the eggs and killed the birds myself.” [The first two of the above (§ 5400) were sent as Bean-Goose, and therefore must have been from Loch Shin. Mr. Wolley remarks of them “these are probably Grey Lag.” Subsequently he received a letter dated Lairg Cottage, 24 March, 1852, from Mr. John Ferguson, before mentioned (anted p. 506), who wrote :— | “T am now able to give my opinion about the Geese by examining and enquiring about them, and I find that there is only the Grey- legged Goose breeding on the islands and banks of the Shin. Nor can I find any trace of the Bean-Goose breeding anywhere in Sutherland. As to give the correct number of the Geese breeding: on the banks of Loch Shin, it is impossible ; but it is supposed there are from twenty to thirty pairs. I should have written sooner, but [I have been] always putting off the time for further search and enquiry.” [To this Mr. Wolley adds :— In 1849 I called Ferguson’s attention to the subject. I wrote to him some weeks ago to ask for the results of his more extended experience. From what I have been able to gather of the relative values of Dunbar’s assertion, Mr. Selby’s and Mr. St. John’s and Mr. Milner’s authorities, I do not feel that there is any probability that the Bean-Goose has bred in Sutherland at all. Mr. Milner’s and Mr. St. John’s authorities are certainly fallacious. Mr. Selby and his party did not get a [mature] bird. Mr. Wilson, who was of their party, tells me they might easily be mistaken, and as to Dunbar I remember that he had a “ Yarrell”; and I remember his Red- throated for Black-throated Diver, 510 ANSER FERUS. § 5402. Fouwr.—Sutherlandshire, 1850. From Mr. Bantock. Out of a dozen, received from Mr. Donald Bantock, head-keeper to the Duke of Sutherland at Dunrobin, whose museum I saw in 1849. I have not yet ascertained that any other Wild Goose [than the Grey Lag] breeds in Sutherlandshire. The under-keepers collect eggs for Mr. Bantock. Of these I have given two to Mr. L. Heyworth. [Three more were sold at Mr. Stevens’s rooms, 31 May, 1860, to Messrs. Troughton (2) and Gould. One of the two bought by the former is now in Mr. Parkin’s possession. Two others were sent by me in 1861 to Dr, Heermann. | § 5403. One.—Loch Urigil, 1851. Hewitson, ‘ Eggs of British Birds,’ ed. 3, pl. eviii. fig. 2. These two eggs remaining from four sent me by John Sutherland [ef. § 5399], the Duke of Sutherland’s gamekeeper at Ledbeg, in Assynt. Since I shall perhaps get no more British Wild Goose’s eggs, these should be kept as late instances of the bird’s breeding in the country ; but there will be a few for some years yet, as they breed in small numbers in four or five places in Sutherlandshire, and also in Ross-shire, and even in Argyll, as I was informed in 1851. I have never yet got authentic traces of any other than the Grey Lag Goose in Scotland.—2 February, 1853. One given to Mr. Salmon, 7 March, 1853. [The gift to Mr. Salmon was in part return for the Bustard’s egg (§ 3192). The remaining specimen, now in the collection, was sent by me, at Mr. Wolley’s suggestion, to be figured by Mr. Hewitson as above. } § 5404. Zwelve. ) Ea) Porsanger Fjord, West Finmark, § 5405. Sia. 1855. From Herr Peder K. Ulich. § 5406. Siz. J [The twelve specimens (§ 5404) from a barrelful of Goose’s eggs sent by Herr Ulich, of Tams, to Hammerfest, where Mr. Hudleston and I received and blew them by Mr. Wolley’s direction. The remaining twelve (§§ 5405 and 5406) came later, and were marked by Herr Ulich as being from two nests. Both in 1855 and 1857 Mr. Wolley failed to ascertain which species of Goose it was that bred on Tamsé. All the wild Geese that I saw sufficiently near ANSER FERUS.—A. ALBIFRONS. hm me to recognize on my way up the coast from Trondjem to Hammerfest were without the slightest doubt Grey Lags, but on landing at Tamsd we saw no Geese there. Somewhere near Nyborg on the Varanger Fjord, Mr. Hudleston saw an old Goose with a young one, which he believed to be a Bean-Goose, which Herr Sommerfelt gives (Cifvers. K. Vet.-Akad. Férh. 1861, p. 86) as breeding in the interior of that neighbourhood, while he ascribes the Goose breeding on Tamsé to Anser cinereus. This last statement was confirmed by Prof. Collett (Forhandl. Vidensk. Selsk. Christiania, 1872, pp. 275, 276), who states that it is “ particularly numerous on Store Tamso, where the abundance of its eggs materially increases the value of the Fugleveer on thatremarkable island,” and that being strictly preserved it has there “ well nigh assumed the character of a domestic bird, feeding boldly in the immediate neighbourhood of the only house on the island.” He examined a male shot there on the 3rd of July, 1872. He was, however, told of “ another species somewhat smaller,” which unfortunately he did not observe. Finally, in 1895, Messrs. Henry Pearson and Edward Bidwell saw Grey Lags within 100 yards and found several nests at Tamsé (Ibis, 1894, p. 232). } [§ 5407. One.—Kustendje, 20 April, 1860. “ W.H.S.” From Mr. Simpson. This nest is merely mentioned by Mr. Simpson (Ibis, 1861, p. 366) as “believed to be Anser ferus” ; but I understood from him subsequently that there was no doubt as to the species. | [§ 5408. Two.—Groay, Sound of Harris, 15 May, 1868. «H.J.E.. From Mr. Elwes. Taken out of a nest of six by Mr. Elwes as above, and kindly given to me ; but the nest was not found by him. He said there were two other birds sitting close to the owner of the eggs, but no other nest on the island. His notes on the breeding of this species in the Outer Hebrides are printed in ‘The Ibis’ for 1869 (p. 22).] ANSER ALBIFRONS (Latham). WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. § 5409. One.—Gardens of the Zoological Society of London. From Dr. [now Sir Henry] Pitman, 1846. Laid in the Zoological Gardens, where they have reared several. § 5410. One.—From M. Nager [1847 ?]. This egg M. Nager probably had from M. Hardy, who informed 513 ANSER ALBIFRONS. me that he possessed duplicates from a bird in confinement, if I rightly understood him. It agrees well with my other specimens from the Zoological Gardens and St. James’s Park. § 5411. One.—St. James’s Park. From Mr. A. D. Bartlett, 1847. This is admirably like the other two, one from the Zoological Gardens [§ 5409] and the other from M. Nager [§ 5410]. § 5412. One.—St. James’s Park, 1847. From Mr. E. B. Fitton, 1849. An addled egg. § 5413. One.—St. James’s Park, 1852. Obtained by me, 12 June, 1852, from Smith, the keeper of the Ornithological Society’s Waterfowl in the park. It had been blown several days before. [§ 5414. Zwo—Blickling, Norfolk, 1851 and 1852. From Dr. Frere, 1854. Dr. Frere told us he obtained them through Mr. Sayer, the well-known bird-stuffer at Norwich. Of course they were laid by birds in semi-captivity. ] [§ 5415. One.—Olsingen, 17 May, 1858. foes : Mr. John Baker. [§ 5416. One.—Olsingen, 7 June, 1859. r. John Baker Both from birds kept in some kind of captivity. I remember Mr. Baker telling me that they mostly had pink feet, and hence I suppose would come under the designation of “ Anser pallipes”, De Selys, but I believe the change of colour is due to the lack of natural force consequent upon loss of liberty. } [§ 5417. Zwo.— Labrador.” From Herr Méschler, through Mr. F. Norgate, 1869. If the assigned locality be correct, these might rather belong to A. gambell. | ANSER ERYTHROPUS. Bhs ANSER ERYTHROPUS (Linneus). LITTLE WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. O: W. tab. N. The White-fronted Goose is found in many places in the neigh- bourhood of the mountains. It breeds in company, a good many pairs being found in the same flat moor or valley. They fly over an intruder with loud cries of alarm, from which the Finns derive their name for the bird [Ailju-hanhi], but neither these nor the noise the White-fronted Goose makes at any other time seem to me much like laughing, to which it is compared in North America. When the Lapps are moving their herds, often of many hundred head of deer, if they happen to spread themselves over a valley occupied by the Geese, the flight of the birds soon betrays the situation of each nest. In this way, when last spring I went to look for them, I found the ground thoroughly beaten over before me, and it was with some difficulty I obtained a single nest. There were six eggs in it, one of which is in the hands of Mr. Alfred Newton for you to draw from if you please. [This also was written to Mr. Hewitson from Muoniovara on the 2nd of February, 1855, when I feel sure that no suspicion had crossed Mr. Wolley’s mind as to the subject of his notes not being the true Anser albifrons. But not very long after he came to hear of this small form of White-fronted Goose, described and figured by Naumann (Naturgesch. der Vég. Deutschl. xi. p- 365, tab. 290) in 1842 as Anser minutus, and also discovered, as stated in his Sale Catalogue for 1857, that it had been described in 1767 by Gunner in his notes to Leem’s ‘De Lapponibus Finmarchize Commentatio’ (p. 264) and there named Anser finmarchicus. But Gunner also identified it with the Anas erythropus of Linneeus, 1761 (Fauna Suecica, ed. 2, p. 41), the Fj/ellgas of the West Bothnians, and since much confusion had long existed as to what that bird was, I thought it expedient to bring the facts—which had so far been adduced only in Mr. Wolley’s Sale Catalogue—before the Zoological Society, not merely in justice to him, but also because the matter seemed one of general interest. I accordingly did this on the 26th of June, 1860, and my remarks will be found in the Society’s ‘Proceedings’ fcr that yeer (pp. 339-341; reprinted ‘ Ibis,’ 1860, p. 406, and Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 2, ii. p. 452). All I need say here is that I then believed the name Av/lio-hanhit, as Mr. Wolley usually wrote it, was a dialectic form of Kallio-hanhi— literally ‘‘ Mountain-Goose,” and therefore an exact rendering of the Swedish name. But I find since, from Dr. Palmén (Finlands Foglar, ii. p. 344) and others, that the Finnish name is really Av/ju-hanhi, and has its origin from the bird’s noisy cry—as, indeed, Mr. Wolley had before stated. PART IV. et 514 ANSER ERYTHROPUS. About that time the Zoological Society possessed a pair or even more of this pretty Goose, and at my request Mr. Wolf was good enough to make a drawing of one of them, for the illustration of this work, which I accordingly here reproduce as nearly as possible in fae simile, but unfortunately the drawing is only a sketch from which a plate was to be prepared. It is wanting therefore in those finishing touches which that great master would undoubtedly have added. | § 5418. Siz—Routio, June, 1854. Hewitson, ‘ Eggs of British Birds’, ed. 3, pl. cix. fig. 3. From two Lapps, Anders and Lars (ef. § 2957). They know well the two kinds of Geese that are to be seen in the mountains, and said these are Kilju-hanhi. Of these birds I saw a great many in the mountains, and I shot one at Kaaressuando, of which the following are memoranda :—25 inches from tip of tail to end of beak, 48 inches between the tips of the wings; gape scarcely 1 inch and a half; tail tipped with white; tail-coverts white; region of breast (bone) variegated with black, belly white ; underside of wings pale blacklead-colour; edges of eyelids yellow; beak when living pinky (pale), nail white horn ; feet orange ; forehead white, as much as in a Coot, feathers bordering the white feathers nearly black, head and upper part of the neck darker than the rest. [ Mr. Hewitson figured, as above, one of these for that of the real White- fronted Goose (A. albifrons), since he had unfortunately already executed the plate, when he had word from Mr. Wolley correcting the mistake before mentioned, though the latter’s letter was written immediately on its discovery. | § 5419. One.—Palojoki, 1855. Out of five taken by Johan Matti and Zacharias two miles (Swedish) upwards from Palojoki on the Finnish side—Anser minutus. [Two from this nest were sold at Mr. Stevens’s, 7 March, 1856, to Messrs. Burney and Wilmot. Two more I sent to Dr. Heermann in 1862. ] § 5420. One.—t{Nyimakka?], 1855. Of two taken by the Lapp, Pehran Pierin Nicolaov, whom Peter of Nyimakka found just beginning to cook them. [) | ANSER ERYTHROPUS. 51 § 5421. Two.—Ogeo-janka, Mukka-uoma, S., 30 May, 1855. Out of four found by Wollin Hakun Olla, in the marsh or “common” where I tried so long to find a nest last year, the birds occasionally coming crying overhead, so that I had a good look at them, and they were certainly White-fronted Geese. [The other two of these were sold at Mr. Stevens’s, 7 March, 1856, to Mr. Hudleston. | § 5422. Zwo.—Tielt-uitu, Mukka-uoma, 1855. Out of five found by Wollin Hakun Olla. [Two others from this nest sold at Mr. Stevens’s, 7 March, 1856, to Messrs. Hudleston and Shepherd. | § 5423. Zhree.—I[Nyimakka?], 1855 Antin Piety, who found them, said they were Jso Hanhi, but Peter of Nyimakka, who took them of him, was sure they were Kijju-hanhi, and they agree exactly with the series before me. § 5424. Three.—Mukka-uoma, 1856. Pehr Pehrsson Notti, a Lapp, brought one to Nyimakka Peter, and Raslin Piety the other two. [Apparently from two nests. Five more of these eggs seem to have been sold at Mr. Stevens’s, 12 May, 1857, to Messrs. Walter (2) and Salmon and Milner (2). ] § 5425. Three—Kuma-uoma, Mukka-uoma, 7 June, 1857. From Ludwig’s book these were obtained by him on the 8th of June at Joni Lassi’s cota, some two miles (Swedish) north-west from Mukka-uoma, under the large mountain Peltsama, on the way to Patsivuono (Bals Fjord). There were very few Geese breeding in the mountains this year. § 5426. One.—Mukka-uoma, 1858. One of the only three eggs obtained this year, but without any special description. They are from my old locality for Ai/ju-hanhi. [The other two were sold at Mr. Stevens's, 8 March, 1859, to Messrs, Salvin and Marshall. } 212 516 ANSER ERYTHROPUS. [§ 5427. Two.—Nokka-sapis, 6 June, 1861. Out of five found by Martin Clemesen as above, and brought from Kautokeino to Muoniovara, 1 July, by Piko Heiki.] [§ 5428. One.—t[Toras-sieppi?], 1861. Brought to Muoniovara, 23 July, by Anonis Johan, with many eggs from Kaaressuando and Kuttainen, having been found by Per Toras’s boy Isak, and sent to me by Knoblock as an unknown egg. It seems to be a White- fronted Goose’s of monstrous length, 3:4 x 1°83 inch (cf. § 5438).] [§ 5429. Seven.—Rysi-uoma, 1-14 June, 1862. Brought to Muoniovara, 2 July, by Martin Piety, being part of the spoil collected by him and Turi Aslagsen (cf. supra, p. 356) in the mountains, when sent to look for Snowy Owls’ and Buffon’s Skuas’ nests. | [§ 5430. Mowr.—Paddajoki, 8-14 June, 1862. Brought at the same time as the last, but found by Rasmus Persen Spein (cf. §§ 4762, 4763).] [§ 5431. Zwo.—Spannivarri, June, 1862. “ With bird.” Brought also at the same time, but with the bird, which was sent to me, and found by Nils Larsen Bir (cf. §§ 4772, 4773).] [§ 5432. Mve—Rautovaara, 8-14 June, 1862. « With bird.” Brought with the bird by Anders Aslagsen Skom. | [§ 5433. Five.—Skaitivaara, 26 May, 1862. Found as above by Nils Pongo (ef. § 4829).] [§ 5434. Zwo.—Kalkojarvi, 8-14 June, 1862. Found by Oli Rasmussen Spein. A third egg from this nest I sen to Herr Seidensacher in 1866. | ANSER ERYTHROPUS. 517 [§ 5435. Fowr—Vorasvaara, 1-8 June, 1862. Found by Nils Johansen Tornensi (cf. § 4774).] [§ 5436. Oxe.—Lapland, 1862. Sent from Kaaressuando by Peter Iohan. | [§ 5437. One—Lapland, 1862. Found by Hendrik Hendriksen Pejvio. [§ 5438. One—Lapland, 1862. Found by Lars Jonsen Sikko. A very long egg, measuring 3:29 by 1:89 inch (cf. § 5428). [§ 5439. Zwo.—Vuontisjirvi, 15 June, 1862. Johan Larsen Sikko (§ 4828). [§ 5440. Hive.—Pansavaara, 23 June, 1862. Nils Jonsen Pongo (§ 4829). [§ 5441. Zwo.—Raustavaara, 15 June, 1862. Nils Jonsen Notti. [§ 5442. Zhree.— Lapland, 1862. Nils Nilsen Labba. The above (§§ 5437-5442) received and forwarded by Eric of Mukka-uoma, with other eggs (§§ 3458, 3461, 4789-4829) found by Lapps employed on my account. | [§ 5443. One.—Norwegian Mountains, 1864. Obtained by Turi Aslagsen, on a second journey that year in search of Snowy Owls’. Two other eggs from this nest I gave to Mr. Dresser. | 518 ANSER GRANDIS.—A. FABALIS. ANSER GRANDIS, Middendorff?. [§ 5444. One.— Sibérie.” From M. Jules Verreaux, 1873. Received, I believe, from Dr. Dybowski, in whose list, written in con- junction with Dr. Parrex, of the birds of Darasun in Dauuria, as observed in 1866 and 1867, stands (Journ. fiir Orn, 1868, p. 338): “ Anser grandis— selten—wie haben die Eier gefunden.” The measurements of these from several nests were subsequently given (op. cit. 1878, p. 108).] ANSER SERRIROSTRIS, Swinhoe ex Gould. |§ 5445. One-—Chayachia Zaimka, Kolyma River, 4 July, 1905. From Mr. 8. A. Buturlin, through Mr. Dresser, 1906. The locality is in North-eastern Siberia, about thirty kilometres from Pokhodskoe. I suppose that further particulars will in due time be published. I know nothing as to the validity of the species. | ANSER FABALIS (Latham). BEAN-GOOSE. While the Grey Lag breeds in Great Britain, Central Europe, and even the south of Scandinavia, the north only seems to suit the Bean-Goose, There it goes to the most retired districts: the small * {It would be out of place here to discuss (even if I had the means of discussing) the question whether the Anser grandis of Dr. yon Middendorff (Sib. Reise, II. ii. p. 225, tab. xx. fig. 1) is or is not-the species to which, following J. F. Gmelin, Pallas applied the name. The last says (Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat. ii. p. 221) that he never saw a specimen, and gives it on the authority of 8. G. Gmelin and Steller, just as he had originally communicated the diagnosis to Pennant, who first published it in 1785 (Arct. Zool. ii. p. 570). In 1873, Dr. Severtzoy (Turkestan- skie Jevotnie, p. 149)—as translated by Mr. Craemers for Mr. Dresser (Ibis, 1876, p. 416)—named Middendorff’s bird A. middendorffi, stating that Prof. Brandt had considered the original A. grandis to be a large form of A. cygnoides; but it dees not appear that the latter ever hiunself published his opinion or the grounds of it, and here I must leave the matter, confident only that Dr. Dybowski believed his ’ A. grandis to be the same as Middendorff’s.—Ep. | ANSER FABALIS. 519 flocks which pass over and stay a short time about Muonioniska appear to have left none of their wildness in their winter-quarters. It mostly spends the summer in marshes and moors towards the mountains, where men are very scarce. I have little doubt that this is also the Goose which breeds on islands of the Finmark coast. I send you an outline of the form of three of its eggs [§ 5450] now lying before me. They are three inches and a half long, by two and ‘a quarter broad. They were taken last summer at a distance of several Swedish miles from Muonioniska. [The above was written to Mr. Hewitson, 2 February, 1855, but Mr. Wolley had soon after reason to change the opinion herein expressed as to the species of Goose which commonly bred on the islands of the coast of Finmark, though I believe it was that entertained by the majority of Scandinavian ornithologists at the time. No evidence of the Bean-Goose’s breeding in those islands, or indeed in any on the coast of Norway, could be obtained, and all the Geese observed, some of them sufficiently close to admit of their determination, seemed to be Grey Lags. | § 5446. One—Myvatn, North Iceland. From Mr. Proctor, through Mr. Hewitson, 1346. § 5447. One.—St. James’s Park. From Mr. Bartlett, 1847. § 5448. Zwo.—St. James’s Park, 1852. These from Smith, the keeper of the Ornithological Society’s Waterfowl, and blown with my assistance 12 June, 1852. They were very putrid. He says that two Bean-Geese have laid eggs this year; one, paired with a Pink-footed Gander, had large young in the eggs when they were left. These were of course unblowable by him, and he says the eggs given to me are laid by uncrossed birds, breeding together. He has had long experience, and is perhaps not very likely to be deceived. § 5449. Zwo.—St. James’s Park. From Dr. Frere, 1853. These from the Ornithological Society’s birds ; not, I think, last year’s, but probably in 1851, 520 ANSER FABAILIS. § 5450. Zhree—Vuontisjarvi, June, 1854. Delivered to me with a letter! by Martin Piety at Kyry on the 28th of November, during my bear-hunting expedition into Finland. Piety assured me that the eggs are those of Jso Hanhi [Great Goose}, as the man Nils had told him. He and all the others here agree that there are only two kinds of Geese found in the district, the Iso Hanhi and the Kilju-Hanhi, that is, the Bean and the White-fronted. Of the former I have examined one or two specimens. They never find one with other than red feet, and black tip to the beak, and the red feet are alike in all, though some are rather smaller and darker than others, believed to be the young birds, as doubtless they are. These eggs were in a sadly rotten and bard frozen condition when they came into my hands. 2 January, 1855. Nils is now here. He says the Geese were Iso Hanhi, which has red feet and a reddish beak. § 5451. One.—Nalima, June, 1856. ‘Taken out of the bird.” Brought on the 14th of June by Kenta Johan’s wife. At present I have no account of this bird. § 5452. One.—Palojoki, Kittila, 1856. Found in the water of the river. Brought to Muoniovara, by Martin Piety, 31 July. § 5453. Fouwr.—Peltouoma, 1857. ‘ With wings of Bean- Goose ; snared on nest.” Out of five received by me on 17 June at Peltouoma, and on enquiry the wings of the bird, still soft and fresh, were shewn to me. It was snared on the nest, which is said to be a common practice here, a hedge, in which there is an opening for the snare, being first * [The letter which Mr. Wolley transcribes in the Egg-book is in Finnish, but contains no information of particular value. With Mr. Dresser’s kind help, I subjoin a translation :—“I, Nils Vuontisjarvi, according to your wish, have been seeking eggs. I wandered two miles, but found none; so I went again and found several.” Then comes a list of them, including “3 Great Goose,” followed by “which I would send you now but I have no news from you. Be good enough to pay what vou think fair, for you are sure to know. Vuontisjarvesa, 1854 20/6.”) ANSER FABALIS. 521 _made round the eggs. One egg I took with me and cleaned out 25 June at Polmak. The others I left packed at Peltouoma, and they were brought to Muoniovara, 4 August, by Michael Sadio. They were found by Peter Ylitallon, and on his bringing them in, I asked after the bird. He said he had snared it on the nest and had the wings at home. They are before me, and seem to be Bean- Goose wings, indeed this is the only species of large Goose I have seen even at Muonioniska. It is a common practice to snare or trap large eatable birds on the nest, and from the man’s manner I did not doubt that these wings belonged to the mother of these eggs. [The fifth egg from the same nest was sold at Mr. Stevens’s, 23 February, 1858, to Mr. Braikenridge, and is now in Mr. Parkin’s collection. | § 5454. Zwo—Vuontisjirvi-kyli, June, 1857. _ These were brought at the same time as the last, but in a different basket, and were received by Michael from Johan Jacob Vuontisjarvi, who found them. § 5455. Zwo.—Muotkajarvi, June, 1857. Out of three, brought by Elias Eliasson, 18 June. § 5456. Zwo.—Rautusjirvi, June, 1857. Brought from Johan Rautus, 17 June. Fresh eggs—eatable. [Mr. Wolley in sending me one of these in November, 1858, wrote :—* This egg is just about the same size as those of which I sent one to the sale last year (§ 5453), from which I saw the wings of the bird. I have several other eggs of Iso Hanhi from Lapland, and they all agree in being somewhat less than the smallest of the twelve eggs of Grey Lag Goose in my cabinet from Sutherlandshire.” | § 5457. Mour.—Vellijoki-ranta, 31 May—5 June, 1858. Brought to Muoniovara, 23 June, by Petter Rowa otherwise Punsi. (Two others from the same nest were sold at Mr. Stevens’s rooms 31 May, 1860, to Mr. Braikenridge and Capt. Powlete-Orde respectively. The former is now in Mr. Parkin’s collection. | 529 ANSER FABALIS.—A. BRACHYRHYNCHUS. [$ § 5458. Two.—Olsingen, 22 May, 1858. From Mr. J. Baker. 5459. One.—Olsingen, 1 June, 1859. All laid by birds more or less in confinement. ] 5460. Zwo.—Kettomella, 3-9 June, 1860. Brought to Muoniovara, 2 July, by Martin Piety, and apparently found by himself. | ANSER BRACHYRHYNCHUS, Baillon. PINK-FOOTED GOOSE. 5461. One.—From Dr. [now Sir Henry] Pitman, 1845. Dr. Pitman had two examples exactly alike from two different sources, one being from the Zoological Gardens. This is one of them. [$ 5462, One—Coal Bay, Ice Sound, Spitsbergen, 27 June, 1855. From Messrs. Edward Evans and Wilson Sturge. This was given to me, as having been taken by themselves as above stated, by the gentlemen just named on their return to England (cf. §§ 2975, 4101). In their account of the birds of Western Spitsbergen (Ibis, 1859, pp. 171, 172) they wrote :—“ In this fjord a large species of Goose was very common, and we found them breeding mostly on low rocks near the coast; but some seemed to have their nests in the high cliffs a mile or two from the sea. We obtained some specimens both of birds and eggs, but unfortunately neglected to preserve the skins of the former; we cannot therefore be positive as to which species they were; but judging from our recollection, they had flesh- coloured legs and light-grey shoulders; we have not, therefore, much doubt that they were the Grey-lag Goose (Anser ferus, Steph.). The identification of this bird is a point to which, we trust, future voyagers will pay attention; it is probably the only species observed by us which is not included in J.C. Ross’s list, before mentioned.” Messrs. Evans and Sturge seem to have been the first to record the existence in Spitsbergen of any Goose other than the Brant. In 1859 Prof. Torell (Bidrag till Spetsbergens Molluskfauna, p- 61) gave Anser cinereus a place in the fauna of the country, but I think by mistake, as was also the case with Dr. Malmgren some years later (Cifvers. K. Vet.-Ak. Férhandl. 1863, p. 115), while he also included (tom. cit. p. 107) A, segetum. It fell to my lot in 1864 to determine the species of Grey Goose ANSER BRACHYRHYNCHUS. 523 which breeds in Spitsbergen, and that gentleman, though unwilling to admit its specific validity, acquiesced in my decision (op. cit. 1864, pp. 396, 412), as will immediately be seen. | [§ 5463. Zwo—Middlehook, Ice Sound, Western Spitsbergen, 10 July, 1864. ‘Hen shot. A.J.M.” From Herr A. J. Malmgren. Given to me at our anchorage in Safe Haven, on the 14th, by Herr Malmgren, whom, with Professor (since Baron) Nordenskjéld, I had the pleasure of meeting the day before at Advent Bay. Lvoking then at some of his spoils I saw the wings of a big Goose freshly shot and cut off. They had light grey shoulders, and I began to think that Messrs. Evans and Sturge were right in thinking it was the Grey Lag Goose that they had met with in Spitsbergen. IT asked Herr Malmgren whether he had shot this bird, and he told me he had, and that it was Anser segetum. Ithen asked if he had the head and legs, the body was lying there, and he was kind enough to shew them to me. The legs were flesh-coloured, but the moment I saw the head it was plain that the species was A. brachyrhynchus, whose breeding-quarters we had so long been wanting to know with certainty. We had not then much time for conversation, for we had to be off with the prospect of a long day’s boat-voyage before us to Safe Haven through a thick fog and heavy ice; but I told him I was sure it was A. brachyrhynchus, a species he said he did not know. The next morning I went on board the Swedish Expedition’s schooner, and Herr Malmgren was good enough to shew me some very interesting specimens, first of which was another perfect and undoubted A. brachyrhynchus, which he was in the act of skinning. I found he had been consulting Nilsson’s ‘Svenska Foglar’ (ii. p. 401), which lay open at the place before him, and he was quite ready to agree that I was right in my determination of the species. That evening he, with Professors Nordenskjéld and Dunér, came to dine on board the ‘ Sultana,’ and he was so kind as to bring and give me these two valuable specimens, writing on them in my presence:—‘ Af Anser brachyrhynchus, tagen p& Mittelhook i Ice-sound p& Spetsbergen under en hona som blef skjuten den 10 Juli 1864 af A. J. Mgrn.” (Cf Ibis, 1865, pp. 209, 210, 518 et segq.) [§ 5464. One.—Advent Bay, Ice Sound, W. Spitsbergen, AvonlyeeeGat) “SAR a Mi) Prom’ Herr As J: Malmgren. This egg was given by Herr Malmgren to my fellow-guest on board the ‘Sultana,’ the late Mr. Graham Manners-Sutton, who was kind enough to let me become its possessor. I believe it came from the nest off which Mr. Malmgren shot the bird which I saw him in the act of skinning. At any rate he wrote in his second paper on the Birds of Spitsbergen (Cfvers. K. Vet.-Ak. Forh. 1864, p. 398) that he shot a hen Anser brachyrhynchus from the nest on the day named in the inscription he put on the egg. 524 ANSER BRACHYRHYNCHUS.—BRANTA CANADENSIS. The particulars are recorded by me in ‘The Ibis’ for 1865 (pp. 209, 513), and I thereto added a notice of a nest of no doubt this species, containing two newly-hatched Goslings found by Ludwig 16 July, on some lowland lying just over the ridge which bounds the east side of Safe Haven. | [§ 5465. Fouwr.—Spitsbergen, 20 June, 1888. From Herr Foslie. Herr Foslie wrote to me from Tromso in the autumn of 1888, that no eggs of Larus eburneus had been obtained during the past summer (ef. § 4669), but that he had some of Anser brachyrhynchus. I asked him to send me four, and these arrived accordingly some time after, but he did not tell me from what part of the country they came, though I begged him to do so. I am not aware that any other species of big Goose breeds, or even occurs, in Spitsbergen. | BRANTA CANADENSIS (Linnzus). CANADA GOOSE. § 5466. One.—St. James’s Park. From Mr, A. D. Bartlett, 1847. [§ 5467. One.—Riddlesworth, Norfolk. From Mr. Thornhill, 1846. A good many Canada Geese were kept about this time and for several years after on the water at Riddlesworth, which was an enlargement of the Little Ouse, and most of them, so far as I remember, had their nests on the Norfolk side of the river. Few, if any, of the birds were pinioned. | [§ 5468. One.—From Dr. Heermann, 1861. Dr. Heermann gave me to understand that this was laid by a wild bird, but he did not tell me anything of its history. ] [§ 5469. Zwo.—Anderson River, 22 June, 1864. “ Parent shot.” From the Smithsonian Institution, through Professor Baird. Sent by Mr. MacFarlane, who wrote (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiv. p, 424) :— “ Nests were discovered in the vicinity of Fort Anderson and to the borders of the forest on the east and west sides of the river of that name, but none were BRANTA HUTCHINSI.—B. LEUCOPSIS. 525 met with in the Barrens proper, nor on the Arctic Coast. Several deserted hawks’ nests on trees were found occupied by incubating female birds of this species. We forwarded one hundred and seventy eggs of B. canadensis to the Smithsonian.” The label referring to these two bears the Smithsonian number 11802, and the note—“ Nest on a tree about twelve feet up. It was thickly lined with down, apparently plucked by the female goose off her own body.” ] BRANTA HUTCHINSI (Richardson). [§ 5470. One.—Port Kennedy, Bellot Strait, 26 June, 1859. ‘Fox’ Expedition. From Dr. David Walker, RN., 1860. In Sir Leopold M‘Clintock’s narrative of ‘The Yoyage of the “ Fox” in the Arctic Seas’ (London: 1859) he describes (page 321) his taking the nest of a “ Brent Goose”, on what I find from the context to have been 26 June, 1859, between Four River Point and Cape Baird on the north shore of Bellot Strait, as follows :—“‘ When vainly endeavouring, with felonious intentions, to climb up a steep cliff to the breeding-places of some silvery Gulls, I saw and shot a brent Goose, seated upon an accessible ledge, and made a prize of four eggs; it seems strange that this bird should -have selected so unusual a breeding- place.” Dr. Walker, in writing to me, 29 March, 1860, in answer to my enquiries, says:—“ The egg of Brent Goose you have is from the ‘historic nest.’ Others we obtained in Greenland, at Frederikshaab and Upernivik.” In October, 1860, I was shewn by Dr. Carte, in the Museum of the Royal Dublin Society, the skins of some of the birds obtained on the ‘ Fox’ voyage, among which I especially remarked that purporting to be the “ Brent Goose ” shot from the nest by Sir Leopold M‘Clintock. It was certainly not Anser bernicla, but I believe A. hutchins?. I regret to find, from enquiries recently made, that the specimen is no longer forthcoming, so that I have been unable to get the accuracy of my former determination tested, which I should like to have done. | BRANTA LEUCOPSIS (Linneus). BERNACLE-GOOSE. § 5471. Zwo.—St. James’s Park, 1847. From Mr. A. D. Bartlett. The egg figured by Mr. Hewitson [in his second edition] (pl. 336) was from St. James’s Park. It is slightly larger than 526 BRANTA LEUCOPSIS.—B. BERNICLA. either of these. Mr. Bartlett told me that he had one larger than any he had seen before, that he took out of the nest himself. I declined having it, as I thought a» White-fronted Goose might possibly have made a convenience of the nest of the Bernacle. § 5472. One.—St. James’s Park, 9 June, 1848. From Mr. E. B. Fitton. Mr. Fitton said this was an addled egg, but not discoloured. § 5473. Zwo.—St. James’s Park, 1852. These from Smith, the keeper of the Waterfowl there, 12 June, 1852. They had been blown some days before. [§ 5474. One—Haston, Norfolk, 1852. From Mr. Gurney. There can be no question whatever about the genuineness of this egg, on which account I sent it to Mr. Hewitson to be figured by him; but he preferred one from Mr. Wilmot’s collection. ‘There was no other bird that could have produced the present one kept on the water. } [§ 5475. One-—Garden of the Royal Zoological Society of Dublin, 1862. From Mr. R. J. Montgomery. Mr. Montgomery assured me that this had been laid by a Bernacle-Goose in the Garden of which he was Superintendent. | BRANTA BERNICLA (Linneus). BRANT-GOOSE. § 5476. Four.—Spitsbergen, 1853. These eggs, apparently of Brent Goose, were given to me on the 8th of May, 1854, by Mr. Samuel Monk, of Raipas (Alten Copper- works), West Finmark. They had been given to him last year by Herr O. C. Fandrem, handelsmand [merchant] in Karasjock, up in the mountains. Some Englishman, enquiring for eggs, to whom Mr. Monk had shcwn them last year, rejected them as useless. It BRANTA BERNICLA. 2a happened that Herr Fandrem was dining at Mr. Monk’s, and he told me that they were brought to Hammerfest last year by the ‘Gerda,’ Captain Eriksen. Herr Fandrem spent last summer, as he intends to do this, in or near Hammerfest. He is said to be a worthy man. The eggs were called simply Goose eggs, but were said to be of the kind common in Spitsbergen, which I was told in Hammerfest is called the Trapp-gaas, and from all the descriptions T have heard it must be the Brent. It is called by the Quains Pikko Hanhi |Vittle Goose]. They say that Kilju-hanhi, White- fronted Goose, is also there, but in very small numbers, and they do not find its eggs. The eggs of Trapp-gaas were at one time brought in plenty to Hammerfest, and sold for eating at 4 skillings each. Now the vessels go more often to the east side of Spitsbergen, where the Walruses frequent, and they do not so often bring these eggs. Herr Carl Knoblock, of the Custom house in Hammerfest, who has been to Spitsbergen, tells me that the Geese and Eiders steal eggs from one another, carrying them under their wings! ‘‘ They are not bigger than hens’ eggs.” This Goose has a black head and neck with a white ring round the neck, but no white on the head. Carl Knoblock has seen a White Bear putting his fore legs round a nest, and shovelling up the eggs into his mouth with his two paws. Herr Andreas Berger, Joseph Lombasjirvi, and others with whom I talked could not recognize my description of Bernacle answering to any bird they knew in Spitsbergen. § 5477. Fourteen.—Spitsbergen, 1857. I obtained between twenty and thirty of these eggs, all that were left out of fifty blown by the HH. Berger at Hammerfest, but dreadfully damaged by mice before they came into my hands in July or August. The Goose from all accounts agrees exactly with the Brent, and is well distinguished by the Finnish sealers from Ki/ju- hanhi, the White-fronted Goose. [At Mr. Wolley’s request, these were collected in Spitsbergen by Joseph Lombasjarvi (above mentioned § 5476), of the jagt ‘Hammerfest,’ and by him handed to the Bergers, who eventually sent them to me in England. Altogether twenty-six specimens reached me. Of these four were sold at Mr. Stevens’s rooms 23 February, 1850, to Messrs. Braikenridge, Shepherd, Burney, and Milner. Three more at the same place, 31 May, 1860, to Messrs. Marshall, Braikenridge, and Tristram. In the same year I sent one to Dr. Brewer, and two to Dr. Baldamus. ] 52 L§ [§ [$ 8 BRANTA BERNICLA.——B. RUFICOLLIS. 5478. Twc.—South Cape Islands, Spitsbergen, 21-22 June, 1855. From Messrs. Wilson Sturge and Edward Evans. Given to me by these gentlemen after their return to England. They wrote (Ibis, 1859, p. 167) that they found on landing on one of the islands, at midnight on the 21st of June, Brent-Geese, Eider-Ducks, and Glaucous Gulls “in immense numbers, and the ground was covered with their nests..... The nests of the Eider Ducks were hollows scooped in the pebbly ground, very scantily lined with down mixed with sea-weed, forming in this respect a striking contrast to those of the Brent Goose, whose three or four eggs were buried in a perfect mass of down and feathers.” | 5479. Four.—Simmonds Islands, Grinnell Land, Lat. 82° 33! N., 25 June, 1876. ‘2 killed off nest. H.W. F.” From Captain Feilden, 1877. Kindly given to me by Captain (now Colonel) Feilden, who, writing in ‘The Ibis’ for 1877 on the Birds observed during the Arctic Expedition of 1875-6, says of this species :—“ During the first week of June, parties of these birds arrived in the vicinity of our winter-quarters,... On the 21st June I found the first nest with eggs, in lat. 82° 33’ N.; subsequently many were found. When the young are hatched the parent birds and broods congregate on the lakes or in open water-spaces near the shore in large flocks; by the end of July the old birds were moulting and unable to fly, so that they were easily secured.... The gander remains in the vicinity of the nest while the goose is sitting, and accompanies the young brood. In one instance where I killed a female as she left her nest the gander came hissing at me.” | BRANTA RUFICOLLIS (Pallas). RED-BREASTED GOOSE. 5480. Siv—Lukaroy, Jennessei River, 1 July, 1895. ‘Bird shot. C.B.H.” From Mr. C. B. Hill, 1896. Mr. Popham, whom Mr. Hill accompanied on his journey, wrote of this species in ‘ The Ibis’ for 1897 (pp. 99, 100) :—* The eggs of this Goose formed one of our chief prizes. Four nests were found with seven, seven, eight, and nine eggs (of a creamy-white colour) in each respectively. From ali the nests the female was shot. All the nests were placed at the foot of a cliff occupied by either a Peregrine or a Rough-legged Buzzard (possibly for protection from foxes), and well supplied with down. Measurement of eggs: 2°79 in. by 1:93 in.”] TADORNA CORNUTA. 529 TADORNA CORNUTA (S. G. Gmelin). THE SHELD-DRAKE. § 5481. One.—From Mr. Mansfield. Not later than 1843. § 5482. One.—From Mr. Green, 1844. § 5483. Zwo.—Leadenhall Market, 1849. From Dr. Frere. § 5484. Three-—From Mr. Green, 1851. § 5485. Mive-—Kalmar, (10 May ?), 1856. [These were not entered in his Egg-book by Mr. Wolley; but from Mr. Hudleston’s journal I infer that the nest was found already robbed on the day above given, and I presume the eggs were recovered from the spoilers. | § 5486. One.—Mellbéda, Gland, 11 June, 1856. “J. WW. Of two, deserted, in a tree upon which several weeks before I had actually seen the bird alight. They were in an horizontal branch of an old oak, on the parsonage lands. [Mr. Hudleston’s journal of the same day has :—“ The Patron then took us to an old oak, not far from the church, where a Shellduck had laid two eggs and then deserted. They were placed in the hollow of one of the large horizontal arms.’”] [§ 5487. One.—Orkney. From Mr.’ Dunn, 1851. | [§ 5488. Zwo.—Calvend, Kircudbrightshire, May, 1854, From Mr, W. G. Johnstone. Hewitson, ‘ Eggs of British Birds,’ ed. 3, pl. exii. fig. 1. One of the above lent to Mr. Hewitson to be figured. | PART IV. 2M 530 TADORNA CORNUTA.—T. CASARCA. [§ 5489. Zico.—Waren Bay, Northumberland, June, 1856. Obtained by us when at Bamborough of Henry Macdonald. ] | § 5490. Zwo.—Dornoch, Sutherland, 30 Moy, 1874. From Mr. Norgate. Received by Mr. Norgate from one Douglas MacKenzie. ] TADORNA CASARCA (Linneus). RUDDY SHELD-DRAKE. § 5491. One.—Djendeli, 12 May, 1857. From Mr. Tristram’s Collection. Bought at Mr. Stevens’s rooms, being Lot 271 of the sale, 9 February, 1858. Mr. Tristram’s notes are to the effect that it was one of four eggs, sat on for about a week, in a cliff at the south side of Ain Djendeli, in a hole of the rock about twenty feet from the ground. The nest was formed entirely of the down of the parent bird, which sat in the nest till Mohammed mounted the rock. There was a Booted Eagle sitting close by, and Black Kites hovering near. Mr. Simpson told me that he and his friends [Messrs. Tristram and Salvin] watched this bird regularly on to its nest, and it was impossible to have an egg better identified. It was at some height in a cliff, miles away from water, and had Birds-of-prey breeding close to it. [Mr. Salvin (Ibis, 1859, p. 362) thus writes of this nest :—‘ One nest only rewarded our labours. The rarity of the eggs is hardly so surprising, when the situation chosen by this bird for its nest is considered. It selects a hole or erevice of a cliff for its breeding place, and associates with the Raven, Black Kite, and Egyptian Vulture during the period of the reproduction of its young. Almost immediately on encamping at Ain Djendeli we used daily to see a pair of Ruddy Shieldrakes pass over our tents, their direction always being backwards and forwards between the cliffs to the south of us and the small marsh between us and the lake. After careful investigation, the nest was discovered to be ina hole in the face of a rock, which required all the skill of Mohamed and all our appliances of ropes, &e., to reach. The result was four hard-set eggs, which are now in the collections of Messrs. Tristram, Simpson, J. Wolley, and myself. Though the Arabs were aware of the habits of this bird, we did not succeed in obtaining any more eggs.”’] ANAS PENELOPE. DL [§ 5492. One.—* Sarepta, Volga.” From Dr. Frere, 1861. If I remember right, Dr. Frere told me he had this from Mr. Walter. It was probably received from Herr Moschler. | [§ 5493. Onve.—* Sarepta.” From Herr Méschler, 1862. ] [§ 5494. One.—* South Russia.” From Herr A. Heinke, of Kamuschin, through Dr. Giinther, 156. | [§ 5495. Zwo—* Volga.” From Herr Moschler, through Mr. Norgate, 1869. | [§ 5496. One.—‘‘ Darasun, Daourie,” | 20 May, 1868. eran M. Jules Verreaux, | ¢ 18 2. [ c 197 e née. a Sibérie.”’ y eet Both the above presumably from Dr. Dybowski, who is cited (Journ. fur Orn, 1878, pp. 108, 109) as stating that the species is common in Dauuria, and breeds in holes of trees, or trees lying on the ground, as well as in rifts of rocks or the deserted nests of birds-of-prey. ] ANAS PENELOPE, Linnzeus. ’ WIGEON. The Wiegon was first [made] known to breed in the north of Scotland through Sir William Jardine and Mr. Selby’s expedition, more than twenty years sgo, into Sutherlandshire, where the Messrs. Milner afterwards found it. It is then mentioned by Mr. St. John in his ‘Tour in Sutherlandshire.’ About the same time I had the pleasure of seeing it there, and of hearing its beautiful call as it flew by in the dusk of the summer evenings. It is very local, being found only in particular spots upon the shores of two or three of the larger lochs towards the middle of the county. The nest, as the forest- keepers told me, for all my endeavours to find it myself failed, is placed on some brae or burn-side not far from the loch. The Drakes 2m 2 Hd ANAS PENELOPE. in small companies were swimming about in the neighbourhood, and to see them is alone worth a journey of many miles, especially as miles are got over in our island. In Lapland also several pairs are generally to be seen together, perhaps as much from the favourable- ness of certain spots as from the love of society. No Duck is so common here. Wherever there is a still bay or recess in the river with water-plants and willows, there is sure to be a pair or two of Wigeons, and near the bank they make their nest. In the lakes too they are frequently to be found. They are tamer than any of the other Ducks and often let a boat pass quite near, while they are constantly swimming about just before houses. But I am sorry to say that they are perhaps unmolested more from the want of time to disturb them than anything else. Numbers of the small flappers of Wigeons, Pintails, and other birds are caught with dogs in the sedge hy the waterside. The down of the nest is somewhat like that of the Pintail, but looser looking—the same white centres softened by the transparent grey outside of each little tuft, yet the filaments are longer and their white bars larger and more distinct. A nest is an extremely pretty sight, even when separated from its native bank, and all the accompaniments of flowers, roots, moss, and lichens—of lights and shadows. Mr. John Hancock has one trans- planted with great care to his choice studio at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The eggs seem to be usually from six to ten in number. When fresh they are mostly of a rich cream colour, but some are even then quite white. [The above was written at Muoniovara, 2nd of March, 1855, for Mr, Hewitson’s use, and was in part printed by him in the third edition of his work. ] § 5498. One.—Myvatn, Iceland, June, 1843. From Mr. Proctor, 1844. § 5499. One.—Iceland, 1846. From Mr. Graham, 1847. Said by Mr. Graham to have been from the first nest Mr. Henry Milner took. Mr. Milner was inclined to recognize it. § 5500. One——Loch Naver, Sutherland, 20 May, 1847. “1. Milner.” From Mr. Henry Milner. ANAS PFNELOPE. eat § 5501. Zen.—Sutherland, 1850. From Mr. Bantock, of Dunrobin. I was not fortunate enough to find the nest of this species myself, but I saw birds at the Altnaharra end of Loch Naver, making their very peculiar noise in the evening. The gamekeeper there said they were then (10 May, 1849) only just beginning to breed. Their nests were in long heather by the side of little water-courses, but | could not find any, and I relied upon meeting with them afterwards, which I never did, excepting at the Lairg end of Loch Shin, where Ferguson, Lord Ellesmere’s gamekeeper, put me across to the tongue of land in Mathieson’s ground, where he said there was sure to be a nest; but I could not find it. I saw many of the birds about on the 12th of May. I could hear of none in Assynt. Mr. Bantock, at Dunrobin, had a quantity of their eggs. Mr. L. Heyworth, to whom I have given one, tells me he saw many birds on Loch Awe, in Argyll, in June, and was shewn some of their old nests with broken eggs. They were more numerous there than Wild Ducks. He has also brought eggs of this bird from Sweden. § 5502. Four.—Muonioniska, June, 1853. These eggs, with the name Haapana [| Wigeon], brought with other Ducks’ eggs [$$ 5578, 5830] by a woman for sale. She had only seven or eight of them. They were fresh. ‘Theodore translated the name by Graand [Grey Duck], but he is imperfectly acquainted with the birds of the neighbourhood of Haparanda, and still less does he know the local names here. § 5503. Seven.—Songamuotka, 30 May, 1854. Nest found by boatman Elias, on the top of the high bank [up the river], some paces from its edge, just before coming to Songamuotka, The bird flew off and he said it was Huapana [Wigeon]. He brought me the nest—grey down with white centres. I expected Wigeons’ nests there, as there were two or three pairs on the water, which is there still and favourable for the young. § 5504, Stv—Muonioalusta, 7 June, 1854. From Piko Heiki; brought to Ludwig on the 18th. 534 : ANAS PENELOPE. § 5505. Stv.—Nalima, 10 June, 1854. Brought by Kenta Johan’s wife, found by the husband. § 5506. Five.—Idio-uoma, 1854. Brought under the Finnish name (Haapana) by Lisa Greta on the 3rd of June. The bird is very common at Kaaressuando, from which Idio-uoma is [a few] miles distant. § 5507. Two.—Routio, June, 1854. From the Lapp Anders and his son on the 17th. They gave them the Finnish name. § 5508. Three.-—Kangosjarvi, June, 1854. From Ankori Niemi’s Hendrik at midsummer. § 5509. Four.—Kaaressuando, 1854. [No other particulars are given of these. There were eight originally, and one was sold at Mr. Steveus’s, 7 March, 1856, to Mr. Simpson. Of those now left, one differs much from the rest, being longer and pinker. } § 5510. Zhree.—-Kangosjarvi, 1854. Brought by Neli’s Aaron. [One of these is also elongated, measuring 2°39 by 1°49 inch. } § 5511. Siv.—Great Lake, Patsjoki, 10 June, 1855. “ Bird shot. J. W.” Out of eight. The bird got up in a little island near the head of the lake, and I shot it as it rose. I preserve the wings. § 5512. Siz.—Pahtonen, Muonio, 29 May-7 June, 1855. “i. Mek.” Pahtonen is the third fors over Aijinpaikka, being just under Kuivanen. Here Ludwig found the nest with two eggs only. He frequently saw the bird afterwards, even so as to distinguish almost ANAS PENELOPE. 535 every feather, and he is sure of the species. When he took the eggs, on the night of the 7th of June, the bird seemed to have deserted them. § 5513. Hight.—Muonioalusta, 13 June, 1855. Found by Maria Kaisa Ranta, and brought to Ludwig on the 19th. [One sold at Mr. Stevens’s, 12 May, 1857, to Mr. Walter. ] § 5514. Siv.—Toras-sieppi, 21 June, 1856. Taken by the fors near the house, and brought by Johan to Ludwig the same day. § 5515. Three.—Iso Saari, Muonioalusta, 8 June, 1856. Brought to Ludwig on the 22nd by Largs Larsson, under the name of Haapana. {There were nine eggs in the nest. I gave one to Dr. D. Walker for the Belfast Museum, and sent three in 1862 to the Smithsonian Institution. ] § 5516. Five.—Oiasen-saari, 18 June, 1856. Out of seven, found by Lukavainio Erki on Syva-lanta, and brought to Ludwig on the 24th. . § 5517. Four.—Kyro, 1856. Brought ready blown by Martin Piety, 31 July. § 5518. Aight.—Nalima, 1856. By Nalima Pekka, who also blew them. § 5519. Scv.—Kaaressuando, 1856. From Nalima’s girl, by Ludwig, 28 July. 536 ANAS PFNELOPE. § 5520. #ve—Muonioniska, 8 June, 1857. Brought by two little boys, sons of Likavainio Erki and Maki Carl. They found them on the Finnish side, near the river and called them Tavi [Teal], but they look like Haapana, and the down must decide. § 5521. Seven.—Niva, Muonioniska, 13 June, 1857. Found by a little boy, Isak, son of Niva Johan. The nest was under a spruce just below the house, and as another nest of Wigeon was found close to this, there can be little doubt that they are, as they appear to be, Wigeon’s. An eighth egg was given to the Messrs. Godman. : § 5522. Mne.—Niva, 13 June, 1857. Found by the same lad, on the same day and very near the same place as the eggs just before entered [§ 5521]; but the present nest was under a Scotch fir. § 5523. Mive.—Muonioalusta, 24 June, 1857. Lars Larrson, of Under Muonio, brought these from Iso Saari. A sixth given to the Messrs. Godman. § 5524. Zwo.—Jerisjoensuu Koskivaara, 9 June, 1857. Brought by Piko Heiki the day after Koski Niku found them, and carefully placed with wool in small boxes by Knoblock. This is the whitest of all this year’s nests. The hill is beyond the church trom here, in Muonioniska. § 5525. Two.—Katkasuando, 1857. Belonging to Ehas Vanha-piha. Brought by Anna Greta, 5 July, and then a good deal rotted inside. § 5526. Zwo.—Jerisjarvi, 5 July, 1857. Out of six, brought 11 July by Hietas Marie Lena’s boy Olli, ANAS PENELOPE. 537 who found them on Lappi-saari. One given to the Messrs. Godman. [Two more were sold at Mr. Stevens’s, 23 February, 1858, to Mr. Braikenridge. | § 5527. 7wo—Keras-sieppi, 1857. Belonging to Matthias, but brought by Johan Erik Hendriksson, of Keras-sieppi, 12 July. § 5528. Zwo.—Kangosjarvi, 1857. Brought by Tapa Johan’s lad Carl, 1 August; found by Isak Olafsson on an island in the lake. § 5529. Four.—Pallasjarvi, 17 June, 1558. Found by Heiki, on an island in the lake as above. [Four more from this nest seem to have been suld at Mr. Stevens’s 8 March, 1859, to Messrs. Troughton and Cox—two to each. | § 5530. Five—Muonioalusta, 10 June, 1858. A nest of six, found by Johan Larsson on Iso-saari. § 5531. Five—Muonioalusta, 12 June, 1858. A nest of six found by Johan Larsson in Kommexen manta. § 5532. Mme.—Ounas-tunturi, 14 June, 1858. Found by Piko Heiki half a mile [Swedish] from the hata. § 5533. Seven.—Kyro, 1858. Brought by Niku. [§ 5534. Hight—Ollaskoski, 18 June, 1862. Brought by Abraham Kirsti; found as above. | 538 ANAS PENELOPE.—A. ANGUSTIROSTRIS. [§ 5535. One.—Loch Garry, Inverness-shire, 25 May, 1854. From Mr. Southwell. Hewitson, ‘Eggs of British Birds,’ ed. 3, pl. exiv. fig. 3. Taken, as Mr. Southwell wrote, by Mr. D. C. Burlinghem, who is saic¢ (Trans. Norf. and Norw. Nat. Soc. vii. p. 421) to have found this bin breeding in Glen Garry, just ten years before, in 1844. This specimen was figured by Mr. Hewitson as above. ] [§ 5536. Zwo— Loch Garry, 2 June, 1855. “T. 5.” From Mr. Southwell, 1856. Taken by Mr. Southwell himself, acting on Mr. Burlingham’s information, from different nests. | [§ 5537. Sca—Glen Luine, Ross-shire, 1872. From Mr. Edward Hargitt. Mr. Hargitt wrote to me, 6 October, 1872 :—“I promised to send you a few Scotch specimens of the eggs of Anas penelope. I have only received this nest of six this season.... The particulars are enclosed in the box.” The particulars only add to what is given above the name of the gamekeeper who took the eggs—Alexander MacDonald. } D ANAS AMERICANA, Gmelin. AMERICAN WIGEON. [§ 5538. Two.—Fort Yukon, June, 1861. From the Smith- sonian Institution, through Professor Baird, 1863. Prof Baird’s note is: “R. Kennicott. Parent shot.’”’ The Smithsonian number is 6584. (Cf. § 5743.) ] ANAS ANGUSTIROSTRIS, Ménétries. MARBLED DUCK. [§ 5539. Zwo—* Siberia.” From Herr Dode, 1871. The information promised concerning these eggs was not supplied, but Herr Dode forwarded another to Mr. Dresser, saying that it was procured on the Caspian Sea (Dresser, B. Eur. vi. p. 483).] ANAS STREPERA. 539 ; [§ 5540. Ezght—Marisma of the Guadalquivir, 1872. From Lord Lilford, 1873 and 1884. Lord Lilford furnished some notes on the habits of this species in Spain to Mr. Dresser, by whom they were published in 1872 in his ‘Birds of Europe’ (vi. p. 481), and the following are extracts therefrom :—“In 1869 I offered a high reward for identified eggs of this bird; and in the following year two nests were obtained for me, containing eleven and ten eggs respectively, with the hen bird shot from the nest in each instance..... I have this year received more eggs said to be of this species; but the only proofs of their authenticity, if proofs they can be called, are their close resemblance to the identified eggs of the present species, and the fact that, as far as I know, no other species of Anas lays an egg at all like that of the present bird in Andalucia.” | ANAS STREPERA, Linneus. GADWALL. § 5541. Zwo.—Zana, 12 June, 1857. From Mr. Simpson [and Mr. Tristram]. Out of eight eggs taken by “ French mowers, who recognized the bird.” Mr. Simpson is pretty sure that this is a Gadwall’s. [The above refers to one specimen given to Mr. Wolley by Mr. Hudleston: a second, from the same nest, was given to my brother and myself by Canon Tristram, whose note agrees with that of Mr. Hudleston. | § 5542. Zwo.—Zana, 10 June, 1857. From Mr. Tristram. Taken and marked “ Gadwal” by Mr. Tristram. [A second egg from this nest was given to my brother and me by Mr. Tristram, whose note was that there were eight hard sat upon eggs in the nest, which was in long grass in the swamp at Zana. } [§ 5543. One—Zana, 10 June, 1857. From Mr. Salvin. Mr. Salvin’s note is that this was from a nest of seven eggs taken by Mr. Tristram, who said he nearly caught the bird on the nest. Of the species Mr. Salvin wrote :— We found it only in the marsh of Zana, and though the bird was tolerably abundant we were able to identify thoroughly only,one nest, which Mr. Tristram took, the bird allowing herself to be almost caught. Our other eggs of this species were obtained through the French mowers, some of whom, and one especially, seemed to understand the specific distinction of 540 ANAS STREPERA. the bird. Several nests which I took to be of this bird, and which were left for more satisfactory identification, were destroyed, as we supposed at the time, by Porphyrio hyacinthinus.” (Cf. Ibis, 1859, p. 361.)] [§ 5544. Zwo.—Narford, Norfolk, 1857. From Mr. J. Fountaine, through Mr. Newcome. Mr. Fountaine, writing to Mr. Stevenson in 1875, as quoted by the latter in his ‘Birds of Norfolk’ (iii. p. 160), stated that about five-and-twenty years before he received from the decoy then existing at Dersingham, near Lynn, a pair of birds of this species, which, having cut off a very small portion from their pinions, he liberated on the lake at Narford, where they bred, and their progeny also ever since. I had heard of this, and through my late excellent friend Mr. Newcome, who was well acquainted with Mr. Fountaine, I obtained these eggs. It was Mr. Fountaine’s opinion that his original captives attracted others, for a very considerable number of Gadwalls bred in the valley of the Nar for several years after, and may do so still for aught I know to the contrary. They were safe enough on Mr. Fountaine’s own property, but until the passing of the Wild Fowl Preservation Act in 1876 they were subject to persecution even after the pairing-season in the neighbourhood, and many were destroyed. Immediately after that Act came into force their numbers greatly increased, and they were heard of breeding in various parts of the county. ] [§ 5545. Zwo.—Tottington, Norfolk, 22 April, 1884. “A. & H. N.” [§ 5546. Zwo.—Tottington, 22 April, 1884. “Saw bird. Li ad On the day above named, Lord Walsingham kindly took my brother Edward and myself to see his meres, and I extract the following from my brother’s notes of our visit, written the next day :—“ .... On the Stanford mere a pair of Gadwalls were feeding on the opposite side near the bank, and near them three or four pairs of Tufted Ducks, a pair or two of Shovelers, three Vunbirds, a pair of Teal and Wild Duck.... Landing from the island, we walked to the reed-fen, where the gamekeeper said he had found a Gadwall’s, a Shoveler’s, and a Dunbird’s nest. We went to the last first, the keeper, walking some yards in advance of us, saw the bird leave the nest, which was in a thick tussock of coarse grass. She shuffled off into a small pool of water, and, on our advancing, she rose within ten yards of me, so that 1 could see her well. The nest, containing seven eggs, was well concealed by the grass and lined with down. Lord Walsingham took up the eggs, as he wanted to hatch the birds to give away.... The reed-fen, which is in the parish of Tottington, is perhaps five or six acres in extent—rough flat ground, with a small stream running through it,—and is intersected by drains mostly overgrown with reeds and aquatic plants, the fen itself being generally covered with coarse grass, ANAS FALCATA.—A. FORMOSA. 54] and now, owing to the drought, easily accessible without having to wade, the water standing only in the drains. The keeper next took us to a Gadwall’s rest he had found a few days before, when he had put the old bird off from it, and was certain she was a Gadwall. Lord Walsingham said he could be relied on. The nest was in a dry part of the fen, on the top of a tussock, not much concealed, and contained three eggs, which we took, with some of the down. These eggs I have marked.‘No. 1.’ They have a greenish hue and were fresh. “The keeper then took Lord Walsingham and me to the supposed Shoveler’s nest. He, as before, walked in front, and when within a couple of yards of the nest the bird rose. We were close at his heels, and we both exclaimed ‘Gadwall,’ which it evidently was, the small beak and the white on the wings being conspicuous. The nest, which was rather more concealed than the other, was in the same situation, and contained seven eggs, of which we took three, and I marked them ‘No. 22. On blowing them I found two hard set and one quite rotten. The keeper in explanation of his mistake said he had not before seen the bird, which he now admitted was a Gadwall, but had judged it to be a Shoveler’s nest from the look of the eggs and knowing that a pair of Shovelers had a nest somewhere in the fen. These eggs are very different from those of the first nest, being of a clay-colour, and longer and larger. We saw a pair of Teal, several Mallards, and I put a Wild Duck off her nest containing nine eges.” The difference of colour in the eggs of the two nests, noticed by my brother when they were taken, is still plainly visible; and I am not wholly free from doubt whether nest “ No. 1,” from which we did not see the bird, may not have been a Shoveler’s, though No. 2 was assuredly a Gadwall’s. } ‘ ANAS FALCATA, Georgi. [§ 5547. One.—* Lac Baical.”” From M. Verreaux, 1871. Presumably from Dr, Dy bowski, who describes (Journ. fiir Orn. 1873, p. 109) eggs taken near Darasun, and is said to have obtained others at the mouth of the Ussuri (op. eit. 1875, p. 257), but there is no particular mention of . Lake Baikal, though it would seem that he found the species abundant throughout all the country he traversed. | ANAS FORMOSA, Georgi. [§ 5548. One.—Chayachia Zaimka, Kolyma River, 5 July, 1905. From Mr. S. A. Buturlin, through Mr, Dresser, 1906. The locality has been before mentioned (§ 5445). I am informed that this is one out of a nest of three, taken as above. ] 542 ANAS CRECCA. ANAS CRECCA, Linneus. THE TEAL. § 5549. One.—Iceland, 1837. From Mr. Proctor, through Mr. Salmon. [Apparently brought from Iceland by Mr. Proctor himself. } § 5550. Zwelve-—Sutherland. From Mr. Bantock, 1850. Teal I do not remember seeing in Sutherlandshire, unless at Shinness, where I am told they breed.. Ferguson, the gamekeeper at Lairg, had their eggs, and Mr. Bantock {of Dunrobin] writes to me that he has them. I heard of them too elsewhere; but I did not find their eggs. § 5551. Zhree-—Sutherland. From Mr. W. Dunbar, 1851. [A fourth in the sale at Mr, Stevens’s rooms, 81 May, 1860, is now in Mr. Parkin’s collection.) § 5552. Three.—Loch Ba, Argyllshire, 7 May, 1852. From Me P. Robertson. : From the Eagle-loch, if not the Eagle-islet [§ 74], and probably on the day Mr. Colquhoun tried to shoot the Eagle, for Mr. Robertson writes, 9 June, 1852:—‘‘ Mr. Colquhoun came to the Loch Ba Sea-Eagle, and I covered him in the island near the tree where the nest was. The Eagle came two or three times very close to him, but he was always expecting her to hght on the nest. But she got his wind and made off, and never returned. So when I went to look up what was in the nest, there was the young one newly out of the shell and dying with cold, and was quite dead before we left the island. So he went away without the Eagle, but I believe he will not try it any more, which I will not be sorry for, as he scares them away every year, and will not let them take out the young.” [The ambition of Mr. Colquhoun, author of ‘The Moor and the Loch,’ to shoot an Eagle was, I believe, well knowa, and after several attempts I was told he succeeded in taking the life of one bird.] ANAS CRECCA. 543 § 5553. Four.—Kaaressuando, 2 June, 1854. Out of eight brougit by the innkeeper’s son and called Tavi [Teal]. Found a mile to the south. § 5554. Mve.—Kaaressuando, 14 June, 1854. Taken by Nivas Niku, as Tavi. § 5555. Mve.—tKaaressuando, 1856. From Tuorimaa Matthias. § 5556. Seven.—Laho-uoma, Muonioniska, 5 June 1857. By Niemi’s lads. In the same marsh as the Cranes’ [§ 3180]. § 5557. Three.—Tepasto, 1857. Out of five brought ready blown by Ludwig from Kyro. § 5558. Five.—Niko-ranta, Muonio, 10 June, 1857. Out of seven from Hendrik Persson Tavala, Forsstrém’s dréng. On the wood side of the fence. § 5559. Three-—Mukka-uoma, 1857. Out of seven, of which two were given to the Messrs. Godman. Found by Eric. § 5560. Meve.—Lapland, 15 June, 1857. “J. W.” (Inscribed but not entered by Mr. Wolley. | § 5561. Mne—Muonioniska, 1 June, 1858. Found by Niemi’s Maria in a little myr below Niva’s gard. § 5562. Hight—Serkijarvi, 5 June, 1858. From Carl Hendriksson, found near Eieniska and Veleila-lompalo. 544 ANAS CRECCA. § 5563. Five.—Ofvenjarvi, 9 June, 1858. Out of eight from Johan Pulju; found on the shore of the lake as above. [Two were given to Mr. A. C. Smith in 1862.] § 5564. Seven.—Jeris-jarvi, 13-17 June, 1858. Brought by Hetases Olle; found as above. [One of these is curiously shaped, almost like the egg of a Grebe. | § 5565. Four.—Lapland, 1858. Out of six from Oluf Tuorimaa’s daughter Stina. [§ 5566. Fowr—Scoulton, Norfolk, 1852. “A. & BE. N.” Hewitson, ‘ Eggs of British Birds,’ ed. 3, pl. exiv. fig. 2. Out of six from a nest shewn to us by the gamekeeper in the belt of trees that surrounds the well-known Mere. One specimen was figured by Mr. Hewitson as above. } [§ 5567. Zwo.—Hockwold Fen, Norfolk, June 1853. From Mr. Newcome. From a nest found by a man named Kettringham. As there was a possibility of its being a Garganey’s, one of the eggs was put under a hen and hatched, when the bird proved to be a male A. crecca.] [§ 5568. One.—Loch Lundie, Inverness-shire, 1855. From Mr. Southwell. | [§ 5569. Onze.—Loch Garry, Inverness-shire, 1855. From Mr. Southwell. | [§ 5570. Stz—Rathlin, Ireland, 6 June, 1863. From Mr. Robert Harvey. Mr. Harvey’s note is:-—“This nestful was brought to Mr. Gage by the herd boy of one of his tenants. The nest was found in Dallygill Moss, Rathlin. The 6th of June is so very late for the breeding of Anas crecca that I imagine the first eggs must have come to grief.” Or ANAS CRECCA.;—A. ACUTA. 54 [§ 5571. One.—Bloxworth, Dorset, 7 June, 1878. “ Bird well seen. O.S. & E. N.” From a nest of nine eggs found on Bloxworth Heath by Mr. Salvin and my brother, the bird flying off almost under their feet. The former brought the egg unblown to Cambridge, believing it to be hard sat upon; but I found it had been incubated for only a few hours—not forty-eight, I believe. | ANAS ACUTA, Linnzus. PINTAIL. A few years ago I was very much surprised at the appearance of an egg given to me by a gentleman [ Mr. Henry Milner} who had brought it from Iceland in 1846, and assured me it was out of a nest from which he had himself shot a female Pintail as it rose. It seemed so small for the bird, was so different from eggs previously supposed to be genuine, and looked like what I had been accustomed to consider Long-tailed Ducks’. Others had been to Iceland long before my friend, and though I knew how carelessly eggs of the Ducks have often been named I hesitated to believe that the Pintail laid eggs so very unlike what the former voyagers had represented them to be. After a long talk I wrote more than one letter on the subject, making all kinds cf suggestions as to the possibility of a mistake, till at last I had heard all the circumstances and particulars that were so kindly related to me, and I felt sure that a Pintail had actually been shot, from the sitting of which that very ege was one. The possibility still remained that the mother might have been accidentally at another bird’s nest; but that its own nest had been close to [it and] unobserved, as at first seemed not unlikely, the assurances of the finder to the contrary rendered extremely im- probable. This single egg from Iceland I accordingly valued very highly, and I looked upon it in the meantime as a veritable Pintail’s, though this discovery of Mr. Milner’s, like all others founded upon single nests, perhaps still wanted confirmation. In common with some other ornithologists, I had long been almost in a state of desperation about the eggs of several of the Ducks, about most of those, in fact, which do not, occasionally at least, breed in Great Britain. Many a collector could produce the eggs of what Duck you please at a moment’s notice, but few, very few, could give any kind of satisfactory account of them. PART IV. 2N 54.6 ANAS ACUTA. ; With some exceptions the best of them were those named by clergy- men in Iceland, some of whom would appear to be able to procure in their island even the rarest species of Duck. Others were sorted out only after their arrival in England by persons who were supposed to have the faculty, from long experience, of distinguishing the several species at a glance; while a large number were not provided with any written name, but were suited to the convenience of those amateurs who give to some of our curiosity-shops lists of their desiderata. It was these almost hopeless Ducks that determined me more than anything else to undertake a journey to the far north; and for many reasons, not the least was the experience of Mr. Dann as recorded in the pages of Yarrell, the fenny regions beyond the Gulf of Bothnia seemed the most promising. One morning, the 7th of June, 1853, I was some hundred English miles up the river which forms the boundary between the King of Sweden and the Czar, with whom our Queen was not yet at war, and in whose dominions I had obtained permission to travel. Stopping at a house by the waterside I could get nothing to eat but a few eggs, among which were nine of some kind of Duck. Having no means of identifying them I dropped them into the kettle without the least.remorse. They were among the first eggs I had seen during my journey, and as the ground was only lately freed from snow, I had no suspicion that so early in the season they would be sat upon; but, to the great disgust of a hungry man, on hacking off the top of one of them I nearly decapitated a perfectly-formed duckling! However, I was not too much dispirited to make an examination of it, and from the form of the beak, feet, and tail I soon came to the conclusion that it was a Pintail, while the appearance of the eggs was exactly that of the one I have already spoken of brought from Iceland. A short time after some similar eggs were said to belong toa bird called here Jouhi-suorsa in the Finnish language, of which word the first part means the hair of a [horse’s] mane or tail—a name, however, elsewhere applied to the Tufted Duck. I had also seen many Pintails on my way up the river. On the 14th of June, some hundred miles or so further north—in fact, within half an English mile of where I am now writing,—after a long and fruitless search for eggs, as my party was standing still holding a council of war, a Duck fluttered up a few yards off. There was a rush to the spot, greatly to the peril of the nest, sunk as it was in the moss. It was lined with down and ANAS ACUTA. DAT contained four eggs. The place was marshy, a few yards from the forest, on the rise of the hill. At midnight I went again to try to obtain the bird; it was just taking a circle over the nest, and it bent its long neck down to see that all was safe. I had a good look at it, as the sun was still shining. Twelve hours afterwards I had a shot at it, as it rose rather wildly, but it did not seem to be hurt, and, as I had to continue my journey, I now reluctantly took the eggs; but I hoped the down would serve to identify them, for amongst it were several breast-feathers, In the meantime, if I could trust my eyes, the bird was a hen Pintail. The eggs were perhaps a week sat upon, and just like the others I had attributed to the same bird. On the 18th of June, I and my line of beaters put up the old ones from three nests at different times in the course of the twenty-four hours in a large marsh. I saw two very well, one of which I examined with my glass as it stood with its neck up in an open space some sixty or seventy yards off. It was an un- mistakable Pintail. All the eggs were nearly hatching, and the young, of which I preserved one or two, were apparently all of the same species. I also kept the down and scattered feathers from each nest, and now I considered I had genuine Pintails’ eggs of my own taking. But the most permanent proof was still wanting—the skin of a bird I myself should obtain from the nest. It was not till last season that I got this last proof. On the 20th of May, 1854, I visited the same marsh and in a littie wooded island of a few yards in circuit a Duck rose almost under my feet and I shot it, feeling sure that 1t was a Pintail, as it proved to be. There were six eggs a day or two sat upon. I wrote upon them as they were blown, and entered the circumstances in my note-book, as is my usual practice. The nest was made of a few twigs mixed and lined with down from the mother’s breast. It is usually made of long bleached grass or anything that comes to hand. The white- centred down with finely grained filaments, mixed as it is with grey- white feathers, is quite characteristic, though not much unlike that of one or two other Ducks. The bird breeds generally in marshes and not very near large pieces of water. The eggs seem to be usually six or seven in number. The people do not get many of them, as they are in uncertain and often distant spots, and when found are generally sat upon—the Pintail being one of the earliest breeders among the Ducks. They appear as soon as the water begins to open, and may be scen standing in pairs at the edge of the 2N2 548 ANAS ACUTA. ice—hence one of the local names of the bird’. As socn as the Ducks are hard sitting the Drakes go about in flocks, having apparently deserted their mates. (The above is from the same letter as that which contained the notes on the Wigeon before given (p. 531), written by Mr. Wolley at Muoniovara, 2 March, 1855, to Mr. Hewitson, who made use of part of it in the third edition of his work. | § 5572. One.—Myvatn, North Iceland, 1846. From Mr. Henry Milner, 1847. Mr. Milner says that this bird is not at all common in Iceland, where they met with only two nests. He afterwards wrote :— “T have no doubt in my own mind about the identity of the Pintail, as 1 saw the bird, and on the same island I got the Scaup, Long-tailed, Wigeon, Teal, and Sclavonian Grebe.” § 5573. One.—Muonioniska, June, 1553. [Out of four which a woman brought on the 12th of June with other Ducks’ eggs for sale, these being called by a name which Mr. Wolley’s intepreter did not attempt to translate. What became of the other three I know not, and only keep this because it was the first Pintail’s egg he obtained in Lapland. ] § 5574. Four.—Nedre-Muonioniska, 13 June, 1853. “J. W.” When we were in the wood standing talking for some time at the edge of a rather swampy slope about 9 o’clock p.m., a Duck fluttered up at twenty yards’ distance. Running up we found four eggs in down in a hollow of the moss, the top of the down being on a level with it. I could not see the bird well. About 12 o’clock I went again with Ludwig, intending to shoot the bird. It appeared and flew round several times, so that I had plenty of time to look at it. It was long in the neck, and might probably be Pintail, but I could not say. It turned its head down as it flew over the marsh. Next 1 [This name is written in several ways by Mr. Wolley, not one of them, I believe, correctly. The proper form would seem to be Hanki-sorsa, the first word meaning the outer hard crust of snow, rendered in Swedish by skare; but I do not find the name recognized by any Finnish authorities, though Prof. W, Nylander is said (Palmén, ‘ Finlands Foglar,’ ii. p. 878) to cite it as given to A. boscas. The other and more general name, as also said and explained above, is Jouhi-sursa or suorsa, which last word signifies Duck.—ED. } ANAS ACUTA. a419 morning, 1 a.m., I went once more, and had two shots at the bird as it flew rather wildly from the eggs, but it was not lit. The eggs were perhaps a week sat upon. In the nest were a few breast- feathers with the down, and I hope to be able to identify them. The Duck had a remarkably long neck, and I believed it to be Pintail. § 5075. Four. | § 5576. Four. ) Karto-uoma, 18 June, 1853. Three nests of Pintail. The first, found by Theodore at the edge of the marsh, contained six eggs, of which I have blown all. They were just ready to hatch. The bird settled a short distance from the nest and I examined it well with my glass, and had no doubt it was a Pintail. The nest was with only a moderate quantity of down, mixed with a good deal of other materials. Of the second nest I also saw the bird shortly after it left, and it was evidently of the same species. The nest contained eight eggs just hatching. I have kept tive of them. They are smaller and of a more delicate colour than those from the other three nests, for I speak also of the one in the wood near, Nedre-Muonioniska [§ 5574]. The nest was mostly made of grass. The third nest, like the last in a central part of the morass, had seven eges—four kept. I did not see the bird. The materials were in greater quantity than in the other nests. There were also the same little feathers here and there in it. Lastly, the young out of the eggs, which I very carefully examined, are all identical in the shape of the head, the length of the tail, the toes, and in every particular. Several Ducks which we saw in various parts of the morass were all Pintails. I could not with certainty come at the Finnish name; but both Ludwig and Theodore were sure it was the same bird as that in the wood before spoken of. § 5578. Stz—kKarto-uoma, 20 May, 1854. “Bird shot. J. W. wse.” These six eggs in a nest in Karto-uoma, (fvre-Muonioniska, -— 550 ANAS ACUTA. from which the bird flew, when we were a few yards off, and was shot by me as it rose. The nest made principally of sticks and down, on a little wooded island in the myr of a few yards’ circuit, raised four or five feet from the water. Eggs a day or two sat upon. § 5579. Six —Viksi, 6 June, 1854. The bird ‘flew from the nest before Ludwig at two fathoms’ distance, and he was sure it was Pintail. It was by the side of [Lake] Viksi, by Viksi-poas. § 5580. Zhree.—Karto-uoma, 21 June, 1854. Hewitson, ‘ Eggs of British Birds,’ ed. 3, pl. exiii. fig. 2. Found by Anton Knoblock in this marsh, where I got three nests of the same bird last year [ $$ 5575-5577]. [One of these was figured by Mr. Hewitson, as above. Three more were sold at Mr. Stevens’s rooms, 26 January, 1855, to Messrs. Gurney (2) and Gardner, junr. | § 5581. S’v—Kaakkuri-lammas-Kura, 23 May, 1855. Found by Ludwig and Anton between Kaakuri-lammas and Viksi, the bird flying off. They set snares and went many times to look at the nest, but the bird always got clear of them. She laid her sixth egg outside the nest about five fathoms off. This they found on the 25th. It is marked with a “ 2,” and they say they saw the bird on it also. As to the species, though they could not catch the bird, Ludwig is most positive, and I have not a shadow of doubt. § 5582. Seven—Merasjarvi, 1855. Brought by a lad to Mucniovara on the 23rd of June, and bought by Ludwig for our eating, as the lad could not say what they were. He had found them in a marsh early in the year and kept them in a cold place, but on Ludwig opening one he found it not fresh, as they had been somewhat sat upon. There seems to be little doubt ANAS ACUTA. 551 the eggs are Pintail’s ; the only other species that occur to me are Shoveler and common Wild Duck—both very scarce, the former perhaps more rare. [I think that Mr, Wolley never had actual proof of the occurrence of Anas clypeata near Muonioniska, though such a bird may have been described to him by some of the people. -As to A. boscas, it-was very uncommon, but I remember seeing in some house the skin, with the bright green feathers on it, of the head of a Mallard, made into an ornamental watch-stand, and I myself shot a Duck at Viksi in August, 1855. - But there are no eggs in the collection, from Lapland, which could, I think, be rightly attributed to this species. | § 5583. Four.—Mukka-uoma, 1855. These look lke. Pintail’s, and Mr. Simpson [Hudleston] shot some Pintail-flappers (a brood) [August, 1855] between Kilpisjarvi and Mukka-uoma. This nest was on the lake-slde, but when found I did not learn. I have compared these eggs with both Pintails’ and Long-tailed Ducks’. § 5584. Hight.—Keras-sieppi, 13 June, 1856. “L. M. K.” Ludwig found these in a marshy spot on the banks of Raitajirvi, a quarter of a Swedish mile north of Keras-sieppi. He saw the bird well as it left the eggs, and again when it settled on the water. He is certain it was Jouhi-suorsa, and the feathers and down now before me, which have ever since been kept with the eggs, appear to belong to this species. § 5585. Onxe.—Kontio-vuori, Ounas, 1857. Out of five, by Martin Piety’s boy—Jowhi-suorsa. [The remaining four were sold at Mr. Stevens’s rooms, 31 May, 1860, to Messrs. Bond (2), Burney, and Godman. ] 586. Lour.—Elveden, 1852, 1853, 1854 (2). These laid as above by one and the same pinioned bird, and taken by my brother or myself. She generally made her nest at a considerable distance from the pond on which she and her mate were kept. The last time in a roadside hedgerow, She disappeared just as the eggs were hatching, having most Or LS ~ 5d [§ L§ LS b) ANAS ACUTA. likely been carried off by a dog, or some passenger, but we were able to rear most of the young, as we had done in other years. She was the mother of the male, which, mated with a farmyard duck, produced the hybrids that were the parents of the two drakes figured in the ‘ Proceedings of the Zoological Society ’ for 1860, Aves, plate clxviii.] 5587. Two.—Hesselé, 8 June, 1861. From HH. Erichsen, Fischer, and Theobald. Pastor Theobald in sending me these eggs wrote that they were taken as above by Herr Erichsen, from a nest containing ten, and that the female was shot as she left it. | 5588. Zwo—Rupert’s House, Hudson’s Bay Territory, 18 June, 1860. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Professor Baird, 1869. The ticket has also “ Parent seen. C. Drexler.’ The Smithsonian number is 4344. | 5589. Zwo.—Fort Yukon, June, !861. From the Smith- sonian Institution, through Professor Baird, 1863. The Smithsonian number is 6595. Prof. Baird’s note adds “ R. Kennicott. Parent seen” (ef. § 5743). | 5590. Three.-—East of Anderson River, 1863. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Professor Baird, 1866. The ticket states that these were out of a nest of eight, from which the female was shot by an Esquimaux. They were from Mr. MacFarlane’s spoils, and he wrote of the species (Proc. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. xiv. p. 420) that it and the Long-tailed Duck are the most numerous of those that annually resort to the Anderson River and the Arctic coast, and are also among the first to arrive in spring. They were always abundant on the Barren Grounds. Ile adds :—“ Both species desert their nests almost immediately after the young are hatched and take to the water with them. From frequent ob- servations I feel convinced that they almost invariably select land-locked sheets of water for the purpose of rearing their young, while most of the other species of ducks give their preference to running streams.” The Smithsonian number is 9518. | ANAS ACUTA.—A. BOSCAS. D53 [$ 5591. One.—Loch Leven, Kinross-shire, 8 June, 1898. From Mr. William Evans, 1906. This valuable specimen is the gift of Mr. William Evans, who wrote :— “T send herewith the Pintail’s egg which I promised you last year.... You may depend on its being correct. It is from one of the nests I found, and thoroughly identified, at Loch Leven, Kinross-shire, on 8th June, 1898. There were six deeply incubated eggs in the nest (cf. Annals Scot. Nat. Hist. 1898, p. 165).” In the notice which he published (ué supra) Mr. Evans states that there were six or seven pairs of Pintails breeding in the locality in that year. The two nests which he saw, each with six eggs, “were within a hundred yards of each other” and, as well as “ an empty nest with portions of hatched eggs beside it,’ were ‘placed in tufts of grass in dry and open situations at some distance from the wate?.’’ | ANAS BOSCAS, Linneus. WILD: DUCK; 5592. One.—River 'I'rent, Nottinghamshire. Not later than to) 1843. The Mallard breeds near, and on islands in, the Trent. George and Charles Wolley have found several nests on this [the left] side of the river. They once attempted to hatch some [eggs] by putting them under a hen; but the experiment failed. A young one caught in Charlton’s backwater was kept here [Beeston] for two or three weeks. It was most indomitably wild. They cannot fly till very late in the summer. This egg was marked as soon as blown, so there is no fear of its being the egg of the Common Duck. § 5593. Eight—Loch Meadie, Sutherland, 11 May, 1849. On Loch Meadie in the first Eagle Island I shot a Duck from the nest—eight eggs. This shot did not scarce the Goose [§ 5397] from her nest in the other island. I fed the young Eagles with the bird, which I shot to identify the eggs. § 5594. One.—Loch Shin, Sutherland, 14 May, 1849. “ Bird seen. J. W.” Near the Goose’s nest [$ 5398]. There were in it nine eggs. D4. ANAS BOSCAS. § 5595. sid | Loch Assynt, 22 May, 1849. §°5596. ‘One. j In a bed of celery, on the island in Loch. Assynt where the Common Gulls breed [§ 1558], were two Wild Ducks’ nests, from each of which I took two or three eggs, but the bird was seen from only one of them. The eggs of one of the nests were quite concealed by moss placed over them. Here, too, grew daffodils. Round the corner of the loch, near the far end, in the steep heathery island, where were Otter-holes and where I found a Merganser’s eggs [§ 5894], was another Wild Duck’s nest hard sat upon. The next day, in another islet, I found a Duck’s nest with young in it, just hatching. Some ran out a few inches: others were still in the shells. On another loch in the hills towards Quenaig, I found a young Duck nearly dead. Generally, Ducks were plentiful in Sutherland. § 5597. Thirteen —Loch Awe, Argyll, 21 April, 1851. Found by Mr. James Edge on the island with an isthmus, next to the one on which is the castle. The old Drake was seen first shuffling along the ground, and soon after the Duck got up within ten yards. He was sure it was a common Wild Duck. Close to where he saw this Drake he found the last year’s nest of a Goosander or Merganser, with nine eggs, most of them unbroken. We saw this day on the loch what appeared through my glass to be a pair of Goosanders, also some Golden-eyes. I saw near the island a pair of Mergansers, beside Common Ducks, and another day we saw some, Teal. § 5598. Zhree.—Assynt, 1851. Out of five. From John Sutherland. ; [The other two were sold at Mr. Stevens’s, 31 May, 1860, to Mr. es ridge, and are now in the possession of Mr. T. Parkin. ] [§ 5599. Mve.—Barnham, Suffolk, 1846. Hewitson, ‘Eggs of British Birds,’ ed. 3, pl. exiil. fig. 3. Mr. Hewitson’s figure, as above, is from one of these specimens. ] or on ANAS BOSCAS. [§ 5600. Zhree.—Elveden, 1851. (Half domesticated.) | [§ 5601. One.—Elveden, 1854. “E. N.”’] [§ 5602. Zwo.—Feltwell, Norfolk, 15 June, 1855. “Saw bird] “BNE L$ 5603. Zwo.—Unst, Shetland, 1857. From Mr. James Smith. | [§ 5604. One.—Elveden, 1 May, 1860. “A. N.” From a nest of nine shewn to me on the Red-neck Heath by a shepherd’s boy. It is quite possible that the Duck may have been one that we had ourselyes bred, but her building so far off as this heath must have been wholly a matter of choice. The nest was on a slightly elevated mound, so that the bird could see with perfect ease all that was going on around her, and with very little thin ling growing near it. William Howlett was with his son when the nest was found by them, and the bird first ran off and then flew, as she did afterwards when I went there, leaving her eges uncovered. The boy told me he had seen her once or twice out on the adjoining layer, feeding towards evening, and had once seen her and her mate fly over and round. I never saw a Wild Duck’s nest so far from the water as this, but I remember being told by-an old shepherd of another one on this very heath. ] [§ 5605. Oxze.—* South Russia.” From Herr A. Heinke, of Kamuschin, through Dr. Albert Giinther, 1863. ] [§ 5606. Zwo.—Coon Lake, Iowa, 29 May, 1860. From Dr. Heermann, 1861.| [§ 5607. One.—Fort Yukon, June, 1861. From the Smith« sonian Institution, through Professor Baird, 1863. According to the Professor, this was obtained by Mr. Lockhart (§ 5743), aud the Smithsonian number of the female bird, presumably shot from the nest, is 27777. ] Or Ct ior) ANAS CLYPEATA. ANAS CLYPEATA, Linneus. SHOVELER.,. § 5608. One.—From Mr. Sadd, 1844. It is marked “ A. clypeata”’ in the same hand (Poor Hoy’s, 1846) as Teals’ eggs are marked “A. crecca,” and [ have no doubt is genuine. § 5609. Zwo.—Prestwick Carr, Northumberland, 13 May, 1852. From Mr. Hancock, 1854. Taken as above by John Dixon. Twelve eggs in the nest. 7" [In the text to plate xciv. of his ‘ British Oology,’ which appeared in parts xxiii. and xxiv. of that work, published 1 November, 1835, Mr. Hewitson announced that Mr. Hancock, after having for some time suspected that this species bred near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, had during the past summer obtained from Prestwick Carr two of its nests, one with nine and the other with ten eggs, and Mr. Hancock himself stated in his‘ Birds of Northumberland and Durham’ (p. 150) that it “ bred regularly ” at that place. ‘‘ Two or three pairs bred there in 1855; nests were also taken in 1863 and 1856; and previously to these dates I had taken its eggs there.” He adds, however, that the carr had since been drained. | § 5610. One.—Laaland, Denmark, 22 May,1856. “Theobald.” From Pastor Theobald, 1857. This taken by the pastor himself in a nest from which the bird was seen to fly, but not recognized with certainty. Yet, says he, the agreement is exact with eggs more completely identified. § 5611. Zwo.— Nord Jylland,” Denmark. From Dr. Kjer- bolling, 1857. Given to me as very authentic by the Doctor. [§ 5612. One.—*< Stanford,” Norfolk (10 May, 1835 ?). “Salmon.” From Mr. T. C. Heysham’s Collection. Bought by me at the sale of the above-named collection in Mr. Stevens's room, 16 May, 1859. It is inscribed “Stanford” in Mr. Salmon’s hand- ANAS CLYPEATA. 57 writing, and is apparectly from the first of the nests noted in the extracts from his diary quoted by Mr. Stevenson (Birds of Norfolk, iii. p. 138) :— “1835, May 10th, Eight Shoveler’s eggs found on the warren (Stanford), placed on the ground with scarcely any nest, found within a few days of hatching.” Mr. Hewitson (Brit. Ool, text to pl. xciv.) says that he received a specimen from Mr, Salmon taken on that very day, and it does not seem that he ever took another nest, though he found one with a single egg 18 May, 1836, the young of which he wrote were “all hatched ” on 1 June. In his paper, dated in that month and year (Mag. Nat. Hist. ix. p. 527), he says :—‘“ A pair of this most beautiful species of duck has hitherto annually bred amongst some green rushes on the warren at Stanford.” ] [§ 5613. Two.— (Prestwick Carr, before 1837?) From Mr. T. C. Heysham’s Collection. These were bought by me at the same time as the last. One is inscribed by Mr. Heysham ‘‘Shoveler, Hancock,” the other “Shoveler” only, but they look as if they belonged to the same nest. The ticket accompanying them, also in Mr. Heysham’s writing, bears ‘ Recd. from Mr. J. Hancock March 24, 1857, by Mr. Losh.” There can be hardly any doubt that they were taken at Prestwick, for, as above shewn (§ 5609), Mr. Hancock, beginning in 1835, had obtained several from that locality, and these may be of that very year. I find the name of “ Robert Losh, Esq., Grange, Milnethorpe, Lancashire,” in the list of subscribers to Mr. Hewitson’s ‘ British Oology’, indicating a person interested in birds’ eggs. | [§ 5614. One.—Prestwick Carr, May, 1852. ‘H.'T. Mennell,” From Mr. Hancock, 1855. Received direct from Mr. Hancock (cf. §§ 5609 and 5613), who in a letter of 23 April, 1855, said that he delayed sending the specimen until he “could meet with the finder, that he might write his name upon the specimen. When found the bird flew from the nest, which contained eleven eggs.” Mr. Hancock added : “‘ Mr, Mennell is an intimate friend of mine and a very careful collector; you may therefore rely upon the veritability of the specimen. | [§ 5615. Zwo.—Loch Spynie, Moray, (25 May?) 1852. « ¥. Chas. St. John.” From Mr. Hancock, 1854. Hewitson, ‘ Eggs of British Birds,’ ed. 3, pl. exii. fig, 2. Sent to me by Mr. Hancock, as received from Mr. Charles St. John. These can hardly be from any other nest then that mentioned in the latter’s posthumously-published ‘ Natural History and Sport in Moray’ (p. 151) :— ““ May 28 (1852).—To-day we found the .Shoveller’s nest, eleven eggs, in a very wet grassy place; the bottom of the nest quite wet—not a creat deal of Cy L$ [$ [$ L$ 8 ANAS CLYPEATA. down—what down there was, was very black. The eggs are long and oval, darker than the widgeon, but not unlike the colour, slightly tinged with green; we have put nine of the eggs under ahen.” One of these two was figured by Mr. Hewitson as above. ] 5616. Three.—Elveden, 28 June, 1856. “A. & BE. N.” 5617. Hive-—Elveden, 17 May, 1857. “HE. N.” 5618. Four.—FElveden, June, PSR. - “BIN? All the abo¥e (§§ 5616-5618) were the produce of a bird bought in London in 1854, her mate having been caught in a decoy at Methwold, in Norfolk, and both kept on a pond at Elveden. They did not breed till 1856, when she made a nest in a dry pit close to the pond on which they lived, and laid eight eggs, from which four young were reared, In 1857, she laid seven eggs in a nest in long grass, but being disturbed she forsook them, and about a month later made a second nest near the site of 1856, to which my brother Edward watched her on the 16th of June, finding it to contain nine eggs. There she was again disturbed by cows, and deserted the eggs which had been left for her to brood. One of the eggs of the 1856 nest was given to Canon Tristram, and is now in Mr. Parkin’s collection. One from’ the first nest of 1857 was given to Mr. Perey Godman, and two from the second to Mr. Salvin and Mr. A. C. Smith—one to each. } 5619. Two.—Norfolk, May, 1873. From Lord Wal- singham. I received these on the 22nd of the month, and on blowing them found them to be quite fresh. They were from either the historic Stanford (§ 5612) or Tomston, but the gamekeeper who, by his master’s order, sent them to me did not let me know which. Earlier in the season Lord Walsingham had kindly taken me to both places, and at the latter I had the pleasure ef taking with my own hands a Crested Grebe’s egg (§ 5043), but at the former there were three Shoveler drakes and one duck, or perhaps a second—beside seven or eight Pochards and several Tufted Ducks. It was too early then for eggs of any of them, but the gamekeeper told me that the Shoveler bred there every year, though net till the end of May, or June. | 5620. Oxe.—Stanford, Norfolk, 29 May, 1876. “ Bird well seen. through Professor Baird, 1866— | § 6054. Two.—Anderson River, 1869. June, 1863. J The first of these, of which the Smithsonian number is 13895, have the accompanying ticket marked as taken by Esquimaux; the second, of which the corresponding number is 8929, are said to have had the hen bird snared from the nest. Both sets were from Mr. MacFarlane’s expedition, where he states (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiv. p. 441) that ‘ eighty-three nests of this species were obtained in the Barren Grounds, as well as on the shores of Franklin Bay.”’ PART lV. an 658 SUPPLEMENT. Emperiza Rustica. (Vol. I. p. 458.) § 6055. One.—Archangel, 9 June, 1880. From Mr. Dresser, 1903. Obtained, Mr. Dresser wrote, as above by Conservator Nilzén, and by him sent’ to Herr Ramberg. EMBERIZA SPODOCEPHALA. (Vol. I. p. 461.) § 6056. Two.— Sibérie.” From HH. Dybowski and Parrex, through M. Jules Verreaux, 1871. Garruus Krynicki. (Vol. I. p. 494.) § 6057. One.—Smyrna, 16 May, 1879. “Kr.” From Dr. Kriiper, through Herr W. Schiliiter, 1888. Pica rustica. (Vol. I. p. 496.) § 6058. Fow.—Carson City, Nevada, 27 April, 1868. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Professor Baird, 1869. The Smithsonian number is 5673, and the accompanying ticket bears the name of Mr. C. King, adding “ Nest in willows.” CorvUS MONEDULA. (Vol. I. p. 499.) § 6059. Three.-—Walton Hall, Yorkshire, 1834. From Mr.Waterton’s Collection, through Dr. Norman Moore, 1906. Mr. Waterton’s instructive “ Notice of the Habits of the Jackdaw” is printed in the ‘ Magazine of Natural History’ (vol. v. pp. 394-396), but is dated 26 June, 1833, so that it does not refer to these eggs. Corvus corone. (Vol. I. p. 506.) § 6060. Five-—Walton Hall, Yorkshire, 1832-1836. From Mr. Waterton’s Collection, through Dr. Norman Moore, 1906. All of these are inscribed by Mr. Waterton, and he added his own name on two of them. Dr. Moore informed me they were all taken inthe park at Walton, wherein, according to Mr. Waterton himself (Mag. Nat. Hist. v. p. 144), there were in 1831 fifteen Crows’ nests, to which he paid many visits, and writing again on the subject in 1833 (op. cit. vi. p. 214) he said “I turn loose on the public, from my park, about three score Carrion Crows per annum.” SUPPLEMENT. 639 “Terrao TETRIX. (Vol. II. p. 20.) § 6061. Three.—Jerisjiirvi, June, 1862. Brought by Abrabam Kirsti. I think these are from the most northern locality whence I have seen eggs of this species. o STREPSILAS INTERPRES. (Vol. IT. p. 85.) § 6062. One——Hals, North Iceland, 14 July, 1885. From Mr. Thomas Carter, 1903. Rectrvigostra avoseTta. (Vol. IT. p. 90.) § 6063. Twelre—Southern Spain, 1863. From Lord Lilford, 1884. Trinea caNutus. (Vol. II. p. 207.) § 6064. One—New Siberia Island, 11 July, 1902. From the Russian Polar Expedition, through Dr. Bianchi, 1905. In common with many others I await with eagerness the publication of the zoological results of this Expedition since the death, on Kotelny Island in December, 1901, of its ornithologist, Dr. H. Walter, whose observations in 1900 and the summer of 1901, made on the west coast of the Taimyr Peninsula, where he obtained several nests of both Tringa canutus and T. subarguata, beside several other rare Limicole, appeared in the ‘ Annuaire du Musée Zoologique ’ of the Academy of Sciences of St. Petersburg (vii. pp. 152-160)—an abstract of them being given by Mr. Dresser in ‘ The Ibis’ for 1904 (pp. 228-235), and it is to the good offices of the latter that I am indebted for this and the following valuable specimen. He tells me they were doubtless procured by Mr. Birula, who after Dr. Walter's death succeeded to his post. TRINGA SUBARQUATA (Gildenstidt). § 6065. One.—Kotelny Island, New Siberian Group, 11 June, 1902. From the Russian Polar Expedition, through Dr. Biancli, 1905. See preceding note (§ 6064). Trinea Minuta. (Vol. II. p. 208.) § 6066. One——Kistrand, Finmark, 30 June, 1898. From Herr A. Landmark, 1906. Herr Schidler, of Copenhagen, kindly put me into communication with Herr Fiskeriinspektor Landmark, of Christiania, who sent me these eggs, writmg to me, 22 May, 1906, that he took them himself as above, adding:—“ The identification is absolute, as I shot the sitting bird (the male) at the nest, which 660 SUPPLEMENT. was on a very small mound in a level piece of boggy, though not very wet, ground, where a sort of yellowish-brown moss (Camptothecium nitens) grew abundantly, aud a few stems of it are enclosed in the parcel. In close proximity to the nest were two or three sprouts of willow (Sala lapponica or S. glauca) about a finger long. The sitting bird had been flushed from the uest by a Lapp woman driving some cows close past it, and I afterwards easily watched the bird to the nest.” He continues: “I send a copy of a little article | wrote three years ago in ‘ Naturen’ [1903, pp. 106-112], wherein you will find among other things some of the obserya- tions I have made on the breeding of Tringa mznuta in Norway, more especially concerning the extraordinary tameness exhibited by the sitting bird.... I found its nests in Norway in three different years, the last time in 1899; but I am not sure that it breeds here every year, for some years I have been unable to discover even a single bird, as in 1904, when I spent some ten days at the proper season in search of it in two different localities, where on earlier occasions I had found several pairs breeding. They are most likely to be met with in years when the spring is very late and the snow remains longer than usual.” Trinea striata. (Vol. II. p. 229.) § 6067. Two.—Cape Flora, Franz Josef Land, 26 June, 1897. Jackson-Harmsworth Expedition, through Mr. Dresser, 1905. Scotopax RusticuLta. (Vol. II. p. 271.) § 6068. Three.—Dunipace, Stirlingshire, 9 May, 1905 From Mr... Harvie- Brown. The bird was flushed from her nest on the 6th of May and deserted it. LARUS ROSEUS, MacGillivray. § 6069. Two.—Pokhodskoe, Kolymé Delta, ) 13 June, 1905. From Mr. S. A. Ibis, 1906, pl. xx. figs. 5, 6. ; Buturlin, through | | Mr. Dresser, 1906. § 6070. Two.—Pokhodskoe, 25 June, 1905. } I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Dresser for these valuable specimens (two of which have been figured as above) from Mr. Buturlin, who was so fortunate as to find a long-sought breeding-ground of this beautiful species, and published (Ibis, 1906, pp. 131-139) a full and interesting account of his discovery. He there states that the first bird arrived on the 30th of May, while the river was still frozen hard, and several dozens appeared on the following day. ‘They frequented for some days a little shallow lake formed by the melting snow running partly off the river-ice and partly off the sand of a little island. From the 3rd of June onward they became scarce on the river and dispersed over the delta, though the snow was still deep in the bushy portions, and the ice had only melted for a fathom or two SUPPLEMENT. 661 from the banks. On the 15th of June, the day on which the ice on the river broke up, several clutches of eggs were brought to him, all somewhat incubated, and the last four clutches, taken by himself on the 26th, would have been hatched in a few days. This Gull nested in little companies of from two or three to ten or fifteen pairs, making its nest in wet grassy spots near the water, and the nests rose from four to ten inches above the surface. The hollow formed in the grass—dead grass, as green grass is hardly seen even by the 20th of June—is about six or seven inches in diameter, but the nest proper is a shallow cup only about four or four and a half inches in diameter. It is composed of dry grass and Carices, sometimes with the addition of a few dry Betula or Salia leaves, while one was made of white Reindeer-moss. Three dozen eggs were procured, and those that I have seen are indistinguishable from those of Larus sabinii; but Mr. Buturlin has since sent skins of L. roseus to Mr. Dresser in confirmation of the eggs. PopICIPES GRISEIGENA. (Vol. II. p. 422.) § 6071. One.—Mouth of Porcupine River. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Professor Baird, 1869. The Smithsonian number is 1326: the label bears “R. Kennicott”’ and “female seen.” OCEANODROMA FURCATA (Gmelin). § 6072. One.—Sitka. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Professor Baird, 1869. The Smithsonian number is 12855, and the label gives the name of “ F. Bischoff.” Nycricorax GRisEus. (Vol. IL. p- 468.) § 6073. Two.—Charlotte Harbour, Florida. From Dr. Heermann. § 6074. One.—Sandwich Islands. From Mr. Scott Wilson, 1899. A small specimen. Brana nutcuinsi. (Vol. II. p. 525.) § 6075. One.—Liverpool Bay, July, 1863. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Professor Baird. The Smithsonian number is 9465, and the label states “Parent No. 36161, female head. Esquimaux,” as well as the name of Mr. MacFarlane, who writes (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiv. p. 424) that some fifty nests of this bird were found on the Lower Anderson River as well as the shores and islands adjacent. All but one were on the ground, and made of hay, feathers, and down, while six was the usual number of the eggs. The exceptional case was a ne t in the fork of a tree some nine fe from the ground. 662 SUPPLEMENT. BRANTA NIGRICANS (Lawrence). § 6076. Five-—Mouth of Anderson River, July, 1865. From the Smithsonian Institution, through Professor Baird. The Smithsonian number is 9468, and the label has “Female seen. Esquimaux,” with Mr. MacFarlane’s name. That gentleman wrote (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiv. pp. 424, 425) that this Goose was exceedingly abundant on the coast of Liverpool Bay (into which the Anderson River runs), and that large numbers of eggs were obtained by the Esquimaux, six hundred and fifty having been packed up for shipment from Fort Anderson. Accentor montanellus, 65+. Accipiter brevipes, 643. » nisus, 643. Acrocephalus bistrigiceps, 655. 3 palustris, 654. Actitis hypoleuca, 177. » Macularia, 184. Actiturus longicauda, 130. Aigialitis alexandrina, 116. » curonica, 122. 770) hiaticola. LS; » vocifera, 115. AKthyia affinis, 593. » ferina, 584. » fuligula, 594. » marila, 587. » nyroca, 601. , Trufina, 582. Alauda arvensis, 656. Alea bruennichi, 386. » impennis, 364. ,, torda, 384. 5, troile, 389. Aluco flammeus, 650. Ammoperdix leyi, 37. Anas acuta, 545, » americana, 538. » angustirostris, 5388. », boscas, 558. » cireia, 559, » Clypeata, 556. » erecca, 542. » falcata, 541. », formosa, 541. » penelope, 531. » strepera, 539. Anser albifrons, 511. INDEX. Anser brachyrhynchus, 522. » erythropus, 513. » fabalis, 518. » ferus, 501. » grandis, 518. » serrirostris, 518. Anthus maculatus, 656. Aquila adalberti, 641. » bonellii, 642. » chrysaetus, 640. » fasciata, 642. » heliaca, 641. » mogilnik, 641, » pennata, 642.. » rapax, 641. Archibuteo lagopus, 648. Ardea alba, 476. » cinerea, 480. » coromanda, 476. » garzetta, 472. » ibis, 474. » melanocephala, 480. », purpurea, 478. , ralloides, 470. Ardetta minuta, 469. Asio accipitrinus, 651. ,, brachyotus, 651. », Ootus, 651. Athene noctua, 650.) Bonasia sylvestris, 21. Botaurus lentiginosus, 467. stellaris, 464. Brachyrhamphus zusume, 400. Branta bernicla, 526. » Canadensis, 524. wumi- Branta hutchinsi, 525, 661. » , leucopsis, 525, » higricans, 662, » ruficollis, 528, Bubo ignayus, 651. Bulweria anjinho, 442. Buteo ferox, 648. » vulgaris, 648. | Caccabis chukar, 40. » petrosa, 38. Lule: » saxatilis, 40. Calamodus aquaticus, 655. Calcarius lapponicus, 657. Calidris arenaria, 204. Calliope camtschatkensis, 654. Carine noctua, 650. Cepphus columba, 400. 2 grylle, 396. » mandti, 399. Charadrius cedicnemus, 123. Chen hyperboreus, 500. Chettusia gregaria, 99. Ciconia alba, 488. » boyciana, 488. » nigra, 487. Circaetus gallicus, 643. Circus eruginosus, 649. » cineraceus, 649. » swainsoni, 649, | Clangula albeola, 609. i glaucion, 910. . K islandica, 609. Columba bollii, 3. » laurivora, 3. ie livia, 7. 664 Columba cenas, 4. » palumbus, 1. > rupestris, 6. . trocaz, 3. Colymbus arcticus, 408. = glacialis, 406. * septentrionalis, 414. Corvus corone, 658. ,, monedula, 658. Cosmonetta histrionica, 603. Crex pratensis, 45. Cotile rupestris, 653. Coturnix communis, 35. Fe japonica, 37. Cursorius gallicus, 83. Cygnopsis cygnoides, 500. Cygnus bewicki, 498. » musicus, 492. » olor, 490. Daulias hafizi, 654. Dendrocopus minor, 652. Elanus ceruleus, 647. Emberiza rustica, 638. - spodocephala, 658. Ereunetes pusillus, 237. Erismatura leucocephala, 562. Eudromias morinellus, 106. Faleo candicans, 644. » cherrug, 644. , eleonora, 647. » gyrfaleo, 645. » islandus, 645. » peregrinus, 646. 5, sacer, 644. 5, subbuteo, 647. Francolinus vulgaris, 41. Fratercula arctica, 402. es glacialis, 406. Fulica atra, 54. » cristata, 56. Fulmarus glacialis, 437. Gallinago celestis, 263. ee gallinula, 252. INDEX. Gallinago major, 269. = stenura, 268. Gallinula chloropus, 52. | Garrulus krynickii, 658. _ Glareola melanoptera, 82. », pratincola, 80. Glaucidium passerinum, 649. | Grus communis, 57. » japonensis, 66. » virgo, 66. Gyps fulvus, 640. Hematopus ostrilegus, 88. Harelda glacialis, 605. Himantopus candidus, 93. Hirundo rufula, 652. Houbara macqueeni, 79. 5 undulata, 78. Lagopus albus, 24. * hemileucurus, 27. mutus, 30. 5 rupestris, 28. = scoticus, 22. Lanius fallax, 653. Larus affinis, 329. argentatus, 325. , atricilla, 321. ,. audouini, 324. ,, ecachinnans, 325. 5. canus, 323. » eburneus, 340. », tfuscus, 329. » glaucus, 335. 5, ichthyaetus, 321. , leucopterus, 337. ., marinus, 331. , melanocephalus, 320. » minutus, 313. », philadelphia, 315. ., ridibundus, 316. 5. missa, d58. ». roseus, 660. , sabinii, 312. » 8p. Incert., 327. Larvivora cyana, 654. Limicola platyrhyncha, 238. Limosa belgica, 274. ,, lapponica, 276. Linota linaria, 657. Machetes pugnax, 186. _ Macrorhamphus griseus, 252. Mergus albellus, 619. » cucullatus, 628. » Merganser, 628. » serrator, 634. | Metaponia pusilla, 657. Milvus eyyptius, 647. Motacilla citreola, 656. 3 citreoloides, 656. personata, 656. Neophron percnopterus, 639. Numenius arquata, 279. +s borealis, 286. “ phzopus, 282. Nyctale tengmalimi, 651. | Nycticorax griseus, 468, 661. _ Oceanites oceanicus, 447. Oceanodroma castro, 446. “5 furcata, 661. Pa leucorrhoa, 443. (idemia fusea, 570. » Nigra, 575. » perspicillata, 582. Otis dybowskii, 74. ,, tarda, 66. », tetrax, 75. Pandion halizetus, 642. Parus lugubris, 653, Pelagodroma marina, 447. Pelecanus crispus, 451. 5 onocrotalus, 451. | Perdix barbata, 34. » cinerea, 33. Pernis apivorus, 648. Phalacrocorax carbo, 459. 55 graculus, 461. “ pygmaeus, 463. Phalaropas fulicarius, 200. FA hyperboreus, 194. Phasianus colchicus, 41. Pheenicopterus roseus, 489. Phylloscopus supercilicsus, 655. Pica rustica, 658. Platalea lencorodia, 486. Plectrophanes nivalis, 657. Plegadis falcimellus, 484, | Pluvialis apricarius, 102. », dominicus, 105. Pluvianus egyptius, 83. Podicipes auritus, 425, 3 eristatus, 419. = fluviatilis, 429. - griseigena, 422, 661. 3 nigricollis, 428. Porphyrio ceruleus, 54. Porzana maruetta, 44. Procellaria pelagica, 448. Pterocles alchata, 138. _ arenarius, 14, Puftinus anglorum, 454. » assimilis, 436, % kuhli, 431, an obscurus, 436. » yelkouan, 436. ‘ Rallus aquaticus, 49. Recurvirostra avosetta, 90, | 659. | Saxicola melanoleuca, 654. Scolopax rusticula, 271, 660. Scops giu, 651. Somateria fischeri, 569. » mollissima, 563, | ss spectabilis, 567. | . stelleri, 570. | - v-nigrum, 566. Squatarola helvetica, 100. PART IV. INDEX. Stercorarius catarrhactes, 343. “s longicauda, 353. ” parasiticus, 348. | Sterna anglica, 293, » caspia, 311. » cantiaca, 310. » dougalli, 299. » fluviatilis, 302. hybrida, 291. leucoptera, 290. » macrura, 304. » Media, dll. a) minute, 200: » nigra, 287. Strepsilas interpres, 85, 659. Strix flammmea, 650. ,, stridula, 652. uralensis, 652, Sula bassana, 453. Sylvia rufa, 655. ,, subalpina, 650. Syrnium aluco, 652. Syrrbaptes paradoxus, 10. Tadorna casarea, 530. - cornuta, 529. Terekia cinerea, 185. Tetrao mlokosiewiczi, 21. » tebrix, 20) 659. » urogallus, 15. Tetraogallus caspius, 40. Tinnunculus alaudarius, 644. | ae cenchris, 644. Totanus brevipes, 176. ». ealidris, 157. flavipes, 161. Totanus fuscus, 140. » glareola, 162. » glottis, 132. 5, ochropus, 170. fe stagnatilis, 161. Tringa alpina, 225. 5, bairdi, 229, » canutus, 207, 659. » maculata, 228. » minuta, 208, 659. » minutilla, 224. ,, striata, 229, 660. », Subarquata, 659. » temmincki, 212. Tringites rufescens, 131. Turdus dubius, 653. » lliacus, 653. varius, Goes Turnix sylvatica, 42. Turtur communis, 8. » orientalis, 9. » risorius, 10. » senegalensis, 10. Upupa epops, 652. Uragus sibiricus, 657. Uria alle, 400. a Vanellus vulgaris, 96. Vultur cinereus, 639. » monachus, 639. Zapornia intermedia, 46. : parva, 49. 3 pusilla, 48. Oe is “uopuolT Samsyq Toorydvuboeg spsopunyg [ Roe Ree ae: “LS81 - €S8l ‘AZTIOM NHOL “S3YL3W071y oo! “STVIW HSITON] or I 10 SAANYNOL GNV 3ON3IGISSY JHL “a ALVELSATII OL Ve we at GQNVIdW1I dO LYVd \ | : | ; OY ae a ao We !wWe "age J}. 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Wake © yp) aes ot itiad se , ] d iZ . ter, . : i a at “ - ia rah Ye ‘ uy * * AY,” ‘ ; A os “ .*, a , - hi 4 a ORS Cee ree be wg len Se 4 mi PAs © o" YB Mr i ee ad i MA, : bp, 7 Re = a et dal ¢ 4 ' aah g ~~ : 7 7 4 beat i — 9 BS nv = mt ; . f S Sogo ae 4 > 4 ue ' 4 rea . — } Ue , a a i Se ~ s 9 ‘ ry ] a) 4, 44 yA - i . ~y A P 7 6 ; i, 7 - a Mm iy a “7 » a i i ‘ 7 Conte, * rs - « - Dy , * a aa 2 a ary + ru = e mY “ * “0 be ts end = ! + . ; J ‘ad . ae « ' are = 7 49 = Pr a aera et Woy SO) o PLB; hd 7 ' AY POP AINE Dee ie) THE PUBLICATIONS ON NATURAL HISTORY OF JOHN WOLLEY, EXCEPT THOSE INCLUDED IN THE BODY OF THE WORK. II. IV. VIL. XIV. XXVI. XXVII. XXVIII. XXIX. XXX. XXXI. XXXIV. XXXVII. XXXIX. X LIX. Ve VI. VII. Daag XVII. XVIII. XXI. XXII. XXXII. XXXV. XL. PAIS Vis TABLE OF CONTENTS. MAMMALS. Page Observations Oni therNOCcMent: ah ficelc sy aroiehick© a. ols soe) beelemee 5 Noctulediving-imiNoveniber tf. soctia core chs aoe vot cclenen ees 7 The Shrew and Grasshopper-Warbler...............0--ee0e Ape MSE Ste at CarmysO Os MDS Sy reel i Neve cye: oferecever alc spac s\cwleis «alls, svavelarel 14 Occurrence of a,Horcign: Batam Orkneys 3) sce. es oi da oa sees 29 Rhestlamator noe an, Orkmoyen ch osm seni te oes tosis 2 srs fo « = oe 29 ihe: rein) DeemimOrlonoypes hype wart ts siaa's craiote testes a letaus 30 The European Elk ..... Ec Rico acto 9 oe ES ee IER 30 ihe: HedsWeer ingOrkcneyay. piece seit ie: tele gets 01 aro sissies, 3 eyeks 31 (UR ORL TE eVes Geamadurndceddre chee scaen sphere Mo oig dae te 31 PhesBlletormerhy: tusseotlan dye steels er © s'-0va «vets wna her 33 Occurrence of a Foreign Bat in Orkney <....-..-..<..-2.07-5-. 36 Description of the Individual of a Species of Bat (? Vespertilio pruinosus), found in the Island of South Ronaldshay, in the Orkneys inthe, Vea Sty 5). s sheet mae a teaver «sie «joXouserop aston On the Improvement of the Breed of the Reindeer ............ . On the Swarm of Lemmings in Lapland in 1853, the Birds that accompanied it and their mode of Breeding ................ BIRDS. The; Spoon billlimt Ammdalieta\ Ssper ooieis ves oars oie ese 8 oes were Occurrence of the Rough-legged Buzzard in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire NON ee Ate Macs A AB, AD 5 aid ey icie nee ees The Shrew and Grasshopper-Warbler .....-...seeeceeeerees Note on the Occurrence of the Black Swan in Britain.......... Does the Cuckow carny its HggsP occ ee eee eect tenes On Jackdaws’ Nests/ Do Birds of the Crow Tribe cover their Dos eae 5c OCD ODAC OE AT RC OEOOe UCT CO on Oo hae Griffon Vulture (Vudltur fulvus) : Correction of a previous Error . Long Captivity of a Specimen of the Little Owl (Striv passerina). Occurrence of the Common Crane in Shetland ................ Occurrence of Buffon’s Skua (Lestris Buffon’) in Huntingdon- ETT CUE eA CR Mae cet toher Lt ren sh cldce chonerejate clk vdtepemthe ccmetntedes otitis sie 39 73 75 APPENDIX: TABLE OF CONTENTS. BIRDS (continued). Page XLI. Some Observations on the Birds of the Faroe Islands .......... a XLII. On the Habits of the Kiwi-kiwi (dApteryz Mantelli, Bartlett), with a mentiqu-ofOcydromis. <5. src= «synthe spun cals ena sae 51 XLIV. On the Specific Distinctness of the Ringed Guillemot .......... 65 XLV: /0n the Great Bustard in Spain ioy.42 ce etek eee eis eee or 68 XLVI. Supposed Occurrence of a Specimen of the Severn Swallow (Hirundo bicolor, Vieill.) at Derby, in 1850 ............++4. 69 MILVIE. Habits of the Hawk-Owll (Stania ulula)\. 20.2 sc aee cee es eee 71 XLVI: Sone of the Redwing (Turdus ezacns) 5. cic cien scien «2 aioe sore oe 72 L. On the Swarm of Lemmings in Lapland in 1853, the Birds that accompanied it and their mode of Breeding ..............- 75 LI. On the Nest and Eggs of the Waxwing (Bombycilla garrula, ALsouh oats) ee eelcun eaten chs cyclic cae Mnree en Or OBEN e Oe trmio.e a ob. c 81 TBE PY ont ofthe SW aie wae coi. 2 ee scie atajote nc duets io calale! 0 cloves echacel senate 82 LUT. Lapland Owl. «Sie dapponiea, Nemm: (7... 1.0.2. ene ste 83 LIV. Tengmalm’s Owl. Strvx Tengmalmi, Gmel. ............0++-+: 83 LVII. Postscript to Herr Meves’s Paper “On the Snipe’s ‘ neighing’ or humming noise, and on its Tail-feathers’ systematic value”’ 87 LVIII. On the Breeding of the Smew (Mergus albellus, Li.) ....0.++..5+ 88 LIX. On the Breeding of the Crane (Grus cinerea) in Lapland. ...... 88 REPTILES and AMPHIBIANS. XTC (On-Reptiles&esear Bonn 4 2. tees a eae nein aces teeta 12 AVE. Wacachiy ta: Bros hi eke. Pe ae area sels) ike eile ie eee eden eer 16 XIX. Is the Edible Frog a true Native of Britain? .............i.- 21 XXIED {Deseription:ot a speciesor Newh ..re. sacks | eel terete 25 XXV. Note.on the P7ztow palmapes of Daudin 5.0.) 2%.c «06s + alo eral 27 XK, On the Viperswallowing tts Young) 0.2... «= see eyeneiner: 32 MOOV, Some Remarks oucbritish Amphibia: \. o.- sic celoese sso deateerene 34 ROCK VIL aOn the: Green Tigard "25.5 .ijoccych, aia stata ere ols etter ayetaiaheanietoins omen 38 XLIII. Occurrence of Triton palmipes in Scotland ...... cre nee oth een ees 64 LX. “Is the Edible Frog a true Native of Britain?” .............. 94 INSECTS. I. Oceurrence of Colias Hyale near Cambridge, &c. ...........-.. 3 II. Occurrence of Papilio Machaon in Derbyshire ................ 4 VIII. Occurrence of Vanessa Antiopa near Nottingham .............. 10 IX. Occurrence of Acherontia Atropos at Cambridge .............. 11 X. Occurrence of Sphinx convolvuli near Nottingham ............ II XI. Occurrence of the Locust near Nottingham .................. II XV. A proposed Postscript to Mr. Wollaston’s Note on Nebria livida.. 15 XX.) Mioraticns of Ampectss hia mines aortas o's 2 2 Seo ayseln et ee eee 23 XXIV. Occurrence of the Narrow-bordered Bee-Sphinx in the Highlands. 26 MISCELLANEOUS. LV. Notice of an Ice-carried Boulder at Borgholm ................ 84 LVI. On a fresh Form of Crystallization which takes place in the Particles of Fallen Snow under Intense Cold © © s 0p ses) e «0 2s) v.66 JWR SINEDIDOR, INO le 3 I. OccurRENCE oF Cozras Hyace NEAR CAMBRIDGE, XC. [* Zoologist,’ iii. (1845) p. 887.] In the numerous notices that have appeared in ‘The Zoologist’ of the occurrence of Colias dusa, in the past year, I observe only one mention of Colias Hyale having been seen, namely, near Arundel. From this general silence of your correspondents respecting it, it would appear to have been out but very sparingly ; yet a considerable number of specimens have been taken near Cambridge, chiefly I believe about the Devil’s Dyke, which is in the chalk country. Some of these were evidently just out of the chrysalis, much too perfect to have travelled far, or to be in the second year of their age. Mr. [Hamlet] Clark, of Corpus College, also took one near Lincoln, in the past season. In 1842, on the 13th of September, I took a female on very high land near Matlock, in Derbyshire. I was at the time in pursuit of larger game, and my surprise and joy at this new appearance was only equalled by the astonishment of the keeper at my proceedings. I never felt less keen out shooting than I did after this incident; but in vain did I devote the following day to the net; and my excess of wonder only began to diminish when I heard from my brother that he had taken one at Eton, in Buckinghamshire, and had heard of their being taken almost every- where. I then began to look upon it as a case parallel to that of Vanessa Antiopa in the year 17—? a sudden unaccountable apparition throughout the kingdom, a “ Grand Surprize” ; but when they were plentiful again in 1843, and (about Cambridge) again in 1844, I thought it not impossible a new era might be established, and that Colius Hyale had ceased to be among the rare, from what causes it seemed fruitless to conjecture—unless it be a fact worthy of observation, that they were ‘first found frequent on the coast opposite and nearest to France. They have now been out three successive years, decreasing rapidly in poimt of numbers each year. In 1842 the collectors about here were not properly on the gut vive till too late, yet numbers of Hyale were caught, but not one Edusa (I believe). In 18438, Edusa abundant; of Hyale several scores were caught. In 1844, Hdusa and Hyale were seen in much less abundance, but in about the same relative proportions as in 1843 ; of Hyale one or two dozens were taken. It would be highly interesting to know whether the periodical appearance of these insects in England corresponds with the same on the continent. Trinity College, Cambridge, February 4, 1845. ae 4 ANP IBIS ID ISG | NO)es its Ie OccurRENCE OF Paprr1io Macwaon IN DERBYSHIRE. (‘ Zoologist,’ ii. (1845) pp. 944 & 945.) As I find the capture of two specimens of the Swallow-tail Butterfly (Papilio Machaon) at Matlock, in Derbyshire, recorded in a former number of ‘ The Zoologist’ (Zool. 400), I feel myself bound to explain how this must have happened ; the passage was pointed out to me only a few days ago, or I should certainly have sent this explanation sooner. In the springs of 1843 and 1844, I procured a very large number (many hundreds) of the chrysalids of P. Machaon from Burwell Fen, and as the butterflies came out, by far the greater number of them were permitted to escape, partly for the pleasure of seeing them in the state of liberty, and partly in the hope that they might breed and continue to flourish in the neighbourhood ; at the same time, by so doing, they would disprove the common notion that local insects cannot be permanently transplanted. Most of those so turned out were at Matlock, but many were also liberated at Beeston, in Nottinghamshire, and some few dozens at Eton, in’ Buckingham- shire. I had the best prospect of success at Matlock, as there is not much mowing grass, whilst various umbelliferous plants abound on the rough grounds, and althongh the features of the country are the extreme opposite to those of Cambridgeshire, I was not without hopes, for I had heard that on the continent P. Machaon is found on hills: however, although some of the caterpillars were found in the neighbouring gardens, there does not seem much probability of ultimate success, for, even in Cambridgeshire, they are confined to the fens, and abound only where there is sedge. I am inclined to think that Sparrows and other birds would alone effectually stop their increase. I am aware that many naturalists will be much annoyed at my proceedings, and | am not at all prepared to defend myself, but in this case I in some degree avert the mischief by public avowal. If the practice of introducing insects, or plants (for my observations apply to them with even more force), were to become general, lists of local faunas would soon be of doubtful authority, and the highly interesting subject of the geographical range of sects and plants would be involved in error; still worse would be the loss of interest in our individual captures, which would be another certain result, and it would perhaps be as baneful to the health of the entomological world as the practice of buying specimens for our cabinets has already proved to be. For, even if dealers were universally honest, and none of them practised gross and mischievous deceptions, numbers of people must have been disgusted with Entomology, on seeing that the comparative excellence of their cabinets must depend so immediately on the length of their purses, rather than on their own industry and ingenuity : a rich man has an undue advantage, if advantage it be, but it seems much the same as if a squire were to buy the trophies of APEEN DIS NiO) nie 5 the chase that adorn his hall. I have inserted the English name of Papilio Machaon, a practice which, where it is possible, should be more generally adopted in ‘The Zoologist,’ as it is a great kindness to ladies and other unscientific people. Trinity College, Cambridge, March 18, 1845. HOE OBSERVATIONS ON THE NOCTULE. L‘ Zoologist,’ ii. (1845) pp. 952-954. ] Tur Noctule does not retire for hybernation nearly so early in the autumn as it is generally said to do. I had long observed its late disappearance in the south of Buckinghamshire, where it is very abundant ; but I have more particularly watched it at Cambridge, and now for two seasons I have seen it throughout the first week in November ; both years my observations were put an end to by cold and stormy weather. ‘This year (1845) I first saw it on the 25th of March, with its usual high and rapid flight ; it might have been about for several days previously, as I had not kept a look out for it, but it could hardly have been about for more than four or five days, as there had been a long continuance of frost and snow to within a week of the 25th. It would be incredible that so accurate and constant an observer as White should have been mistaken on this point, were it not that the species is rare about Selborne ; it may be that towards the autumn it migrates to some towery spot, seeking good lodgings for the winter in company with its fellows: such a habit would also account for the vast congregations of Bats that have at various times been broken in upon at Oxford and elsewhere. Its flight is always strong, but varies remarkably at different times, no doubt infiuenced, like that of the Swallow, by the casual range of its prey ; at one time it may be seen flying away, straight and swift, at a great height in the air, no more to appear that evening ; at another - it will be performing a great circle, returning perhaps once in five or ten minutes; or it may be flying low (and then I think silently)’ along the streets of a town: again it is wheeling round tall elms, in company with others of its own species, at the time of year when the small hairy Cockchafer (Melolontha (?) | Rhizotrogus| solstitialis) is swarming about them. Then its powers are seen to perfection, and the great advantage over the feathered tribes that it derives from the mammalian articulation of its wings is beautifully evident. It may easily be brought within shot, for if a stone be thrown just before it, it will follow it nearly to the ground, no doubt thinking it is an insect, and so pursuing it as prey, and not as an object of curiosity, or as a subject for tyranny, as the Purple Emperor is said to do under 6 APPENDIX: NO. III. similar circumstances. Its latest are by no means its lowest flights ; even in November I have observed it at such a height that I could hardly have seen it, had not mv eye been directed to it by its ery. This is the cricket-like chirp which it always makes with incessant re- petition when flying high ; whether it also always makes it when flying low I cannot recollect, but I rather think not: it calls my attention to the animal when it is within a hundred yards or so, frequently giving me the first intimation of its presence : it is so readily distinguished by its peculiar cadence from the chirp of other bats, that however dark the evening, it gives me certain indications of the Noctule. I have often greatly astonished my companions, by announcing the approach of a Bat, even before it came in sight: for 1t is a remarkable fact that most, or at all events many people are unable to bear this and similar highly stridulous sounds, as, for instance, that sometimes emitted by the opening of a pair of scissors. It is also worthy of notice, that for those who hear them for the first time, it is difficult to form the least idea from what direction they come; but I believe the same thing happens with other kinds of sounds that are heard for the first time, and, if I mistake not, it is said to be a fact, that the intuitive perception we have of the direction in which sounds come, is only acquired by practice and observation. However, this subject of the different capabilities of ears is a highly interesting one, for as we find that most men are quite unable to detect certain sounds which are distinctly heard by others from a great distance, and above almost every other sound, so we are led to understand how there may be forcible sounds which are inaudible to any of mankind, and which nevertheless may be heard at vast distances by the species of creature which excited them. In the few insects that I know to utter -any sound, it is a stridulous one. I am not aware whether or not it is yet understood by what means the Death’s- head Sphina raises its cry ; if it were, perhaps similar facilities might be discovered in other insects, so as to satisfy us they do utter sounds, though they are too shrill and subtle for our ears. May not the use of the tragus, or inner ear of Bats be to catch such sounds as these, as the exfoliated nose of some species is to detect the rarest essences of smells ? For whilst there are some insects of which we know how the males are guided to the females, there are still more of whose means of finding each other we cannot even guess with any degree of certainty: of the first we know the Glow-worm and many others use light as a nocturnal beacon. Some exude peculiar odours, and some we know to make various kinds of sounds. Of the second, viz., those whose means of finding each other we do not at present know, may not many be guided by light, odour, or sound, not in a condition to be appreciable by our senses, although perhaps there are also others which are endowed with some sense unknown tous? But to return to our subject: what is the use or object of the incessant chirp of the Noctule, and other Bats? It can hardly be to attract their mates, nor to collect their fellows, for either of these purposes it would probably not be incessant; neither can it be to keep their AEN DENS eNOS luc Ve 7 flocks together, for they are not gregarious, like Finches or Titmice. It is quite contrary to the habits of most solitary animals. What is the meaning of it then? Can it be to attract or paralyze insects ? This seems hardly probable. It may possibly only be uttered when the animal is in a satisfactory hunting-ground, and so it may guide its fellows to the best elevation for that particular evening. Can the echo of this sound enable the Bat to know its distance from » the various objects which return the echo? for it is proverbially short-sighted: or, after all, may it not be only one of the awful noises of the night which, whether they were intended to keep man at home, or to enhance the beauties of the day, or for some other reasons, seem at all events to have been ordained by the Creator, under some general rule, if we may, in all humility, be allowed so to speak ? Trinity College, Cambridge, March 26, 1845. Ty NOCTULE FLYING IN NovEMBER. [‘ Zoologist,’ iv. (1846) p. 1206. } I wave this evening seen the Noctule flying round Neville’s Court, at a height of thirty or forty feet, and uttering its chirp, but less loud than usual. The air is foggy and warm (Zool. 952). Trinity College, Cambridge, November 21st, 1845. Wis Tue SpoonBiLu IN ANDALUCIA. [‘Zoologist,’ iv. (1846) pp.. 1218 & 1214.) One day last August [1845] during a paddle down the Guadalquivir, a river of great charms to the Ornithologist, we came upon a Spoon- bill, busily engaged in fishing as it waded in the shallow water under the bank; its method was to pass its beak sideways through the water, keeping it open till something palatable came within its grasp; but the action by which it effected this was most singular, for instead of turning only its head and neck, it turned its whole body from left to right and from right to left, like the balance wheel of a watch, its neck stretched out, and its beak immersed perpendicularly to about half its depth; this semicircular action was kept up with great vigour and at a tolerably quick march. The Spoonbill, it appears ‘ snitters with its neb” (I. F. D.) when it is ploughing in 8 APPENDIX: NO. V. soft sand or mud (Zool. 227)’, but I did not perceive that in the mode adopted by my birds the beak was ever closed until just as it was drawn out of the water, which was not done frequently ; and I think the rapidity with which it was passed through the water would make ‘‘snittering” useless, if not impossible. The above- mentioned bird kept betore us in- short flights for a great distance down the river, till at length we overtook a small flock of the same species which it joined ; these were all fishing in the same manner, and so busy were they, that they would not rise till we were just opposite to them, and they began again the instant they alighted ; the state of the tide was probably that’ which best suited their operations. Their appearance when thus occupied was so striking as to call the attention of all the people on board, all Spaniards. In flying, the neck as well as the legs are stretched out, and this, with the comparative straightness of the wings and their quicker flapping, gives the Spoonbill, when in the air, an appearance very different to that of the Heron-tribe. The same day I saw numbers of Curlews and many different sizes of Sandpipers, also various Gulls and Terns, several kinds of Ducks, and one flock of Geese, besides birds I could not make out. The common Heron was abundant along the banks, and very tame, large Hawks like Marsh- Harriers were sailing over the plains. On my voyage up, I had seen one huge black fellow seated in the distance in solitary grandeur, and to my great satisfaction I clearly made out with my glass that he was a Vulture; it was within two or three hours of Seville, and near the vast pastures where the far-famed bulls were rearing for the fight: near there I was informed they were not uncommonly to be seen. On my return, of course I kept a good look out, and great was the excitement with which I saw four or five of these birds rise from the ground, their necks stretched out, and their long rounded wings flapping slowly, until they began to sail in majestic circles, when I watched them for nearly a quarter of an hour without observing a single motion of the wings. Some time afterwards, as we were approaching San Lucar, another got up on the bank almost close to the boat. Tueir flight is not unlike that of the Harriers. I supposed them to be the young of the Egyptian Vulture”. I believe I afterwards saw a flock of mature birds in the Bay of Tangier, but they were at some distance. The great Bustard is a bird I had always longed to see in its native wilds, a bird whose name now only reminds one of good old times in English natural history ; and this same day my eyes were delighted with the sight of several small herds at a very little distance off ; their bodies appeared longer as they were feeding than I should have thought they would do, four or five that were close to the 1 [The reference points to the evidence of a nameless “ intelligent person of whose accuracy of observation he had no doubt” reported by Mr. A. T. Dodd, of Chichester, to Mr. A. E. Knox ; but the expression in quotation marks does not occur in the latter’s note, and I do not know who used it, uor can I interpret the initials within the bracket.—Eb. | 2 [See No. XXI. for correction.—Ep. ] APR PE NDDSSS NOSaVie— Vile 9 water’s edge rose as the boat approached, they got up rather hurriedly to some little height and then turned and swooped down gradually, after the manner of gallinaceous birds. About the meaning of the Spanish name Abutarda, Ford, in his ‘ Hand-book ’ says “it is probably Iberian; the Romans catching at sound, not sense, called them aves tardas (quasi siow birds), which no one who has ever seen them fly or run, as we have, would do.” A Spanish sportsman, of Seville, formed me that two or three months before, . they might have been shot in plenty (off their nests I suppose), perhaps they are slow then. However, the engineer of the steamer, an Irishman, assured me that Abutarda in modern Spanish means “* slow bird, * and he told me the name of some other bird beginning with abu! , which he also explained, but this meaning in the Latinized state of the language may easily have been superinduced. But I must not occupy your room any further, than to say that I have duplicates of the eggs of the Little Bustard, Bee-eater, Pratincole, and Stilt Plover, which I should be happy to exchange with any of your correspondents for eggs of British Birds of equal rarity which may happen to be desiderata to my cabinet. These I brought with me from Barbary. Trinity College, Cambridge. Mar OccURRENCE OF THE RoOUGH-LEGGED BuzzarRD IN NorriNGHAMSHIRE AND DERBYSHIRE. [‘ Zoologist,’ iv. (1846) p. 1247. | Six or seven years ago, there was a great immigration * of the Rough- legged Buzzard, Buteo lagopus, to the midland-counties, which I have not scen recorded, Many specimens were killed at intervals in Nottirighamshire and Derbyshire, and happened to come under my notice. I think T could not have seen less than a dozen, only two of which came into my possession. Most of these were caught in traps, and some I saw before they received the coup de grice, the projecting eye-brow and piercing eye gave them a very fierce and noble expression. , Trinity College, Cambridge, November 21st, 1844. * [Mr. Howard Saunders suggests to me that this may have been Adubilla, the Hoopoe ( Upupa epops), but. nae name does not seem to be of Latin origin. The dictionaries give Abucdsta, the Wigeon (Anas penelope), which appears more likely, though I do not find it ‘acknowledged by Senor Arévalo in his ‘ Aves de Hispana’ (Madrid : 1887 ).—Ep. | * [This great visitation was in the autumn of 1859, and was especially observed in the eastern counties (cf. Zool, 1846, p. 130),—Ep. it 10 APPENDIX © NOS. VII.—VIII. VIE: Tue SHREW AND GRASSHOPPER- WARBLER. [‘ Zoologist,’ iv. (1846) p. 1297.]} In a note to Letter XVI., of White’s ‘Selborne, Mr. Rennie’ doubts the propriety of the term ‘“ whisper” as applied to the trilling notes of the Grasshopper-Warbler. I have little doubt that White confounded the sounds made by the Shrew with those of the Grasshopper-Warbler. As this little animal is running along the bottom of a hedge, its low sibilous notes may not inaptly be called whispering. Iam inclined to think that two Shrews are in playful chase when I hear them, but as I seldom catch a glimpse, or more than a glimpse, I am not at all sure upon this point. The Water- Shrew makes similar sounds. I often hear a much more vigorous sibilous cry, which I used to suppose was made by a Field-Cricket, and many a time have I crept about on tip-toe in the hope of finding one sitting, all proper, at the entrance of its burrow; it is now some dozen years since I was undeceived by a countryman, who assured me it was “ only a sherrew whistling on the muck-heap.” Since this I have often heard similar notes from Shrews in confinement, when they are fighting, or alarmed; if a worm is thrown to them they devour it with sibilous chattering. Led by White, I also had supposed that the hedge-bottom notes were the Grasshopper- Warbler’s, and I fancy I can remember being laughed at for saying so, as White was. Since I have met with the real Grasshopper- Warbler in the Cambridgeshire Fens, and elsewhere, I recognize its notes as perfectly distinct, nor has the bird ever continued them till I approached so near as White seems to have done to the author of the whisperings. Beeston, near Nottingham, March 19, 1846. VIEL: OccuRRENCE OF Vanessa AwTIoPéa NEAR NOTTINGHAM. [* Zoologist,’ iv. (1846) pp. 1506 & 1507. | An unentomological shoemaker has taken a specimen of the Camberwell Beauty this autumn at Southwell. I possess one taken some years ago near Nottingham. Beeston, near Nottingham, October 3rd, 1846. 1 (Ed. 1833, p. 60; ed. 1836, p. 89.—Ep.] APPENDIX: NOS. [X.—\l. II 1.6 OccuRRENCE OF AcHERONTIA ATROPOS AT CAMBRIDGE. [‘ Zoologist,’ iv. (1846) p. 1508.1 CaTERPILLARS at Cambridge, feeding on what is there called the “tea-tree ’’ full grown at the end of July; one in a very warm situation became a perfect insect by the middle of September. A perfect insect was also caught near Cambridge in the early part of the year. I mention these, because of the times of appearance, which, to my very limited experience, seems unusual. Beeston, near Nottingham, October 3rd, 1846. xe OccuRRENCE OF SPHINX CONVOLVULI NEAR NOTTINGHAM. [‘ Zoologist,’ iv. (1846) p. 1513.] A sPEcIMEN at Beeston, near Nottingham, in the middle of September, and several others near Newark. I have not seen more than half a dozen specimens taken in all previous years in this neighbourhood. Beeston, near Nottingham, October 3rd, 1846, eh: OccuRRENCE OF THE Locust NEAR NorrinGHAM. [‘ Zoologist,’ iv. (1846) p. 1520.] A xapy, whose entomological knowledge and extensive travels make it probable she is not mistaken, assures me she has lately seen Locusta migratoria” in her own garden at Lenton, near Nottingham. Beeston, near Nottingham, October 3rd, 1846. 1 [Lycium barbarum otherwise chinense.—ED.]} 2 (Mr. David Sharp tells me that it was more likely to have been either Pachytylus cinerascens or Schistocerca peregrina, those being the two species of migratory Locust occasionally found in England.—Eb., | 12)" APPENDIX: NOS, XII.—XIII. ‘Xe Note ON THE OcCURRENCE OF THE BLACK SWAN IN BRITAIN. [‘ Zoologist,’ iv. (1846) p. 1554. ] I was reminded by your note on the Black Swan (Zool. 1501) of some passages I copied from Mr. Colquhoun’s ‘The Moor and the Loch,’ p. 41, note: ‘ Wild geese, bernacle, brent geese, &c. seldom pitch upon the Highland Lochs, the former only for a short time to rest. Last winter (1841) some flocks of wild geese, the common gray lag, appeared on Loch Lomond during the first storm, * * * *. It is a curious fact that there were fewer hoopers last winter (1841) than in many of far less severity. During the severe winter of 1837-38 not one wild goose of any description was seen although there were numbers of the common wild swan and a few of the black species, one of which was shot.” Beeston, near Nottingham, October 3rd, 1846. eT: On Reptives &c., NEAR Bonn. [‘ Zoologist,’ v. (1847) pp. 1602-1604. ] One beautiful day last July [1846], we took a drive to the alum- works of Friesdorf; as we ascended the hill, a melodious croaking was heard on every side; the coachman said it was Wood-Pigeons, but we made up our minds it must be Tree-Frogs*; we searched for them in vain, wherever we went the noise seemed to surround us, but never very close; it excited pleasing ideas of enchanted groves. I am not familiar with the coomg of the Stock-Dove, but these voices seemed too small, too numerous, and too close at hand for that. We collected specimens of the buried forest in every stage, from perfect wood to perfect coal, but were disappointed in not meeting with any of the strata in which were found the fossil Frogs. I was much surprised, however, to find so goodly a collection of living Batrachians in the ~ pools about—chiefly small specimens, as though they were bred there—first, I recognised the Natter-jack in plenty ; then I caught a kind of Toad *, which in its brilliant orange-mottled belly, reminded me of the Warty Newt, it also resembled it in its strong pungent smell when handled; it was blacker than the Common Toad on the back, and had larger feet, which, the hind as well as the fore, it almost inverted over its back, in resigning itself to its fate, and to a much greater degree than the Common ‘load does, which only puts * | Hyla arborea.—Ep. | * | Bombinator igneus.—Ep. } APPENDIX: NO. XIII. 13 its fore-paws over its head like a school-boy who is getting threshed. There was also another species of Toad", chiefly differing at first sight from our Common Toad in the colour of the eyes, which were greyish, instead of bright gold-colour. I did uct recognize there our Common Toad. I was préviously ignorant of the fact, and it struck me as very remarkable, that there should be two species of Toads, that we have not in England, at so little distance from us. A day or two after the above-mentioned excursion, in examining the crater of the extinct volcano, Roderberg, as I was minutely inspecting a little cavity naturally formed in a bed of cinders, I raked out a Toad * apparently of the same species as the last spoken of above; to my great surprise, and with very great interest, I observed a string of eggs tied round the hocks or knees of its hind legs. They were tough and semi-transparent, and I think I may describe their appearance by saying that the Toad’s hind legs looked as if they were chained together by a necklace formed of large mustard-seeds strung on fishing-gut. The time of year too! Was it a male or female? What will it do with its eggs? How different they are from the spawn of the Common Toad, and yet how very much alike the animals are, with such different habits! I kept it in a tin box for some days with my other Toads and, unfortunately, its eggs got separated from it, though the string appeared to be tightly twisted round each knee, or heel, if we choose so to call it, there being no communication with the body. At Coblentz, I put them in spirits of wine, thinking they would die instantly, but they were several minutes first, and one poor fellow made me deeply regret that I had inflicted such pain upon him, as he showed by opening his mouth wide, and trying to wipe it out with his fore feet. I carried this and several other bottles of reptiles about with me for several weeks, but as they leaked rather, I got tired of them, and gave them to a museum-keeper at Berne, where also I saw other specimens of the same two species of Toad, bottled and named, but I did not take note of the names. Whilst on the subject of Toads and Frogs, I may be allowed to make the observation that like the other genera of reptiles, they seem to rejoice in heat, though it must be combined with moisture; on the hottest days in North Africa, I have seen hundreds of Frogs, and of several species, basking on the banks of pools ; on any alarm they jump into the water, sometimes with a very great leap. Mr. Darwin found no Frogs in the damp woods of Tierra del Fuego. In England we have several fewer reptiles than our neighbours in the Kast, though we have two or three more than our neighbours in the West; are the sea breezes of the Atlantic unfayour- able to reptile life? Yet Natter-jacks live like gentlemen in houses of their own in the sand dunes near Calais. I will mention one more remarkable reptile I observed near the Rhine. It was on the banks of the crater-lake, the Laacher-See. I was feeling somewhat nervous and conscious-striken, having just subjected a puppy to a “ Grotto (Bufo viridis—Ep. | > [ Alytes obstetricus.— Ep. | 14 APPENDIX: NOS. XIlL-SX1Vi. del Cane ”’ I had been guided to by a country lad, when I suddenly came upon what at first sight seemed to be a common Viper’; after the first start, I seized it and threw it into an open space where I could observe its motions; the first thing that struck me was a pecuhar vibration of the tail, as though it would claim relationship to the Rattle-Snake; at the same time, it showed very little in- clination to bite, and had not that curling of the upper lip which a Viper shows when it is angry. I soon contrived to get it by the nape of the neck, and to examine it more closely. I found the pupils of its eyes were round, as in the Common Snake, not cat-like as in the Viper, and it had no poison-fangs; it had a meeker appearance than the Viper, but in colourmmg much more resembled it than the Snake. I must just add with reference to what I called the “ grotto del cane” that it is situated in a thicket, and is a little depression in the soil, perhaps six feet across, and three feet deep, in the bottom of which is a hole like a mouse-hole from which issues the carbonic acid (?) gas; I saw at the bottom a Common Toad in a state of putridity, upon which were settled several golden-bodied meat-flies, standing as if alive, though upon examination they proved to be dead. I held the puppy in the hole, breathing quicker and quicker, till it was to all appearance nearly dead, but it recovered almost immediately on being restored to good air. It had, | believe, accidentally followed my juvenile guide. [I am indebted to Dr. Gadow for supplying the names of the several Batrachians and the Snake above mentioned.—Eb. | XV. Tue SroatT CARRYING Ecos. [‘ Zoologist,’ v. (1847) pp. 1634 & 1635. | Tur following anecdote seems to me interesting, as explaining in some degree the mode in which eggs are so mysteriously moved, without breaking, by small predatory animals. ‘The narrator, who is a very accurate observer, declared to me that he has the most perfect recollection of the facts. Mr. Edward Hurt* was walking with a brother of his near Cheltenham, some thirty years ago, when they saw a Stoat cross the road, carrying something white between its chin and its breast: upon their running up it dropped its burden, which proved to be a full-sized hen’s egg; examining it, they could not detect the slightest marks of teeth upon the shell. They put it down 1 [Coronella levis —Ep. | 2 (An uncle of Mr. Wolley’s, who though here called an “accurate observer” could not be said to be a trained one, or to have any knowledge of or interest in Natural History.—Ep. } APPENDIX: NOS. XIV.—XV. 1 again and retired to a little distance, when the Stoat returned, and carried it, in the same manner as before, up a high bank and through a hedge. The egg appeared to be held by the head and neck, with- out being carried at all by the fore paws of the animal, which were used in running. This story is less marvellous than the old one of the Rats using one of their companions, lying on his back, as a sledge, and his tail as the harness. 26 Mount Street, Grosvenor Square, November 20th, 1846. XV. A PpRoposEeD Postscriet To Mr. Woxtaston’s Note on Nesrra tivipa (Zool. 1517)’. [‘ Zoologist,’ v. (1847) p. 1674.] “T sHouLp mention that my friends the Wolleys, first told me of this Bridlington locality, with full particulars. They found it out eleven or twelve years ago, and had the pleasure of announcing it to Mr. Arthur Strickland, of Bridlington, who at that time had only two or three specimens from Scarborough, which he valued greatly. The old story was, that Nebria livida was to be found ‘ under heaps of sea-weed at high-water mark,’ and in such situations they searched for it in vain, at Bridlington, Flamborough, Filey, and Scarborough, but at last George Wolley found one accidentally, when grubbing under a bank for fishing-baits, within the harbour of Bridlington, and almost simultaneously his brothers found it in plenty in the cliffs, for several miles along the south sands, living in the numerous cracks and fissures. They never found it between Bridlington and Flamborough, 7. e. on the north cliffs, which are not so sandy as those to the south. J. W. has also found it in similar situations at Scarborough.” 26 Mount Street, 3rd November, 1846, 1 (Mr. T. Vernon Wollaston’s note at this reference, written from Jesus College, Cambridge, 17 September, 1846, was headed “Capture of Webria livida at Bridlington,” and begins “ During a late excursion on the Yorkshire coast I had the satisfaction of taking several specimens of this interesting insect.” There is no mention of Mr. Wolley or his brothers having told him where and how to find it, but it may be remarked that he and the Wolleys were always on friendly terms.—ED. | 16 APPENDIX : NO. XVI. WET be Sacacity In Fro6s. [‘ Zoologist, v. (1847) pp. 1703-1705. } J wave read with much interest the curious anecdote of the Frogs (Zool. 1643) *, but finding that I cannot acquiesce in the suggestions of the narrator as to the motives for their conduct, I am now about to examine why, and also to see whether I can suggest anything that appears to myself more probable. In the first place, I am strongly predisposed to-consider the Frog incapable of the implied degree of sagacity ; both because I cannot recollect to have seen, heard, or read — in books of authority, proofs or indications of anything at all equal to itin the Frog, nor yet in any of his relations—Toads, Newts, Lizards, Snakes, Fish; and also because even in the hot-blooded animals, whose intellects for the most part seem to be of a higher order, similar instances of sagacity are very rare. Where can we find them at all? Perhaps here and there in some pre-eminently gifted individual of one of those superior races of animals who are constantly in the company of man, who every day experience his benefits and his power, and who have learned to look up to him and to trust in him for everything. But the Frog is none of these: if we allow him to have sufficient sagacity, he has nevertheless none of the opportunities necessary for acquiring that knowledge of man aud of his nature, which the subjects of our present consideration are supposed to have possessed. Even were the knowledge of man instinctive, these Frogs showed further very great ingenuity in the plans of action they founded upon this knowledge of theirs: and of their being master of such ingenuity and sagacity, we are, I think, entirely without sufficient evidence. And not only do | think him incapable of assisting a friend in misfortune in the manner supposed, if he wished to help him, but I even doubt whether he ever would wish it. Do we know any instances of Frogs or Toads caring for their wounded or imprisoned fellow-creatures ? In other classes of animals, no doubt, it is common for certain species to assemble round an injured companion ; but often in anger rather than in love; and in putting him out of his misery, they show the kindness of their Creator rather than their own. What other explanation then do we 1 [No doubt the behaviour of the Frogs, which took place at Lindfield, in Sussex, as described by Mr. Robert Davis, who wrote from Belgrave Place, Pimlico, was strange, but so is much that goes on in nature. Briefly it amounted to this—one Frog had his foot caught by the closing of a shutter-blind, whereupon two others climbed up the window-frame, and looked into the room, in Mr. Davis’s opinion, “‘for the purpose of imploring assistance to effect the escape of the imprisoned one.” If that were really their object, it shewed something more than what we should term sagacity, for it implies on their part a trust in human charity which must be contrary to the experience of most Frogs. The common sense of Mr. Wolley’s remarks seems undeniable, and perhaps if we knew the business the first Frog was after when he came to the window we might get a clew to that which took the others thither.—Ep. } APPENDIX: NO. XVI. Ey give for the facts recorded by Mr. Davis? In the first place, we declare that because we question the correctness of his views, we are not therefore compelled to give satisfactory ones of our own; because, upon the general principles of reasoning, this is not required; and because, in this particular instance of the Frog, an animal with whose habits, feelings, and senses, we have so little in common, it is very difficult to explain any part of its conduct. But let us consider the circumstances before us. Two Frogs are observed acting in an extraordinary manner, close to a spot where some hours afterwards a Frog is found imprisoned, in such a way that he was most likely in the same state when the other Frogs were seen at liberty. Now, at first, it seems highly probable that he was the cause of the assembling, and of the excited movements of the other Frogs. But we must argue from what we already know of the habits of the frog in general, and if we find we do not know enough, we must wait for further facts to be ascertained, either by accidental or experimental observation. First, then, we know that Frogs make at least two or three different kinds of noise, which, reasoning from universal analogy, we suppose other Frogs to be able to distinguish and understand. They have their breeding croak; their cries of despair, when pursued by a bird of prey ; and, I think, other sounds expressive of bodily pain. Secondly, we know that some of their notes have the effect of collecting other Frogs. Thus, in the, spring, the croak proclaims the rendezvous for spawning, and in the autumn something of the kind may be used to assemble those clusters of Frogs which are found hyhernating together ; as we are told that Rattlesnakes, on a similar occasion, collect themselves together by means of hissing. We only want to know then for certain, whether a Frog, trapped by the leg, would sooner or later cry out ;. and then whether this would have the effect of collecting others? We have seen, from what we know of the Frog, that both these are likely, and it is a likelihood much strengthened by what we know of the habits of various other animals, a consideration indeed to which we are apt to give too much weight. But still there is the climbing and jumping down to be accounted for. We reject, for the reasons given before, Mr. Davis’s explanation of these actions. We find a difficulty in connecting them with the prisoner at all, unless we may consider them the result of infatuated excitement about him in the other Frogs. This leads us to conjecture whether, after all, he may not himself have been playing the same tricks when he was trapped in the blind. But, whether it was so, or whether his noise, being merely an ordinary croak, deluded the other eager Frogs into false hopes of there being something worth going for, we may in either case veuture the following suggestions. It is a rainy evening in October, the time of day and the sort of weather when Frogs are sure to be on the move, and the time of year when we may suppose them to be looking out for lodgings for the winter. The rain comes streaming from the roof, or is heard PART IV. b 18 APPENDIX : NO. XVI. running down spouts: the Frogs suppose, instinctively, that where water runs down there must be more above, and they try to climb up, hoping to find a pond where they may lie in the mud till spring. By instinct, fishes in a pump-trough, try to swim up any little jet by which freshwater is supplied to them. Perhaps our Frogs, having got some little height, mistake the glass for water, and try to jump down into it; or the glass looking so like water, may have been what originally attracted them, especially if there is any rising ground before the window. The probability of these suggestions will of course much depend upon local circumstances, as whether they could have had access to a pond without any trouble. Another explanation that might perhaps suggest itself, is, that if they were in a walled garden they were trying to climb out, as every one has seen Frogs sticking their toes into the sides of walls in the most uncomfortable efforts to escape, and as we know Snakes and Lizards will make great exertions for the same purpose; I have even seen Vipers in the ivy, nearly at the top of a ten-foot wall. But we must not forget Mr. Davis’s first idea that the light may have attracted them, for it is curious how many animals are attracted by light ; some insects, perhaps more than we are apt to suppose, mistaking it for the signal of their mates; some birds perhaps guiding their nocturnal flight by it, instead of by a star; other birds, thinking themselves in a confined space, flyimg to the light as to a hole for escape ; some fishes, possibly seeking phosphorescent food, come to the light by mistake; other animals being excited by curiosity ; whilst in many cases, we cannot even venture a guess as to the reason of a light being such a great attraction; but has anyone observed Frogs undoubtedly so influenced ? I have, perhaps, after all, made but little advance towards the truth ; but I have, I hope, explained why I cannot consider the extraordinary sagacity of the Frog at all established by the anecdote before us. But that we may come to some satisfactory deter- mination, we must make observations and experiments, and com- municate to ‘The Zoologist’ any important results of them. I shall be really glad if these tend to elevate my present views of the moral and intellectual attributes of the Frog ; for I well remember the time when I fondly looked upon him as the most pious of animals. Besides, his attitude of prayer, and his resignation in the extremity of danger; when I saw the fair and plump young Frogs carrying their helpless relatives, I used to think it a case equalled only by the Dutch story of the Stork, and by that of Auneas after the siege of Troy. APPENDIX 3 NOS @ XVII VILLE 19 xViIE Doers THE Cuckow CARRY ITs Eaes ? [‘ Zoologist,’ v. (1847) p. 1774.] THERE is an interesting point in the habits of the Cuckow, which perhaps some of the readers of the ‘ Zoologist’ may be able to decide from their own experience. I mean the mode in which it conveys its eggs into the nests of the birds to whose care it confides them : it seems probable it carries them in its mouth. If I remember right Le Vaillant shot a species of Cuckow in Africa, with one of its own eggs in its throat. Mr. Williamson, of the Scarborough Museum, informed me, several years ago, that he had found a Cuckow’s egg in a nest, which was placed so close under a hedge, that the Cuckow could not possibly have got into it ; and this morning I purchased a Cuckow’s egg [§ 710] from Mr. Bartlett, of Little Russell Street, which he had found himself (I believe last year) in a Robin’s nest that was placed in so small a hole, that he believed the Cuckow must have put her tail over her head, and backed in. By the bye, rather a curious point connected with this case is, that the Robin’s eggs were nearly ready to hatch, whilst the Cuckow’s seemed not to have been sat upon many days; an apparent carelessness, or want of discrimination on the part of the Cuckow. Mr. Bartlett, at first glance into the nest, thought someone had put a Nightingale’s egg into it, but it is a most unmistakeable Cuckow’s. An American Nightjar, having had its eggs disturbed, has been seen to take them up in its claws, and fly away. Probably many birds move their eggs in the same way. But that the Cuckow carries its eggs in its mouth or throat, is not rendered less probable by the common report that it sucks eggs to clear its voice. Mount Street, Grosvenor Square, May lst, 1847. XVIII. On Jackvaws’ NEsts. Do Brrps or tHE Crow TRIBE COVER THEIR Eaas ? [‘ Zoologist,’ v. (1847) pp. 1774, 1775. ] T nave a fact to offer on this disputed point. About ten days ago Henry Walter and myself amused ourselves by climbing up to Jackdaws’ nests, placed in holes in the trees, about Bearwood, which is on the borders of Windsor Forest. In the course of three days we must have examined several scores of nests. On the first day 9 b 2 20 APPHN DES. NOS xeviiii: none of the eggs were covered; but on the second and third days, we found that several of the nests that had been visited before, now had their eggs either partially covered by loose pieces of wool, or the eggs, In some cases, were nearly buried in the woolly lining of the nest; and this, whether the bird had just flown from the nest er not. So far on this much quarrelled subject *. With respect to the make of the nests, it is curious how they were adapted to circumstances ; in some cases, only a little wool and such Jike soft materials ; in others, a monstrous pile of sticks to stop some in- convenient cavity of the tree. Mr. Jesse tells the story of the extra- ordinary nest in the bell turret at Eton [ § 2684]; I saw it myself, and it really was almost beyond belief: many people thought Gray, the sly old clerk, had built it; but there is no doubt it was entirely the work of the birds. It was remarkable in not being of a pyramid shape, but taking its rise from two or three sleps of the circular stairs it was built up compactly, and of a nearly uniform breadth, to a lancet window in the perpendicular wall, the bottom of which window was not otherwise sufficiently wide to support a nest. I forget the whole height of the nest, but I should guess not less than nine feet. It was unfortunately removed not long after it was built, though in the mean time it was a matter of great profit to old Gray. Somewhat similar instances of vast piles of sticks collected by Jackdaws are not uncommon: they will sometimes fill almost a whole chimney with sticks. At the foot of some of the trees at Bearwood I saw heaps of sticks, to the extent of several barrow- loads, recently dropped by the Jackdaws. The keeper assured us [that] several birds will lay in one nest, and we frequently saw three birds fly out of the same hole, and in one case found two eggs in a nest we had robbed the day before. Six was the greatest number of eggs we found in any nest, but very few had this number, or indeed more than one or two eggs, as it was early in the year. The Jackdaws generally flew out long before we got near the trees, but in one case, by creeping up stealthily, I looked into a hole where a Jackdaw was sitting: she did nut lose her presence of mind, but remained perfectly quiet: I repeated the experiment several times with the same result . it was in a hole within a yard of the ground. Their eggs vary from one another very much less than those of most others of the tribe do. Rooks’ vary exceedingly. Mount Street, Grosvenor Square, May 3rd, 1847. * By Mr. Waterton and others. Vede ‘Magazine of Natural History’ [iy. p. 517; v. pp. 101, 142, 393, 487, 590, 676), i APPENDIX : NO. XIX. 21 DUDS Is tHe Eprspue Froc a true Native oF BRITAIN ? [‘ Zoologist,’ v. (1847) pp. 1821, 1822.] As the ‘ Zoologist ? has been the means through which the discovery of the Edible Frog in England was announced to the world, it ought also to be the means of reminding the less cautious class of natura- lists, that this finding the Edible Frog in one very confined locality is by no means to be considered proof of its being a native. ‘True, Foulmire is a very peculiar spot; situated some miles to the south of Cambridge on the very limit of the county, and surrounded by rising ground, the Cam, a branch of which takes its rise here, is its only connexion with the real “ Fens.” The nature of Foulmire differs from that of all other fens I have seen, in having the continuity of the vegetable substance or turf of which it is composed interrupted by frequent wells or pits of pure water, the bottom of which is kept clean by the rising of springs in the sand beneath, though in others of these pits, and those generally the largest, the rise of water is not sufficiently rapid to prevent black mud accumu- lating at the bottom, which in some serves as a pabulum for large water-plants. Tull lately, on one side the rising ground was a sandy. heath, which, if I have been rightly informed, was inhabited by the Natterjack, and I have seen this reptile in the sands of Gamlingay, which is no very great distance off. The Common Frog and the Common Toad are abundant in the fen, so also the Warty Newt, and perhaps, though I have no special remembrance of it, the Common Newt also. It is then a peculiar and, in some degree, an isolated fen, but it is certain, if the Edible Frogs are aboriginal here, that in the course of ages the river must have carried some into the true fens, through the very centre of which it flows for several score miles ; and can we suppose that they would not increase and flourish there, as well as in the neighbourhood of Kingsbury, where Mr. Bond informs me he _ has several very thriving colonies? ‘This last fact shows that they can live and increase in England elsewhere than at Foulmire ; and the rapidity with which they have spread themselves near Kingsbury does not point to any very distant period of time for their intro- duction to Foulmire. That they do not exist, at least in any plenty, in the true fens, is, I think, rendered highly probable by their never having attracted the attention of any naturalist there ; certainly in my own rambles in the fens I have not seen anything like them. I say never, but I ought to qualify the expression by mentioning that Mr. Bond tells me he has lately heard of them there, of which I hope we shall learn further particulars. But that it is not very easy to find, even where most abundant, is shown by the fact, that though I have twice been to Foulmire, in March or April, for the express purpose of finding it, I did not meet with a single specimen; Die, APPENDIX: NO. XIX. it was I suppose rather too early in the year; the Common Frog had spawned, and, indeed, there were some young tadpoles, Toads were croaking about, and were to be seen in plenty in their usual galvanic postures at the bottom of the little river; if my memory does not fail me, I also found some of their necklace-like spawn. I fished up, perhaps, nearly a dozen Frogs in a landing-net, of various ages, and also some Warty Newts, in the pools, but alas ! nothing at all eatable! And on both occasions I trudged back to Trinity in utter disappointment, and undined. My good old friend Tom Rawlinson was with me the second time, with cans, nets, Xc., and he rather relieved the monotony of the journey home, by showing me the bank of an orchard on which the great white Snail abounded, which, as he informed me, with eyes wide open, he had seen either gipsies or Italians, I forget which, eat. Tom is knowing in such matters, he is “ Tom the pieman ”’ of all the “ feasts ” many miles round Cambridge :—an old soldier, a reformed drunkard, a teetotaller, an affectionate father, a simple-hearted fellow, a collector of insects, eggs, fossils, and everything else, and a protégé of “ Perfesser Sedgwick.” His personal appearance I should spoil by description,—I liked Old Tom! But to return to the Snails, the Helix pomatia of some nomenclature, they are, if I mistake not, believed by conchologists to have been originally introduced from the Continent, perhaps by Roman monks; may not the Frogs have been introduced to eat with them by the same Italians? Or may not gipsies or organ boys have brought them over more recently ? Or in very modern times may not some have accidentally escaped from confinement, or been intentionally turned out by naturalists ? Do I not remember an account of a large number of them being in the possession of Mr. Gray, of the British Museum, and may not some of these have strayed into Cambridgeshire? I am only imagining possibilities, but possibilities which seem to myself more probable than that the Edible Frog should be a native of Britain, and yet confined to Foulmire. It is a matter of some interest in the consideration of the geographical distribution of Reptiles. It is much to be regretted that Foulmire, as I hear from Mr. Bond, is drained! But he tells me he expects the Frogs will disperse, and not become extinct. As he informs us that the Frogs of Foulmire are well known, and have a name given them in the neighbourhood, it would be very interesting if he, or someone at Cambridge, would make enquiries as to whether there is any tradition of their first appearance at Foulmire. May 3rd, 1847. APPENDIX: NO. XX. 23 ».6.e Mierations or Insects. [‘ Zoologist,’ v. (1847) pp. 1899, 1900. ] Lest by any chance it should have escaped your notice I enclose an extract’ from the ‘Times’ of August 16th, 1847, which gives a very interesting account of a huge swarm of Lady-birds, which were actually seen coming in the direction of the French or Belgian coast some hours before they arrived on our shores. Migrations, in large bodies, of Aphides, Flies, Locusts, and other insects, are common, but this peculiarly well-observed and enormous emigration of Coccinellide from the Continent is well worthy of note. The believers in Mr. Smee’s theory of the cause of the potato disease may congratulate the country on this arrival of destroyers of the destroyer. The Aphides being a race endowed with such very migratory instincts, we are not surprised to find that their parasites are obliged to shift their quarters also. If it should appear that the hops in Kent are peculiarly infested with blight next year, how wonderful would this friendly arrival from a distant land seem to be! Migratory flights of Butterflies, and of various species, have often been observed. Swarms of white Butterflies have been actually seen to arrive at Dover. Can we doubt that the Sphinx convolvuli, as well as the Locusts of last year, the Colias Hyale of two or three years before, the Vanessa Antiopa of some score of years since, and also the occasional specimens of V. Antiopa, of Pontia Daplidice, of Argynnis Lathonia, and perhaps even of Papilio Podalirius, are arrivals from the Continent ? Might we not even extend this to Colias Edusa, and consider it a more regular immigrant? Nay the common Cynthia cardui is a notoriously migratory Butterfly, not even fearing to cross the snows of the highest Alps. Now, are these Butterflies of periodical appearance on the Continent? I believe not. The freshness of the specimens is a common argument against their having come from a distance, and it seems a good one, though an insect perpetually in the air is less likely to be damaged than one blown about amongst leaves and flowers. I do not mean though that in every instance the specimens themselves have come from abroad ; perhaps their parents were the original settlers. Colias Hyale decreased in numbers for two or three years before it disappeared ; so of Papilio Machaon, of which I turned out great quantities in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire : a few specimens were seen in two 1 [The extract was reprinted in ‘The Zoologist,’ immediately above Mr. Wolley’s remarks; but it would be out of place to reproduce it here, though it is very interesting and far better written than most things of the kind which figure iu newspapers. The swarm or flight is described as having the appearance of a cloud a few miles long extending over the sea from the direction of Calais and Ostend to Ramsgate and Margate, which towns it reached about sunset. It must have consisted of millions upon millions of insects, and affected the coast of England from Southend to Brighton.—Eb. | 24. APPENDIX: NOS. XX.—XXII. succeeding years, till under the pressure of unfavourable conditions of life they finally disappeared. The appearance of all these insects only, or most abundantly, on the east coast, whilst they gradually become rarer towards the west, is another strong point. Can I suppose that a single worn female of Colias Hyale, which I found on a Derbyshire hill the first year of their abundant appearance in England, was anything but an immigrant? But I have perhaps already said too much on this doubtful and mysterious subject, for there is much that might be alleged on the other side of the question, which it would be tedious to enter into, and unnecessary in the present imperfect state of our knowledge. Beeston, August 17, 1847. XXI. Grirron VuLtuRE (Vuzrur FULvUs) : CoRRECTION OF A PREVIOUS Error [No. V.]. [‘ Zoologist,’ vi. (1848) p. 2063. Tue interesting paper from the pen of the Rev. C. Bury, on the birds of the South of Spain (Zool. 1958), reminds me to correct a mistake I made in a notice on the same subject some time ago (Zool. 1213). The Vultures I saw on the banks of the Guadalquivir were evidently not the Egyptian Vulture, which I did not at that time know to be a comparatively little bird. They were more probably the Griffon Vulture. I saw one of the large Vultures stuffed at Tangiers, and another in the Natural-History Museum at Gibraltar, killed there by Sir Robert Wilson’s son, if I remember right. As, however, the Egyptian Vulture is found in those parts of the world, my mistake is only worth noticing for the sake of distinguishing the occurrence of the large Vulture also. 3 Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, February 7, 1848. XXII. Lone Caprivity oF A SPECIMEN OF THE LirtLe OwL (S7rrx PASSERINA). [‘ Zoologist,’ vi. (1848) p. 2141.] Ir may be worih recording that the Strix passerina which was stated * to have been captured near Derby, in an early number of the ‘ Zoologist,’ has lived in confinement ever since, till it was killed 1 (It was stated by Mr. J. J. Brigas (Zool. 1844, p. 645) that a Little Owl, taken in or near Derby, was exhibited there alive, 17 May, 1843. British APPENDIX: NOS. XXII.—XXIII. 25 by a cat a few days ago. This is a longer period of captivity than it is said in Yarrell to be able to endure. Shortly after I obtained it, it refused its food, and I was afraid it would die; but it was suggested that it wanted water, and so it proved, for it drank greedily what was given it, and with a constant supply of water has ever since remained in good health. It has been fed with raw meat, and only occasionally a mouse or bird has been given it. Though placed in a cage, in a passage where people are constantly passing, it never got over its natural wildness; but it knew the persons who were in the habit of feeding it, and made a plaintive noise when they were present. Now and then, at night, it raised its sharp cries. Its winking, courtesying and snapping made it appear singularly grotesque, as mentioned by Mr. Yarrell. The edges of the eyelids being everted gave a remarkable appearance to its large white eyes. I do not myself know the circumstances of its capture, but it seems not improbable that it was one of those turned out by Mr. Waterton at Walton Hall, if it is of the same species, as I suppose it is. 3 Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, March 1848. be. 40Uie Description or a Species or Newt’. [‘ Zoologist,’ vi. (1848) pp. 2149, 2150. ] A xinp of Newt occurs in ponds and ditches about Edinburgh which I have not observed elsewhere. The males are remarkable for a ridge on each side of their back, which gives it great breadth and squareness, for their wholly-webbed feet, and for the mode in which their tail terminates: it appears as if the tip had been nipped off, the central filament of it only remaining, and projecting for a quarter of an inch. In colour and style of marking it differs considerably from Lissotriton punctatus of Bell. The females are less easy to recognize. ‘There appear to be characteristic differences in the bones of the two species, at least in the vertebre and the skull, also in the general proportions of the head, body, and tail. The males do not vary much from one another: I have examined ornithologists had mistaken this species, the Strix noctua of Scopoli, nowadays recognized as Athene (or, more correctly, Carine) noctua, for the S. passerina of Linneeus, from which it is wholly distinct. Mr. Yarrell mentioned (British Birds, ed. 1, i. p. 144) one kept for more than two years in confinement, but he did not limit the time it was able to endure captivity. Mr. Waterton turned out his birds, five in number, the survivors of a dozen which he brought from Italy, at Walton near Waketield, 10 May, 1842 (Essays in Nat. Hist. ser. 2, p. 17), the passage describing their liberation being reprinted in ‘The Zoologist’ (pp. 673, 674).— Ep. | 1 (See Nos. XXV., XXXVI., ard XLII. ; also ‘ Memoir,’ pp. xix, xx.—Eb.] 26 APPENDIX: NOS. XXIII.—XXIV. upwards of one hundred of them, but as yet only in their spring appearance. The webs of the feet, the caudal filament, the crests, and the dorsal ridges are probably absorbed later in the year, as I judge from the degrees of development I have already seen, and especially from a Newt of this kind I found in the bed of a pool which had been dried up some days before. It occurs in company with L. punctatus, but in one ditch I found it alone and in plenty, from which I have been able satisfactorily to ascertain the females. A more full account will I hope before long be furnished by Mr. Bell, who had specimens of the same, or a similar Newt, sent to him from Devonshire several years ago. It seems to occur generally round Edinburgh, as far as my walks extend. Yesterday (May Ist) I saw this, and no other species, during a ramble in the Peutland I[ills. 3 Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, May 3, 1848. [In consequence of the above note (No. XXIII.), Mr. William Baker, writing from Bridgwater, 10 July, 1848, contributed to ‘The Zoologist’ (p. 2198) one with the same title, in which he said that the remarkable characters of the new species (as it was then thought to be) were so well recorded by Mr. Wolley that there was no difficulty in distinguishing it from its relatives. He stated that it was not vncommon in his neighbourhood, and that in May 1845 he had sent living specimens to Professor Bell, who considered the species to be not only new to this country, but to science, and that he (Mr. Baker) suppused they were those which Mr. Wolley had mentioned as having been sent from Devonshire, though Bridgwater is in Somerset. Thereupon M. Deby, a Belgian zoologist writing from Laeken, 11 July, 1848, pointed out (tom. eit, pp. 2231, 2252) that the species described by Mr. Wolley was evidently the Triton (Lissotriton) palmipes of Daudin, the Salamandra palmata of Latreille and Cuvier, the Molge palmata of Merrem. Under the last of these names it is described by Mr. Boulenger (Cat. Batrach. Grad. B. M. ed. 2, p. 16). See also ‘Memoir,’ pp. xix, xx.-—H. ] XXIV. OccURRENCE OF THE NARROW-BORDERED BEE-SPHINX’ IN THE HIGHLANDS. [‘ Zoologist,’ vi. (1848) p. 2199.] Ts it generally known that this charming insect is found in the Highlands? I saw it on June 7th, in a boggy spot between Loch Katrine and Loch Lomond, hovering over the same kind of flowers that it frequents in the fens of the Eastern Counties ; and in both localities it is accompanied by the Greasy Fritillary. 3 Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, June 9, 1848. 1 [Sesia bombyliformis, Stainton, ‘Man. Brit. Butterflies and Moths,’ p. 99 (1857); Hemorrhagia tityus, Rothschild & Jordan, Novit. Zoolog. ix. Suppl. p. 450, as 1 am informed by Mr. Sharp.—Eb. | APPENDIX: NO. XXV. 27 XXV. Nove on tHe 7'RrTON PALMIPES OF DavuDIN |. [‘ Zoologist,’ vi. (1848) pp. 2265-2268. ] I nave to report the existence of our recently ascertained Newt in the extreme north of the island. On the Ist of August I found several females and one male in a little fresh-water peaty pool, a few hundred yards from high-water mark, on the side of the hills which rise from Loch Eribol, and on the west side of the loch. It is an inlet of the sea, about sixteen miles to the east of Cape Wrath, in the north-coast of Sutherland, celebrated for the grandeur and wildness of its scenery. The heather which clothes the hills that slope down to its banks, conceals, for the most part, the grooves and scratches made by the last of the icebergs that rounded them to their present shape; steep mounds of broken fragments may still mark the spot where they grounded, and, as their soft parts shrunk and disappeared, left only their skeletons to the present day, whilst the distant head of the loch is crowned by perpendicular cliffs, backed by lofty mountains—the birth right of the Red Deer and the Eagle. Of the Newts I found in this interesting locality, the male had still his spring dress, though it seemed in a retrograde state. In that far north latitude the tadpoles of the Frog were still in the water, though some of them had acquired their four legs. A month later I found some very young Newts, which are probably of this species, under stones by the side of ponds, within a mile or two of John o? Groat’s house or its site, accompanied as usual by young Frogs. In Orkney I learnt nothing of it, but it may be there. In Shetland I was assured no reptiles exist. It has been a great pleasure to me to find my notice in the ‘Zoologist’ (Zool. 2149) followed up by such interesting papers as those of Mr. Baker, Mr. Newman, and M. Deby. Mr. Baker has established his claim to the prior discovery in this country ; Mr. Newman showed the probable state of the case with respect to nomenclature, whilst the sagacity of his conjectures was proved by M. Deby, at least so far as the true name of the Newt supposed to be new. Not having seen specimens of Mr. Bell’s Lissotriton palmipes, I cannot presume to say it is merely a form of L. punctatus ; but I can state that from the characters given of it in his work I had supposed that some Newts I forwarded to Mr. Bell were his palmipes, which upon examination he himself declared to be punctatus: this I believe I mentioned to Mr. Newman. But it is not only the Lissotriton palmipes of Mr. Bell that he has to re-establish in the new edition of his ‘ Reptiles’: it is to be hoped that he will give further characters of his Triton Bibronii and of Rana Scotica. 1 (See No. XXIII,—Epb.] 28 APPENDIX : NO. XXV. The specimens of the Triton palmipes of Daudin which Mr. Bell first received he named “ provisionally ” Lissotriton appendiculatus, believing them to be a new species, until in a consultation with Mr. Gray, he was induced to consider them a variety of punctatus, an opinion which the gradual disappearance of the most obvious characters in confinement encouraged him to continue to indulge, and it was not until he received a notice of my Newts three years afterwards that the ‘ question was reopened ” with him ; but when he saw some of them he at once confirmed the opimion I had ventured to express to him that they were a_ species hitherto undescribed in Britain, and by so doing he asserted the value of his first impressions as communicated to Mr. Baker in 1845 (Zool. 2198). Mr. Gray’s Triton vittatus (Bell’s Brit. Rept. p. 132) appears not to be the 7. palmipes of Daudin, yet the semipalmation of the hind feet agrees with the condition of T. palmipes, Daudin, whilst the caudal filament is being absorbed. The “tail pieces”’ (Zool. 2231) admirably illustrate the most striking differences of the two kinds of Newt. In a full description there are many other points to be noticed than those hitherto mentioned: one that might be overlooked I will name here, viz. the colour (as well as certain of the proportions previously alluded to) of the bones; they are, | believe, more yellow in palmipes than in punctatus. The difference in size of the two Newts does not appear to me so very marked as M. Deby would indicate, except in moor-land, where, as far as I have observed, pa/mipes is smaller than elsewhere, and less bright and distinct in colour and markings, and with its vernalia (we want a proper word) less developed. M. Deby’s parallel tables are very useful, and put the matter in a clear light; if he had added a description of 7. alpestris it would have conferred an additional obligation on those of us who have a difficulty in meeting with the works of the continental [h]erpetologists. The females of 7. palnipes, Daudin, have not yet been described in the ‘Zoologist.’. When compared with the females of 7. punctatus, their heads seem broader and shorter, and the toes of their hind feet are for the most part shorter ; the males also have the former, but not so evidently the latter character. As to the colour, if in a genial situation, the body is usually a delicate milk-and-water white, tinged more or less with yellow towards the middle line; the back and sides of the body and tail are of a dark olive-green, and in some, particularly very large specimens, are beautifully mottled by a net- work of lighter colour. In moor-land the skin becomes harsh, and coloured more like the females of the Common Newt, sometimes even to the orange belly. The several longitudinal bands of colour, and the bright and tessellated markings of the full-dressed male, I leave to abler pens to describe ; but I may record that I found one specimen, the only one I had from the pond in which it was (and I mention the last fact because, like other animals, especially aquatic, 1t seems subject tu local variety), whose tail is covered with minute spots between the ASPEN DIDXSa) INOS) XOXGVi—NOXeV ile 29 two rows of larger spots which are always present, as shown in M. Deby’s sketch: between these two rows there are generally some other darge spots, varying in number in different individuals. The crests are never spotted or toothed as in punctatus ; and though, as M. Deby says, they are generally small, yet sometimes they are considerably developed, but less so than in punctatus. ‘The web of the hind foot, which seems sometimes to extend almost beyond the end of the toes, is black when in perfection, but when not so it is sometimes pale. It is to be hoped that readers of the ‘ Zoologist’ will kindly report more localities. In April and May Newts may be caught by hundreds, with a landing net, in ponds where Frogs spawn. 53 Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, September 8, 1848, XXVI. OccurRRENCE or A ForeIGN Bat IN ORKNEY '. [+ Zoologist,’ vii. (1849) p. 2343.] Asour September, 1847, a Bat was caught, by some people digging potatoes, in the island of South Ronaldsha, and it was kept alive for some weeks, on sugar and water I believe. It was considered a very great curiosity there, though any Bat would have been equally so. I obtained the kind permission of the Rev. John Gerard to take it to London for examination. Mr. Waterhouse informs me that Mr. Gray believes it to be a large specimen of Vespertilio pruinosus. It is a native of North America. Its general appearance is not unlike the Noctule: the general colour may be called Badger-like. A Bat is avery likely animal to be brought in a ship: insects we know are brought from America to Liverpool in great plenty. 3 Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, November 16, 1848. XXVII. Tre Hamster [ Cricerus rrumenTarivs| NOT IN ORKNEY. [‘ Zoologist,’ vii. (1849) p. 2344. ] WE see a report, copied from one book to another, that the Hamster is naturalized in South Ronaldsha, having been brought there in a Norway vessel, which suffered shipwreck. After much inquiry in that island, I came to the conclusion that this is a mistake. The 1 [See Nos. XXXVII. and XXXIX. ; also ‘ Memoir,’ p. xx.—Eb.] 30 APPENDIX: NOS. XXVIII.—XXIX. Black Rat as well as the Common Rat, is found there; and the Black Rat is there called the Blue Rat, which name is well applied from the colour of the animal. One man told me that this Blue Rat was said to have come in a shipwrecked Norway vessel: hence I think the story is traced to its origin. 3 Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, November 16, 1848. XXVIII. Tue Rein DEER IN ORKNEY. [‘ Zoologist,’ vii. (1849) p. 2345. ] A sma pair of horns of the Rein Deer, still attached to part of skull, were found in the island of Sanday not long ago, and are now in the Kirkwall Museum. At the back of the skull there are still traces of ligament, which would indicate the relic to be of no great antiquity. It is said that Rein Deer were once introduced into these islands, and that it was so appears probable from their horns not being more frequently met with in the more modern formations of our islands. Owen tells us, nevertheless, that at one period—that of the Hyzenas—they did exist here. 3 Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, November 16, 1848. EOS. Tue Evroprean Ex. [‘ Zoologist,’ vii. (1849) p. 2345. ] Tis animal has escaped a place in any of Mr. Van Voorst’s series of books illustrative of British Natural History ; yet that it should not have been a contemporary of the Wild Bull, the Aurochs and the Rein Deer, in our ancient forests, seems, « priori, improbable; accordingly we find its remains have been discovered in Scotland. Mr. Owen mentions [Brit. Foss. Mamm. and B. p. 483] a donation to the Royal Society of Edinburgh, of “a painting in oils of the head and horns of an Elk, found in a marl-pit, Forfarshire,” but he suggests that they belonged to a Rein Deer, not having seen them. The painting now in the College Museum of Natural History is evidently that of the head and horns of the European Elk,—not of the Great Irish Deer, the Rein Deer, or the Fallow Deer. 3 Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, November 16, 1848. APPENDIX : NOS XXX.—XXXII. 35 KO Tue Rep Deer IN ORKNEY. [‘ Zoologist,’ vii. (1849) p. 2345.] THis animal was in all probability extirpated by man. In the Museum at Kirkwall are three or four fragments of antlers, found in Pictish towns, in different parts of the country. Its horns are very common in the peat. In Shetland its remains are, I believe, unknown. 3 Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, November 16, 1848. XXXI. Tue Ca’ine WHALE [GzrosrocerHALus MELAS]. [‘Zoologist,’ vii. (1849) p. 2346.] Ir seems to have been a bad season for the inhabitants of Shetland. At the time I was there, the herring season nearly over, there had hardly been one successful “ca’ing”* or driving of a herd of ‘‘ Bottle-noses,” as they are there called. 3 Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, November, 1848. XXXII. OccURRENCE OF THE CoMMON CRANE IN SHETLAND. [‘Zoologist,’ vii. (1849) pp. 2352, 2353. ] I saw one of these birds on the Mainland of Shetland, on the 14th of August last*. At that time it was very shy, and my only chance of getting a shot at it was spoiled by a Hooded Crow, which got up and gave the alarm; but I had a good view of it with my glass. I watched it for some time during which it stood with its neck raised and the feathers pressed close to the body, just like a Heron when alarmed. It flew like the Stork and Spoonbill, with the neck stretched out ; the wings did not appear so arched as those of the Heron. I had been looking for it several days; but it appears 1 (Kaa, to chase or drive. Hence a “ Kaaing Whale ” is one that can be driven ashore (cf. Edmondston’s ‘Glossary of Orkney and Shetland,’ 1866, p. 55.—Ep. ] * [The Egg-book shews that Mr. Wolley was at the time being hospitably entertained by Mr. Gideon Anderson, of Hillswick.—Eb. ] 32 APPENDIX: NOS. XXXII.—XXXIII. I was always too late, as it crossed a narrow arm of the sea usually towards the middle of the day, or after having been disturbed. It frequented an isthmus of good pasture-land, called Hillswick Ness, on the west of the Mainland, not very far from Ronas Hill. What its usual food was I do not know: the people about thought it grazed like a Goose; but when first seen, some six or eight weeks before I was there, it was at the carcass of a sheep, and it flew several times round the head of the boy who disturbed it, screaming and frightening bim much. Curiously enough, when last seen, it was also “ pecking the body of a dead sheep.” This was on the 13th of October, moon full, as Mr. Gideon Anderson, the laird of Hillswick, has kmdly informed me. A stay of so rare a visitor three or four months in the same neighbourhood is very interesting : if it were to return another year with a mate it would be still more so. Willughby’s authority, and the old law against taking their eggs, are conclusive as to the fact of their formerly frequenting the Cambridge- shire fens and breeding in this country. Several years since one was shot in the island of South Ronaldsha, in the Orkneys, and one or two instances are recorded of its visiting Shetland. The people about had exaggerated stories of the great bird that had appeared at Hillswick. Many had seen it, yet from their descriptions 1 had some doubt whether it was a Bustard or a Crane: one man had been near enough to see the red about the head. 3 Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, November 1848. KK OT. On THE VIPER SWALLOWING ITs YOUNG. [‘ Zoologist,’ vil. (1849) pp, 2855, 2356.] Mr. Percivat’s interesting note (Zool. 2305) on this subject * reminds me of a very similar anecdote, told to me several years ago by a gentleman who is an accurate observer, and who has had long experience in all kinds of field sports. He one day shot a Viper, aud almost immediately afterwards it was surrounded by young ones, in what appeared to him the most mysterious manner. But here the grand link was wanting, which Mr. Percival has supplied,—the young ones were not seen to come out of their mother’s mouth. I may be allowed to mention an anecdote, told to me in 1842, by an 1 (Mr. Percival stated that ‘though the evidence was scarcely as conclusive as might be wished,” he saw five or six young Vipers wriggling round the body of their recently killed mother, and one “making its way out of her mouth.” Mr. Wolley’s acceptance of the story was very unlike his usual caution in such matters, and I venture to think that it would not have been so readily, if at all, accorded in his later years.—ED.] > APPENDIX ; NOS. XXXIII.—XXXIV. 33 illiterate shepherd of Hougham, near Dover: he met me catching Vipers, and, on my entering into conversation with him, he volun- teered—without any allusion of mine—to tell this curious story. One day his father came suddenly upon a Viper surrounded by her young: she opened her mouth and they all ran down her throat: he killed her, and leaving her on the ground, propped her mouth open between two pieces of stick ; presently the young ones crawled out: on the slightest alarm they retreated back again,—and this they did repeatedly for several days, during which time many people came to see it. The young which White of Selborne cut out of the old female, and which immediately threw themselves into attitudes of defiance, had probably not then seen the daylight for the first time. Mr. Bell, in a note in Bennett’s edition of White’s ‘ Selborne’ [p. 102], mentions the wide-spread belief in this alleged habit of the Viper ; but appears to consider the fact not proved. Accounts of similar habits in foreign viviparous Snakes, common report, and, above all, Mr. Percival’s observation, leave no doubt in my mind about the matter. 3 Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh. XXXIV. Tue ELK FORMERLY IN SCOTLAND). [‘Zoologist,’ vii. (1849) p. 2381.] Sir Water Scorr was aware of the former existence of the Elk in this country, as appears from the following lines :— “‘ Here grins the wolf as when he died. And there the wild cat’s brindled hide, The frontlet of the elk adorns Or mantles o’er the bison’s horns.” Lady of the Lake, Canto i. 27. They occur in the description of the stronghold of the Douglas, in Loch Katrine. I have no means of ascertaining whether Sir Walter had any other authority for introducing the Elk than the evidence of its horns, dug up more than once in Scotland. He perhaps would say, that even if he had no kind of proof of the living EIk so late as the time of James V., its horns might be nailed up in the castles of the nobility, just asthe antlers of the Great Irish Deer are in England or Ireland at the present day. 3 Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, January 8, 1849. 1 (See No. XXIX.—Ep.] PART IV. 0 34 APPENDIX : NOS. XXXV.—XXXVI. XXXV. OccurRENCE oF Burron’s Sxua (Lesrers Burroniz) IN HUNTINGDONSHIRE. [‘ Zoologist,’ vil. (1849) p. 2892.] A srectMEN of Buffon’s Skua was shot in the parish of St. Neots, Huntingdonshire, in October, 1848, after a very windy night: it was sitting in an arable field, very tame. It is now in the possession of the gentleman who shot it, G. D. Rowley, Esq., of the Priory, St. Neots, who has kindly communicated these particulars. 3 Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, January 8, 1849. ok VE: Some Remarks on British AMPHIBIA. (* Zoologist,’ vill. (1850) pp. 2655-2658. ] Triton Bibronii, Bell. Mr. Newman (Zool. 2576) hopes that his readers will express their opinions upon Mr. Bell’s Newt, Triton Bibroni. I find that I said (Zool. 2267) before the appearance of the new edition of the ‘ British Reptiles,’ * “ But it is not only the Lissotriton palmipes of Mr. Bell that he has to re-establish in the new edition of his ‘ Reptiles’: it is to be hoped that he will give further characters of his Triton Bibronii and of Rana Scotica.’ At the time I wrote I had reason to suppose that Mr. Bell still believed in his own L. palmipes, for he had not long before informed me that he had recently received some specimens of it; nor did I know that he had changed his opinion with respect to his Rana Scutica, of which I had the pleasure of sending him a number; at the same time I entertained little doubt that on seeing a series of them he would pronounce them to be a variety ; for I had been unable to detect any specific difference, although I had no undoubted Common Frogs at hand wherewith to compare them. In the case of these two amphibians, Mr. Bell has avoided the necessity of giving further characters, by very properly cutting out the species altogether; but Triton Bibronii he still retains, without one word additional to the description in the first edition. The specific character is given [p. 140} as follows :— “The same as 7’. cristatus, excepting that the upper lip is perfectly straight, meetin the lower, and not overhanging it. The skin, and particularly that of the head, much more rugous and more strongly tuberculated. Colour darker.” It is afterwards [ p. 141] said, , “The tubercle at the base of the inner toe on each foot is much smaller, and in some cases scarcely perceptible.” 1 [Published in 1849: the first edition was completed in 1839.—Ep. | APPENDIX: NO. XXXVI. gi Now there appears nothing in this description which will distin- guish the Triton Bibronii from specimens of Triton cristatus found under stones or in other situations removed from water, or which have not long returned to the ponds in which they breed. It is the more remarkable that Mr. Bell should not recognize this fact, as he has confessed the error into whieh he fell with respect to L. punctatus, a species in his former edition distinguished from his L. palmipes by the very same character of the straight lip, so that the vignette which formerly [ed. 1, p. 138] was intended to point out the distinction between L. punctatus and L. palmipes now serves [ed. 2, p. 151] to show the seasonal appearances of the first species. This vignette so similar to the one devoted to the heads of 7. Bibronii and T. cristatus [ed. 1, p. 181; ed. 2, p. 142], must have suggested to our author the probability of a similar error in both cases. But we respect the feeling which may have prevented him from withdrawing a species whose name he had “chosen as a proper compliment to the first of Erpetologists, and one of the most amiable of men.” He acknowledges that with respect to L. punctatus and L. palmipes he was “led into error, by trusting that the accuracy of his lamented friend Bibron was absolutely infallible” [ed. 2, p. 155] ; but that he should announce at the same time a second error of no less importance, from the same source, would have been too much for us to expect : nevertheless, it appears that Mr. Bell corrected the judgment of M. Bibron in this matter. M. Bibron declared a bottled specimen which he found in the collection of the Zoological Society was 7. marmoratus of Latreille. Mr. Bell having his attention called to it, said, “‘It is neither 7° cristatus nor T. mar- moratus, but shail be named T. Bibroni.’ In examining these, and many other kinds of animals and plants, species are only to be identified by a long study of individuals in every age, sex, season and situation. Iam confirmed in the opinion I have expressed with respect to 7’. Bibronii by the experience of a gentleman living in the midland counties [Mr. Higginbottom], who has devoted the most careful attention to the British Newts. I believe I am correct in stating that he has hitherto, in that district of England, only met with the two species 7’. cristatus and T. punctatus. At the same time it is very possible that in other parts of the country there may be other species, as we know there is L. paimipes: all we say is, that if T. Bibronii be really distinct, we wish Mr. Bell had given characters by which we may recognize it. Salamandra palmipes, Daudin.—Without wishing to criticise too much the very pretty and useful work of Mr. Bell, I cannot refrain from remarking that the figure‘ of the female “ L. palmipes,” of the new edition, is not at all characteristic. It would rather represent L. punctatus, from which indeed the female L. palnupes is not always 1 (The figure shews six toes on the hind foot, as already pointed out by Mr. Newman (Zool. 2576); but though Mr. Wolley must have uoticed this defect, he evidently did not think it expedient to refer to it here.—Ep. | c2 36 APPENDIX : NOS. XXXVI.—XXXVII. readily distinguished. The principal characters, the shortness of the toes of the hind feet and the bluntness of the snout, are neither alluded to in the figure nor in the description; and no account is given of the less important differences of colour. I would wish, too, that something had been said of the very obvious distinctions in the skeletons of the: two species; but where external characters are so marked, this perhaps was thought unnecessary in a popular work. It is not stated that the “lateral carinz ” are developed in the skin. The two upper ones are very remarkable, but I even question the existence of the lower ones, to which Mr. Bell alludes. Justice is hardly done to the peculiar reticulated style of markings, and to the three longitudmal zones of colour, which are so beautiful and characteristic. Rana escuienta.—My. Bell appears to admit this as a truly British species, without the slightest hesitation or warning to his readers. I have formerly expressed my reasons (Zool. 1821) for doubting its true claims ; not that I would for a moment question the fact of Mr. Bond having found it at Foulmire, but only that I doubt very much whether it had been there for many years. Mr. Bell does not tell us whether he means that his father lived near Foulmire, by saying [ed. 2, p. 111] that he was a “ native of those parts,” or simply that he lived in the Fens. Now, that the Edible Frog is not generally distri- buted in the Fens I feel confident. I constantly examined the Frogs in the fens of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire during three years, and I am sure that all I saw were of the common species: besides myself, they could not have escaped the notice of far more accom- plished naturalists—such as Mr. Jenyns—who have passed a great part of their lives in the Fens. Alas! I hear Foulmire is now drained : the subject ought to be most carefully searched into before it is too late. Edinburgh, November 30, 1849, VX RV UL. OccuURRENCE OF A Forercn Bat 1n ORKNEY’. (‘ Zoologist,’ vill. (1850) pp. 2695, 2696. ] Mr. Newman, in the preface to the volume of the ‘ Zoologist’ for 1849, refers to my paper with the above heading (Zool. 2348). He seems to infer that it was rather “slow” of me not to seize so plausible a pretext for adding a new Bat to the British list. Mr. ——, Mr. , and Mr. are men of far better spirit ; they have shown some most exotic-looking birds to be truly British. But as Mr. Newman says that I “‘do not attempt to account for its presence in the Orkneys, and that the subject requires more minute 1 [See Nos. XXVI. and XXXIX.—Ep.] NEP IN DING NOs NoSONe NEI Ben investigation,” I will now endeavour to say a little more about it than I did in my first communication. I grant that the subject requires further investigation, and such I intended to have given it during a second visit this summer, by ascertaining positively whether any Bats are constant inhabitants of the Orkneys, and if so, of what species ; but I was unfortunately only there a few days, and in such weather as no Bats could be expected to withstand. If I did not attempt to account for the presence of this Bat, I certainly hinted at my views on the subject, by saying that a Bat is a very likely animal to be brought in a ship, and by observing that this specimen was looked upon as a very great curiosity, as any Bat would have been. Of the circumstances of its discovery I had undoubted evidence. The people who found it were as much astonished and frightened ! at it as Mr. Gerard was surprised to see it; and this gentleman preserved it with great care, as a thing of most unusual occurrence, though he did not know it was otherwise than a common Bat. I may add that he is now some years past eightv, and has all his life been an observer of Nature, as exhibited in the Orkney Islands, and especially in South Ronaldshay. This country, entirely destitute of trees, and so exposed to every wind, seems very ill-adapted for the constant residence of any species of Bat; and therefore these considerations, with the evidence of the people, at once inclined me to believe it was an accidental visitant. I was told at the British Museum that the characters I had observed—the hairiness of the upper side of the interfemoral membrane, and the yellowish band of hair on the wings underneath the principal bones—were peculiar to a family of American Bats, called from the first circumstance, Dasyurus or Lasiurus; and on my Bat (for it has since been very kindly presented to me by Mr. Gerard) being compared with those in the Museum, it was attributed to the species called pruinosus, although considerably larger than the specimens in the collection, and it may perhaps be a nearly allied species. Had any species of the group been known to inhabit Europe, I should have had better hopes of finding that this Bat was really indigenous to the north of Britain. All things considered, I have little doubt it was brought by one of the very numerous vessels which pass between South Ronaldshay and John o’ Groats, from various parts of the world, or which lie up in the far-famed roadstead, the Long Reach [qu. Hope? ], of which South Ronaldshay forms the eastern breakwater. Very many exotic insects are introduced by vessels at Liverpool and other seaports; and Bats can hide in a corner, and do without food in cold weather, almost as well as an insect. I hope the reason I have now stated will serve to explain my contentment in looking upox this Bat as an intruder. Edinburgh, December 15, 1849. 1 (Mr. Wolley told me that some of them thought it was a deyil.—-Ep. ] 38 APPENDIX: NO. XXXVIII. XXXVIII. On tHE Green Lizarp [Lacerra rreipis). [‘ Zoologist,’ viii. (1850) pp. 2707, 2708.] I nore the editor of the ‘ Zoologist’ will have the kindness, as soon as possible, to gratify the curiosity which he has roused by his short notice on this subject, in the notices to correspondents on the wrapper of the number for January. We must, before we assent to the discovery of a ‘‘ new British Reptile,” learn how far it has been traced in the neighbourhood in which it has been discovered. I have several times had reason for suspecting the Green Lizard might be British, independently of the passage in White’s ‘ Natural History of Selborne’ [Letter XXII. to Pennant], and the stories of large Lizards met with elsewhere. Seven or eight years ago a school- fellow of mine at Eton, a native of Guernsey, assured me he had seen Lizards in Devonshire‘ precisely similar to the Green Lizards of his own island, which latter, if I remember right, he had often caught and kept in confinement. Nearly two years since, a learned professor of the University of Edinburgh, mentioned that he had dissected a “Green Lizard,’ brought by a botanical party from the Cloon Mountains, of which, however, the remnants were not to be found, when search was, at my request, made for them. I hope these two additional indications of the probability of its being British may not be unacceptable. I may add that last summer, in answer to my inquiries in Sutherlandshire, I was told a large species of Lizard was stated by the shepherds to be found in a particular district, Moudale, which my imagination led me to believe was the Green Lizard. However, on further inquiry in the place mentioned, the accounts seemed far more applicable to the commen Warty Newt. I saw the Common Lizard in plenty, though not extending to the Shetland or Faroe Islands, and I did not see it in Orkney. Edinburgh, January 6, 1850. 1 [This seems to me possible, as I remember Mr. Burt, the excellent Curator or the Torquay Museum, telling me, more than fifty years ago, that, some time before, a considerable number brought alive from the Channel Islands had been let loose in the neighbourhood, by one Ardleigh or Ardley, an old man who got his living by collecting and selling objects of Natural History—fossils, plants, insects, and so on. I do not suppose, however, that the Lizards multiplied or even maintained themselves for long.— Ev. | APPENDIX: NO. XXXIX- 39 XXXIX. Description or tHE INpIvipuAL oF a Species or Bar (?Vespezrris10 PRUINOSUS), FOUND IN THE IstaNp oF SoutH RonaLpsHay, IN THE ORKNEYS, IN THE YEAR 1847. (See Zool. [2343], 2695, &c.)' [‘ Zoologist,’ viii. (1850) pp. 2813, 2814. ] I nave much pleasure in sending a description of this Bat, according to the requests of Mr. 'Tomes and Mr. Newman. I am sorry that T am not enough of an artist to be able to make a drawing of the more characteristic parts. The teeth appear to be of the insectivorous form: the formula of dentition is, I. 4, C. 3, P.M. 2, M. f~ Ebe upper incisor is close to the canine, there being apparently no teeth in front in the upper jaw. ‘The divisions between the teeth of the lower jaw are not very easily made ont in this dried specimen, and it is therefore possible that the formula I have given may be incorrect. The ear is somewhat like that of the Noctule: the upper angle is rather more depressed, and the lobe does not appear to descend below the level of the opening of the ear; but as it is somewhat crushed, this is not very certain: also the tragus is longer than in the Noctule. The ear is nearly covered with hair, inside and out, except at the margin, where the black skin—supported on cartilage curled back from the concave side cf the ear—is quite exposed. The orifice of the nostrils is comma-shaped, and the muzzle is of similar proportions to that of the Noctule. The face, head, and the whole of the body, are covered with long hair; each hair divided into four belts of colour, dark brown at the roots, then light tawny, again dark brown, and white at the tips: each of these belts, in those parts of the body where the hair is longest, is an eighth of an inch in breadth, except the white belt, which is less. The hair of the upper surface extends over the whole of the inter- femoral membrane and the backs of the toes of the feet: in these situations, the colours of the hairs have blended into two only, brown tipped with white. It passes, without decrease in thickness, from the sides of the body upon the flying membrane, and ends abruptly in an imaginary line drawn from the foot across the middle of the humerus to the anterior margin of the membrane: that is it extends for an inch, more or less, beyond the body on each side, and over the whole of the membrane of the tail. On the upper surface of the wing there is also a very small tuft in the hollow of the bend of the elbow, another between the root of the thumb and fore-finger, and a few short scattered hairs on other parts near the principal bones of the wing. Underneath the colours are less bright than on the back. As the hairs leave the body they gradually change to tawny, and they extend in the form of a close pubescence along the anterior part of the flying membrane as far as to a little beyond the wrist; indeed nearly the whole of the third metacarpal is 1 (See Nos. XXVI. and XXX VII—Lp, | 40 APPENDIX: NO. XXXIX. accompanied by a narrow strip of hair; opposite the elbow and the wrist it forms a band of an inch in breadth ; between these points it is rather less: that part of the membrane where these hairs are implanted on the under surface is tawny, both above and below ; the rest of the membrane of the wing and the interfemoral membrane are black. The margin of the hair just described on the under surface of the wing gradually turns, opposite the elbow, towards the knee, and the boundary line is continued through the knee to the middle of the bones of the tail, so that the proximal half of the inter- femoral membrane is covered with hair; but all the hair on the under side of the membranes, as it has generally changed in colour from that of the body, so it differs from it in being finer and less closely set ; whilst the hair on the upper surface of the membranes, at least the greater part of it, all that is continuous with that of the body, differs little from this last in character. The membrane is in width before the bend of the elbow three-eighths of an inch; behind it nearly one inch and three-quarters: it extends to the tips of all the digits of the anterior extremity, except the first, where all beyond the metacarpal bone is exserted, and this digit alone is armed with a claw, shaped like a cat’s. The second digit is tied within an eighth of an inch of the third, and as it terminates sooner its weak ‘distal phalanx is supported by a still closer proximity to the penultimate phalanx of its neighbour. The third and fourth digits are nearly an inch and a half apart at their tips, and the last phalanx of each appears to be cartilaginous, or is at least bent along the edge of the membrane in a direction towards the other. From the tip of the fourth to the tip of the fifth is about two inches and a haif, and from this to the foot is also about two inches and a half. The edge of the membrane reaches the outer side of the foot at the distal extremity of the metatarsal bones, and the part of the foot beyond these bones is free. Between the foot and the tail, the membrane starts from the tarsus along the “ spur,” which supports it for about three quarters of an inch, and it finally reaches the very tip of the coccyx. The dimensions are :— Tip to tip of wings.... 15 inches. Muzzle to end of tail.. 42 ,, ead yy ieee ails nicer i May yoo cores ce Ss, 0:3 oat is Length of ear ........ 2 os 3 Breadth of ear ...... Length of tragus...... BIR @ 23 The measurements of the bones, as accurately as they can be ascertained, with the soft parts still im situ, are :— Anterior Extremity. Humerus 13 inch. Radius e200, First Digit, metacarpal +, lst phalanx 2, 2nd including nail 2, 3rd. 5 3 Second ,, rr 23, ” a Third ” ” 22; ” ” ; 2 7 ” ” &) ” ae ? Fourth _,, * Fy) i aeaias 95 ” jy ay. oy Es Fifth “: ; i ) ” z; ” ” S > ie APPENDIX: NOS. XXXIX.—XL. 4I Posterior Extremity. QnA siietsagn sachets dew de estas 7 inch Tibia Steen sete a cee oee oats 13 Boot) <20sa osetia eee 3s SPUN A sworaucrsvaleniere vel aetielererets = The five digits, of nearly equal length, are each tipped with a strongly hooked claw. There are nine caudal vertebre. 3 Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, May 1850. XL. Eaes or tHE Repwine [ Tvrpvs r14cus]. [‘ Zoologist,’ ix. (1851) pp. 2983, 2984.] THERE are enquiries on this subject in the ‘ Zoologist ? for 1848 and 1850 (Zool. 2141 and 2948), the former of which I might have _ answered through its pages, had I not hoped that some one would have done so who had more conclusive evidence than I had to offer. I have in my own collection, eggs of the Redwing from three or four distinct sources. Two of the earlier sets came from Scandi- navia, and one is of the same lot as those figured by Mr. Hewitson, having been brought over by Mr. Dann. Others which I have, Mr. Proctor has received from Iceland since his visit to that country. Besides these, I have from Iceland, eggs brought over three years ago by a much valued correspondent of the ‘ Zoologist? [Mr. Henry Milner]; and though, I believe, he did not take them himself, he had not a shadow of a doubt of their genuineness. All these eggs agreed, in being less than the ordinary eggs of the Blackbird, but in other respects being just like them, and subject to similar variations. I have within the last few days seen eggs from two nests of the Redwing, taken by a friend ‘of mine [Mr. Lawrence Heyworth] in Sweden, last June or July, and these too have a similar appearance to the rest. One of the nests was placed amongst the roots of an overthrown tree, and the other was in alow bush. I trust this weight of evidence, all from sources worthy of the highest confidence, will be allowed to settle the question of the general character of the egg of the Redwing. Roxburgh Terrace, Edinburgh, November 1850. 42 APPENDIX: NO. XLI. 6 i Some OBSERVATIONS ON THE Birps or THE Faror ISLANDs. (Read in Section 1 of the British Association for the Advancement of Science at the Meeting in Edinburgh, July and August 1850, and printed in Sir William Jardine’s ‘ Contributions to Ornithology ’ for 1850, pp. 106* to 117.] Tue Fauna and Flora of the Faroe Islands have received much attention in several departments of natural history, for from their peculiar position, as a connecting link between Europe and North America, through Iceland and Greenland, the character of their productions is a study of importance to the physical geographer. However, observers have been but few, and I therefore venture to offer some small contributions towards their Ornithology, which I collected in the summer of 1849, in a visit of five weeks’ duration. The birds have indeed been already described more than once, but many errors are prevalent with respect to those which breed there, and the lines of distinction between true natives, summer and winter residents, and mere wayfarers, are so far incorrectly drawn. I will only allude, in a few words, to the kind of accommodation which the Faroe Islands afford to the feathered race. Situate in an open sea, and also an intermediate station on the high way to Iceland, they offer a resting place to wanderers over the ocean. Most of the islands of which the group is composed are moun- tains, whose foundations are far below the surface of the water, and their sides are divided into horizontal terraces from the bedding of the trap rock. In many places, especially to the north and west, there are precipices of such a stupendous height, as to lave their summits generally in the clouds, and they are often perpendicular from top to bottom; but they are frequently interrupted by broad grassy ledges, upon which the slopiug turf is generally undermined by the holes of countless Puffins, Mormon fratercula. On little shelves, on the face of the precipices themselves, breed the Guille- mots ; and on any projecting point, the Kittiwakes, Larus tridactylus, place their nest; whilst the Razorbills, Alca torda, are on more secure ledges and amongst stones. Here are plenty of slopimg hill sides, and open stones for the Shearwater, Puffinus anglorum, and Petrel, Procellaria pelagica; and there are large blocks of rock, amongst which the Green Cormorant delights to find a sheltered home; for the Great Black-backed Gull, Larus marinus, there are maccessible stacks or drangs—in fact, no bird which is merely in want of house room need have any difficulty ; but he must be prepared to withstand a good deal of rough weather. Fierce blasts of wind frequently rush down from the mountains, mists and rain are almost incessant, and the air is so damp, that the sods of grass, with which the roofs of the wooden houses of men are covered, are even at the end of summer of the most spring- like green ; yet there are seldom any uncomfortably hot days in summer, and no very severe cold in winter. With respect to food, there appears to be an abundance of small fish within reach ; and APPENDIX: NO. XLI. 43 the vast swarms of Guillemots, Uria troile, and such like birds, would alone be sufficient to show this; Soland Geese, Sula bassana, too, find enough of a larger size within a reasonable flight of the station they have chosen. Other marine animals are in plenty, some, probably crustaceous, occasionally in such compact shoals, as, in their sudden rise to the surface, to have given origin to the story of one kind of sea serpent, or rather flat sea monster, the Kraken of Pontoppidan, here called Kraka or Teara-bue; whales too, principally Phocena melas, the Ca’ing Whale, and another species very nearly allied, often in prodigious herds, show the richness of the surrounding sea. The great numbers of Oyster Catchers and Eider Ducks mark the abundance of the productions of the wave-washed rocks. Representatives of almost every tribe of sea-fowl here fare luxuriously. But when we turn to the land, we uo not find the same fertility and plenty ; there is indeed a great show of green, and in some places plenty of good grass, but generally there is a large proportion of Carices, Juncacee, and other plants, on a thin covering of peaty soil; and these afforded food to Wild Geese and Swans during the summer in former times. Insects are In small numbers, but not so few but that a Snow Bunting can get a good mouthful for its young; Snipes too are well pleased with their entertainment. Lakes are not numerous, but there are a few which satisfy the wants of the Common Wild Duck, Anas boschas, and also of the Red-throated Diver, Colymbus septentrionalis (for Trout and Salmon are not absent), and they serve as fresh water baths to continued flocks of Kittiwakes. There is no heather that could be sufficient for the Red Grouse, Tetrao layopus ; no tree or even shrub of a foot in height. In this brief sketch of the inducements held out to birds to take up their abode in these islands, we should not omit to notice the general peaceable character of the human inhabitants, who do not constantly molest them; but catch them only at certain seasons, and then with as little disturbance as possible. The parasites of man, the dog and the rat, are their only other enemies, if we except the occasional visits of a kind of whale, which the inhabitants call the Trold Whale, and which they much dread from the havoc it makes amongst their Eider Ducks and their Seals. Sharks are in such plenty as to occupy a vessel constantly in catching them ; but they are never known to attack the birds. To the Hooded Crow, Corvus corone, and the Raven, Corvus corax, the vicinity of man is most advantageous, from the offal and other refuse which falls to their share; but they and some other birds are less agreeable to their feathered neighbours. The birds which we found breeding in the Faroe Islands are as follows :— Anthus pratensis, Titlark 7 Anthus petrosus, Rock Pipit > all plentiful. Saxicola cenanthe, Miiieatear ) . Alauda pratensis, Common Lark, one pair, probably breeding. Corvus corax, Raven. 44 APPENDIX: NO. XLI. Corvus corone, Hooded Crow. Sturnus vulgaris, Starling. Emberiza nivalis, Snow Bunting. Columba livia, Rock Pigeon. Charadrius pluvialis, Golden Plover. C. hiaticula, Ringed Plover. Scolopax gallinago, Common Snipe. Hematopus ostralegus, Oyster Catcher. Numenius pheopus, Whimbrel. Tringa variabilis, Dunlin. Tringa maritima, Purple Sandpiper. Phalaropus hyperboreus, Red-necked Phalarope. Anas boschas, Mallard. Somateria mollissima, Eider Duck. Colymbus septentrionalis, Red-throated Diver. Uria grylie, Black Guillemot. Uria troile, Common Guillemot. Mormon fratercula, Puffin. Alca torda, Razorbill. Phalacrocorax carbo, Common Cormorant. P. cristatus, Green Cormorant. Sula bassana, Gannet. Sterna arctica, Arctic Tern. Larus tridactylus, Kittiwake. L. argentatus, Herring Gull. L. fuscus, Lesser Black-backed Gull. L. marinus, Greater Black-backed Gull. Lestris catarrhactes, Common Skua. Lestris richardsonii, Richardson’s Skua. Procellaria glacialis, Fulmar. Puffinus anglorum, Manx Shearwater. Thalassidroma pelagica, Storm Petrel. This list contains thirty-seven birds, of which the half may be con- sidered purely maritime ; of the remaining nineteen, uine are purely land, if we include the Rock Pigeon and the Rock Pipit, and ten are littoral, more or less ; these divisions however being arbitrary. There may be several others that breed besides those in the list, as Mergus serrator, the Red-breasted Merganser, &c., but if so, they are in very small numbers. I saw also the following in July, or the end of June, but I could not get any indications of their having bred :— Ardea cinerea, Common Heron—a single bird. Cypselus apus, Swift—one at the end of June. Calidris arenaria, Sanderling—one pair end of July. Strepsilas interpres, Turnstone—a small flock. Totanus calidris, Redshank—a good sized flock. Anas glacialis, Longtailed Duck—one male. APPENDIX: NO. XLI. 45 I made special search for and inquiries after a number of birds which have been said to breed in the Faroe Islands, but which I could not find any traces of; the principal of these were— Falco gyrfaleo, Gyr Falcon. Anser leucopsis, Bernicle. Anser torquatus, Brent Goose. Somateria spectabilis, King Duck. Colymbus glacialis, Great Northern Diver. Uria briinnichii, Brinnich’s Guillemot. Mergulus melanoleucos, Little Auk. Alca impennis, Great Auk. Larus glaucus, Glaucous Gull. I will proceed to make a few remarks on some of the birds in the first list—there occur in it the names of only two birds which are not known to breed in Britain; the first of these is the Snow Bunting, Emberiza nivalis, which breeds very scantily near the tops of the mountains ; but in the northernmost islands of the group, on the lower grounds, and in small colonies. A neatly made nest, placed under a Jarge stone, had young almost fully fledged at the beginning of July. We had the pleasure of hearing its sweet little song spoken of with so much delight by the northern voyagers. The second bird, not known I believe to breed in Britain, is the Purple Sandpiper, Zringa maritima; this appears to be the Fiadl-Murra of one of the older writers on the Birds of Faroe, for we found it breeding on the summits of the mountains in small numbers; young just fledged at the end of June. Of the Raven, Corvus corax, I saw the black and white variety, which has been called a species under the name of C. leucopheus ; but two were shown to me alive which came out of the same nest with purely black ones; they were marked irregularly and differ- ently from each other, and had none of the characters of a species. The Raven, but still more the Hooded Crow, is almost a domestic bird in Faroe, and very abundant. The Common Snipe, Scolopar gallinago, is remarkably tame, and may be seen feeding near houses, and within a few yards of men; it is in considerable numbers. I looked in vain for S. gallinula. The Whimbrel, N. pheopus, struck me as being one of the most characteristic birds of the island, for it is very abundant, and entirely replaces the Curlew of the Highlands, as it only very partially does in Shetland. It was constantly flying round us just out of shot, in company with the noisy Oyster Catchers, and occasionally Golden Plovers. The Red-necked Phalarope, P. hyperboreus, we only found in one remarkably swampy little valley, where also bred Dunlins and Golden Plover—the former called in Orkney, Plover’s Page, from their habit of attending the Plovers in their flight—Arctic Terns, and the year before we were there, we were told a pair or two of Black-headed Gulls, probably L. ridtbundus, frequented it. On the 46 APPENDIX: NO. XLI. margins of the deep pools in this district, we found the nests of Colymbus septentrionalis, raised in a remarkable manner to the height of a foot, reminding us of the Swans’ nests on the banks of the Thames, a practice I had not seen before in the nidification of either of the Colymbi whose nests I know; and here was an adaptation to circumstances, for the water was on a level with the surrounding moss. The Eider Duck, S. mollissima, has of late years been provided with little houses to build in on certain islets; but the great Gulls, L. marinus, still rob many of their eggs. The quantity of down procured in the Faroe Islands is very inconsiderable. The three birds which principally tempt the inhabitants to their feats of rock climbing are the common Guillemot, U. troile, the Razorbill, A. torda, and the Puffin, M. fratercula; but the Razorbill is comparatively in small numbers, perhaps not more than one to twenty Guillemots. The Puffin is by far the most numerous of the three, and swarms in an almost incredible degree. A hand net, made like a small shrimp net, is raised for them to fly into as they pass; and the sudden exertion upon the grassy slopes gives occasion to many fatal accidents. In climbing for Guillemots with the help of ropes, accidents very rarely happen. All the mode of proceeding in bird catching is just as it was described by Luke Debes 250 years ago. We were shown a tame Puffin, which was known to be twenty years of age; it had lost the triangular plates round the eye. We saw several semi-albino varieties. I was anxious to see whether there was one or three species of Guillemot in the Faroe Islands as has been said. I could not distinguish there any Uria briinnichii, but the so called species Uria lachrymans was in plenty, as I had also found it in Caithness, Sutherlandshire, and the Shetland Isles. It was amongst the other Guillemots in the proportion of perhaps one to ten; it lays a similar egg, as I ascertained myself in several instances; it was of both sexes, and not as the natives thought, of one sex; some of them saying it was the male and some the female. I did not find out whether or not they paired together; but I could not see any thing to lead me to suppose that there existed a specific difference. We should bear in mind that very nearly similar markings about the head, or their absence, formerly led to the making two species of Alca torda. Mr. Gould, though he has figured Uria lachrymans, doubted its value as a species, but M.Temminck and Mr. Yarrell consider it distinct. The Black Guillemot, Uria grylle, the Sea-pigeon or Dovekie of the Arctic expeditions, is characteristic of the north, but it extends to the islands of the north of Scotland, and even to Ireland and Wales it is said. It lays two eggs, under stones, not far above the sea. When it has young, on the approach of an intruder, it sits making a plaintive noise like that of the Robin. Of the two species of Cormorant I may remark, that the young is considered almost the best of the sea birds; and my friend and APPENDIX: NO. XLI. 47 myself agreed that it made by no means a bad dish; but I must state, that our only alternative at that time was dried mutton or whale’s flesh. Guillemots, too, and their kindred, are very eatable when properly cooked ; and we had the opportunity of tasting them at a clergyman’s, where were some very good things with which to form a comparison. Gulls are very inferior, but the reported best birds of all, young Shearwaters, we had not the chance of tasting. Of the young of one of the Cormorants we saw a remarkable monstrosity ; it had four legs, two of which were combined into one, situated centrally and posteriorly; it was much shorter than the others, and useless. Unfortunately the body had been eaten the day before ; the skin was to be sent to Copenhagen. The Soland Goose, called Sula by the Faroese, and Jan van Gent by sailors, according to Landt, whence perhaps our name of Gannet. This bird occupies one large rock, the west end of the Faroe Isles ; for the Shetland and Orkuey Isles it bas the Sule Skerry, which is thirty miles to the west of Orkney. It has selected St. Kilda, off the Hebrides, and it has chosen too that most central situation, Ailsa Crag. It is also said to occupy Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel—I know not how truly. Lundi is the Faroese name for the Puffin. A Gannet rock is mentioned off the south-west of Ireland. On the whole east coast of Britain, its only station is the Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth. The name Su/a, I was told, has a reference to its quickness of sight. It is worthy of note, that each nation modifies the root of a name to some signification in its own language, as Mr. Strickland has admirably illustrated in his etymology of the word Dodo. Su/a is Soland, Jan van Gent is Gannet, and perhaps both these last from the German Gans, as it has been lately suggested to me. We must also bear in mind, that the appellation of one bird is often put on the shoulders of another, as often illustrated in our colonies. Probably the name Shelder, which in Shetland and the Faroe Islands is applied to the Oyster Catcher, from its shell eating propensities, has been shifted to the Sheldrake (Yadorna vulpanser), just as the name Hoody Crow is appled to the Larus ridibundus in Orkney. So Lomvia is the Faroese name of Uria troile, Loon the local English of Podiceps or of Colymbus. Sterna arctica appears to be the Tern which Graba described as peculiar to the Faroe Islands, under the name of S. brachytarsa. It was in some numbers, breeding very late. I found no other species. In the only two spots where that noble bird, Lestris catarrhactes, now breeds in the British Islands, it is preserved only by the utmost vigilance of the proprietors, one of whom, Mr. Edmondston, has succeeded in recovering the stock, after it had been reduced to a single pair in Unst. But in Faroe its breeding places are numerous, though its preservation demands great self control on the part of the people, for its attacks upon any one approaching its nest are most irritating. Its blows are aimed at the head, with the full momentum 48 APPENDIX: NO. XLI. of the bird’s body; and it returns again with the most steady intre- pidity imaginable. My friend, who got one thump, took constant and special care to avoid a second ; it is only necessary to carry a ramrod or other stick over the head, to prevent the swoops taking full effect. The protection afforded to it lasts only during good behaviour; when a colony is becoming too large, some of them are apt to begin to attack lambs; they are then doomed to the infliction of a battue, which is supposed to act as a warning to the survivors for some years to come. It is said, that only a few individuals acquire this bad habit, but it then grows upon them, just as in the Scottish Highlands, it is a single fox or eagle which gets into the way of carrying off lambs, but which evil disposed one gives a bad name to, and is the death of many of its innocent brethren. The Skua is one of the birds of which a certain number of heads is required to be given in by every inhabitant annually, by an old law or custom, which reminds one of the mode in which Egbert endeavoured to extirpate wolves in Britain. I do not know whether this is now strictly enforced, but I have seen the people collect heads, when they had an opportunity, either of this bird, or of the Raven, or the Great Black-backed Gull, that is, when they were ready killed for them. I heard that several heads of the Hooded Crow, or Richardson’s Skua, might be substituted for one of the larger birds. Skuir is the Faroese name of the bird. Richardson’s Skua is called Shooi, which I was told has the same meaning as the Greek dvaBoros; Scouti allan is the somewhat similar name, but as in cases I have before mentioned, one with a different meaning, used in the north of Britain. Scouwti is said to have reference in Gaelic to its dirty mode of feeding, allan being a common name for several birds, as Allan Yasker is the Osprey or Fishing Allan. In Faroe, Richardson’s Skua is also, and more commonly, called Kjegvi ; sailors know it as the Boatswain. I have to record a very interesting fact with respect to the Fulmar, Procellaria glacialis, which has recently adopted some of the cliffs of the Faroe Islands as a summer station. In the time of Landt, who wrote in 1799, it was only known to those who fished far from the shore, but somewhere about the year 1839 it was observed by the rock climbers breeding, for the first time, near Qualboe in Suderoe, and it has since much increased, and is scattered over several spots on the west cliffs of the islands of Skuoe and Great Dimon; in the latter place, the face where it builds is of great height and quite perpendicular, and the ledges are very small and bare. Eight or ten of the nests that I examined consisted of a few small fragments of rock lining a slight depression. The featherless abdomen “of the bird is hollowed into a perfect egg cup shape during incubation, so that the single large egg has the warmth applied to it in the most effectual manner. I will not attempt to speculate on the reason of this remarkable change of locality, in a bird supposed to be so constant in its attach- ment to certain breeding places. It is not found in Shetland or APPENDIX: NO. XLI. 49 Orkney. St. Kilda is perhaps its only British and also its most southern station. It is, however, said to breed in the island of Barra, perhaps not South Barra, but Bara and Rona, two rocks far to the north of Cape Wrath and the Lewes, whose position was ascertained with accuracy in one of Parry’s Arctic Voyages. The Westmanna Islands, where the Fulmar is described as so abundant, are to the south of Iceland, and not in Faroe, as Mr. Yarrell inadvertently ‘states. Thalassidroma pelagica lives in any hollow or burrow, even under the floor of a barn. It is in many localities, breeding late in July. I looked in vain for the nearly allied species, 7. leachii, which is found in St. Kilda, Of the birds in my third list, I have to say, that I made the most diligent search and inquiry for them. Colymbus glacialis is believed, as in the north of Britain, to hatch its egg under its wing, so it is not likely that it ever bred in Faroe. Mergulus melanoleucos is stated to breed in the northernmost of the Faroe Isles, certainly through some mistake. I could neither find it any where, nor hear of any one who had seen it in summer. Even in Iceland I believe it is only known to breed in one island to the north, which lies on the arctic circle. It is a truly arctic bird, far more so than Uria grylle. About .4/ca impennis I made inquiries whenever I had oppor- tunity, but I could learn very little. An old man, Paul Joénsen, had seen one fifty years ago, sitting among the Hedlafuglur, that is young Guillemots and other birds upon the low rocks, and old men told him it was very rare. This was about the time when Landt wrote. Old people have been heard to say, that formerly, when many of them were seen, it was considered a sign of a good bird year, which we may perhaps explain, by supposing that the same kind of weather which prevented A. impennis going to the north, also kept more of his congeners from their far northern breeding places. A Gorfuglir was formerly valued at four Lomvias or Guillemots, when one happened to be caught amongst the Hedlefuglur. I saw Daniel Joénsen, captain of a vessel belonging to Governor Lobner, which went in 1813 to fetch provisions from Iceland to the half-starved Faroese, and brought back some fifty or sixty of the Gorfuglir amongst other birds. They got them on one of the small rocks which the natives were afraid to visit, near Iceland. With respect to this name, Geirfugl of Iceland, Garefowl of St. Kilda, and Gorfuglir of Faroe, I could hear no more than a sup- position from Sysselmand Winther, that it was taken from the voice of the bird, for such a noise as that made by Larus marinus is called gorra. It perhaps has a common signification with Gyrfalcon. Wormius, in the sixteenth century, had one sent to him from the Faroe Islands, which he kept alive for several months. Hoier de- scribes the Goirfugel about the same time, and Ray or Willughby PART IV. 50 APPENDIX: NO. XLI. saw specimens in the Royal Society’s Museum, and also in Trades- cant’s. There are four islands marked in Olsen’s large and beautiful map of Iceland, which are called after the Geirfugla; namely, Geirfugla Sker and Geirfugla Drangr, off Cape Reikianes, the south- ‘west point of Iceland, Geirfugla Sker, to the south of the West- manna Isles, and another Geirfugla Sker, to the east of Iceland. This last is also called Hvalsbak, and the form of a whale’s back would be a very convenient one for the Alca impennis to climb up and breed upon. I give all these particulars as the Alea impennis is now looked upon by ornithologists with so much interest as so very rare a bird—so rare indeed, that it has even been suggested that it is extinct. This, however, is not likely to be the case, even without considering the probability of its being found on the La- brador coast. A friend of mine!, who visited Iceland three years ago, met with the same fear amongst the natives, about trying to reach these far seaward and whirlpool beset rocks, that the Faroese found on their visit in 1813. But small numbers, both of the eggs and birds, have from time to time been sent from Iceland to continental Europe. Of birds which are said formerly to have bred in Iceland [qu. Faroe ?], I heard of the Eagle, the Wild Goose, and the Swan. The Eagle, no doubt the Sea Eagle, A. albicilla, which is the ouly one found in Shetland and in Iceland, :and which still occasion- ally is killed in Faroe in the winter. The point of rock on the Tindholm was pointed out to me where the Eagle had its nest, to which it carried off the child, according to tradition, as related by Landt. I think it probable that these stories, so prevalent in all countries where Eagles are found, are many of them true, and not referable to one common tradition as has been supposed. I have heard in the Highlands several coufirmatory particulars. Wild Geese formerly bred in Faroe if not now, and Wild Swans by tradition in two places, each called Oknadal, from this circumstance. I will not ow attempt to compare the ornithology of Faroe more closely with that of the north of Scotland and its islands. Numerous species are absent, and even the ubiquitous Sparrow is there unknown, but there are no doubt many stragglers beyoud those which we happened to see. We cannot conclude this subject better, than by deriving a lesson from the simple and happy people of the Faroe Islands, in their treatment of the birds which surround them. It is a melancholy thing, to see how at almost all the great breeding places of sea- fowl! round Britain, the numbers are rapidly diminishing every year, in consequence of the pitiless persecution which afflicts them— slaughtering parties visit them by. trainfuls. The rights of the bird climbers established by long usage, require the assistance of the law; and all persons concerned in the coast navigation should 1 (Mr. Henry Milner.—Ep. ] APPENDIX; NOS. XLI.—XLII. a interest themselves to procure, by Act of Parliament or otherwise, protection for sea-fowl at those places, or at that time of year when they throw themselves entirely upon the mercy of mankind, for by such protection alone can their sure and speedy extirpation be averted; and one of the best kind of beacons, the flight and the clamour of birds; be preserved, to warn vessels in foggy weather of their approach to the dangerous headlands of our coast. There are several lighthouses at which the value of the sea-fowl is properly “appreciated ; and these, with the Bass Rock and Ailsa Crag, afford happy exceptions to the general rule, and show what may be done. The numbers are not seriously lessened by legitimate bird-catchers any more than in the case of Poultry in a farm yard. ‘XLIT. On rue Hasits or tHE Kiwi-kiwi (Apreryx Mayrectr, BARTLETT), WITH A MENTION OF Ocypromus. [‘ Zoologist,’ x. (1852) pp. 3409-3424. | Tue actions of animals can only be fully pictured to the imaginations of those who have seen and studied them alive. But persons who have had this advantage, may be able to communicate to others a tolerably good idea of an animal, provided that both parties are familiar with other animals which may afford points of comparison ; so many are the analogies which occur amongst the different species of living beings. The task will be rendered far easier if those who read the description have also met with other accounts of .the same animal, written by observers of a different turn of mind, from separate points of view, and with varied modes of illustration. That such facilities for acquiring a knowledge of the manifestations of life afforded by so interesting a bird as the Kiwi-kiwi, may be accessible to naturalists who will never have an opportunity of seeing it alive, and especially to those who may live after the last Apteryx has been extinguished from the face of the earth, it seems particularly desirable that many persons should take the present, perhaps the only, opportunity of recording their impressions of a living bird, nothing doubting that, however poor their descriptions, and notwithstanding that better ones may be written by more able men, their own may nevertheless be hereafter found to contain some useful suggestions, or to throw a light upon something otherwise imperfectly understood. These were the feelings which induced me to prepare the present contribution for the pages of the ‘ Zoologist,’ that valuable periodical which is destined to rescue so many facts and observations from oblivion, and which considers no original communications beneath its notice, however humble their pretensions may be. I shall take d2 §2 APPENDIX: NO. XLII. it for granted that my readers are more or less acquainted with the general construction and proportions of the Kiwi-kiwi, for even the outlines of a complete description would extend my paper to too great a length, and I could produce nothing upon these subjects not already disposed of in the beautiful writings of Professor Owen, in the Zoological Transactions. The visitor to the Zoological Gardens who specially asks for an interview with the celebrated bird, now for the first time brought alive to this side of the globe, is conducted, by a somewhat obscure route, to the new building called the “ Ostrich-house,” situated at the north-east corner of the grounds, amongst the trees above the cutting which forms the Regent’s Canal. Well provided with light, and with apparatus for supplying heat and fresh air, it is divided into five stalls, or “ loose-boxes,” three of which are at present occupied by an Ostrich and two kinds of Antelope. In the furthest of the divisions is a New Zealand Rail, most appropriately placed near the Kiwi-kiwi, not only as an additional instance of the extraordinary Fauna of its country, but as showing the striking constrast of its habits to those of its neighbour, which it resembles so much in its plumage and in its want of the powers of flight, whilst it widely differs from it in the relations of its organization. In a few words, | the Rail is active, inquisitive, playful, moving about by night as well as by day. It jerks its tailin walking; it peeps and peers about, and seems to hide things and to find them again, throwing the intervening ‘material aside by lateral tosses of the beak, almost like a bird of the Crow-kind. At night, it occasionally utters a very strong cry, repeated many times in succession, which I can only liken to the creaking sound I have sometimes heard produced by turning the large wooden screw of a clothes-press. It frequently gets from the ground upon the roof of its little house, and thence upon a sort of shelf; but I have not seen it open its wings in springing’ up, though it sometimes does so as it lets itself down. The species is, I believe, Ocydromus fuscus ; a specimen of Ocydromus australis is in another part of the Gardens: whether they are different species or not, I am informed that they are indiscriminately called Weka (?) in New Zealand, and by the European settlers ‘‘ Wood-hen.” The first named of these birds has lately been imported into England, the other was purchased:at the sale of the late Lord Derby’s animals, at Knowsley, on the 10th of March?, 1851. Interesting as all these birds are, and only wanting a Takahé (Notornis) to complete the main surviving features of the New Zealand group of non-volant birds, I must confine myself at present to a more lengthened description of the one which is especially the object of this communication. | The stall in which the Kiwi-kiwi is kept is floored with brick, and 1 “March” is a mistake for September; but the bird seems to have been entered in the Sale Catalogue (p. 42) as Huwlabeornis castanioventris, from North Australia.—Eb. } APPENDIX: NO. XLII. $3 nearly surrounded by wainscoting of planed deal. In the right hand further corner is placed a heap of light vegetable earth, with an edging of dry sods, and in the left is the square deal box which serves for a house, in which the bird spends the whole of the day. This box has an opening, ranging with the back wall, and hung with a little sack- cloth curtain, which reaches to within a few inches of the ground, and under which the inmate passes when he sallies out on his nightly expeditions. The side of the box nearest to the spectator is made to let down; by which means the poor Kiwi-kiwi is liable, at a moment’s notice, to be exposed to the unwelcome glare of day. It is not easy to speak, with any useful result, of the impressions produced by the first sight of the bird; these will vary according to the feelmgs and temperament of the individual, and more especially in proportion to the extent and accuracy of his previous information. The first instinctive action of the mind is to compare a real image with that already existing in the ‘“mind’s eye.’ In the more communicative part of mankind, this gives rise to some exclamation to which it is not uninteresting to listen. I need only mention as one of the most frequent amongst the visitors to the Kiwi-kiwi,— “What a little thing it is! ”?—often in a tone of disappointment, and sometimes even of indignation, at the supposed “ take in,” so natural is the preference for a sight of animals of not insignificant dimensions. Probably false notions of size have been derived from representations in some of the illustrated periodicals. The physiognomy is one of the first things which strikes most persons on seeing a new creature, for we naturally refer everything to the human standard. The epithets of “ugly,” “‘ queer-looking,” “stupid,” are often coupled with such as “clumsy,” “sulky,” “spiteful.” How these may severally be deserved, will be gathered from what I have to relate. It is certain they are too generally applied not to be highly indicative of impressions produced upon a large proportion of the spectators. For my own part, as I was not unacqainted with the principal places where descriptions and figures of the several species of Apteryx were to be found, I may perhaps be pardoned for mentioning what most struck me on my first visit as different from any pre- conceived notions; though I do not mean to infer that other persons would not have derived more accurate ideas from the same sources. The various posidions, and the expressions of the face, were new to me, for those had not yet been transferred to the painter’s canvas. The little convex eye had been described by Professor Owen, but its colour had been represented by others as red or green instead of black ; and its Rat-lke or Hedgehog-like expression, heightened by the long bristles placed near it, and representing the “ whiskers ” which are so much developed in Mammalia of nocturnal habits, could hardly have been realized until seen alive. I remarked the stoutness of the feet and naked part of the legs. I was struck by the scratched and dead-white appearance of the large and bony-looking beak, which so much reminded me of a Rook’s in that particular, that I actually 54 APPENDIX: NO. XLII. went away with an impression that it was worn naked at the base in this individual, a mistake which I was afterwards able to account for by the greyish colour of the feathers on the fore part of the face. The length of the whiskers and the arrangement of the scales above the bend of the foot, showed that it was of the species which Mr. Bartlett has separated under the name of A. Mantelli*, as he himself has assured me he had ascertained it to be, even before he saw it, by merely feeling the wing, and so learning the nature of the little feathers upon it. Therefore also it is fortunately ‘of the same species as the various specimens described with such care and success by Professor Owen, under the name of A. australis, but different from the original A. australis of Shaw, which was so cleverly restored by Mr. Yarrell. The length of the beak makes it appear probable that our bird is a female’, if, as Professor Owen is inclined to believe, the sexes can be distinguished by this character. To return to the box, which sonie time ago we supposed to be opened. If he has not lately been disturbed, our friend, upon his bed of straw, is usually in a position which it is not at first sight easy to understand, so that any one who has not studied it as often guesses wrong as right, when asked upon which side of the body the head is placed. He is rolled into a somewhat oval shape, and nothing is presented to view but what has, from a little distance, the general appearance of hair mixed with bristles. In this assemblage of singular feathers, for so, upon closer inspection, they turn out to be, there are seen at one end of the body certain lines and centres of divergence, which afford a clew to the mode in which it is packed. On a more inquisitive examination the arrangement is found to be such as I shall endeavour to describe. The feet are bent under the body, of which the principal part of the weight reaches the ground at the tarso-tibial joint; the claws are contracted, probably by the action of the perching muscle described by Professor Owen as not absent in this terrestrial bird. The great size of the thighs gives considerable elevation to the hind part of the body, and in front the little rudimentary wings rest against the knee, if | may so call the femoro-tibial joint. The neck takes a turn downwards and then upwards, sometimes to the left and sometimes to the right side of the body ; the head, facing backwards and pressed to the side, lies above. the wing, and the beak is placed along and supported by the upper side of the left or of the right thigh, as the case may be. In this position the point of the beak, close to which the nostrils are situated, reaches nearly through the feathers at the hinder part of the back, so that the breathing is unimpeded. The head is in its proper horizontal position, and the eye on the side away from the body may sometimes be seen peering through the overhanging feathers. In the hollow space formed by the bend of the neck, a number of the feathers of the body protrude 1 Proc. Zool. Soe. 1850, p. 275.—Ep.] ? (This proved to be true, for the bird in 1859 laid an egg, the first of several afterwards produced (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1859, p, 850).—Ep. | . APPENDIX: NO. XLII. 55 and fall against the upper part of the neck and head, which Jast is completely covered by the long feathers that arise above the wing ; the course of the beak, the hollow between the thigh and the back, and also the wings, are quite concealed by the feathers which sweep over; but the feathers on the side on which the head happens to be placed, are seen to be raised to rather a higher level than those on the other side of the back. The end of the back-bone, that is, of the coccyx, which supports no tail, nearly touches the ground. The outline of the body, beginning from behind, first rises steeply to the top of the insertion of the thigh, then rather rapidly changes to horizontal, which part is almost twice as long as the nearly vertical hind part, and in front the outline is very soon inclined under the body. The only visible sign of life in the form before us, for no respiratory movements are seen externally, is an occasional shght lateral swaying or tottering, perhaps owing to the unstable supports of the body resting on a foundation of straw. This position of rest affords an opportunity for a close approach, and it was thus that I ascertained that a strong smeil, something like that of dead leaves, really proceeds from the skin of the animal ; it reminded me very much of the smell of the Hedgehog. If it be done very gently, the fingers may be passed amongst the feathers without causing the bird, although itsteyes may be wide open, to change its position ; when the comfortable feel of the diffuse and downy lower webs is found to contrast strongly with the comparative harshness of the short and unbarbed webs of the upper part of the feathers, which alone, with the prolonged bristle-lke or almost spine-like shaft, is visible externally. But I have not by this or any other manceuvre been able to feel the beat of the heart, either in the trunk or in the extremities ; whilst, from the heat of the body, the circulation must have been actively proceeding, If now the Kiwi-kiwi be roused gently, the head is removed from the side and directed forwards, the beak not being withdrawn like a sword from its sheath, but like the blade of a clasp knife sweeping through the feathers, the end of it therefore in the action describing a sort of semicircle in the horizontal plane. The neck may continue to lie against the body, and this gives rise to the appearance of a kind of frill (like that of the variety of Common Pigeon called the Jacobin) at the back of it, where its nearly erect feathers are pressed against the feathers of the body, and turned aside and forwards. The beak, however, is never literally in the horizontal plane, it slopes downwards from the first, but keeps getting lower and lower, until the end of it actually rests upon the straw or upon the ground, but so that there is still a considerable slope in it. In the mean time the eye is wide open, the eyelids leaving exposed a complete circle. The margins of the eyelids are not warty but entire, and they are not expanded to form projecting eaves, as they are in Owls. In fact these little eyes afford the greatest possible contrast to the large ones of those equally nocturnal birds, and they differ from them as from all other birds’ eyes, as Professor Owen 56 APPENDIX: NO. XLII. . discovered, in the absence of the characteristic internal structure called the marsupium. They are apparently not affected by the light, for there is none of the winking and blinking which is so peculiar to the expressive eyes of Owls, though its cause may be questioned. I have only once or twice observed a single pass of the nictitating membrane, and that was by no means rapidly conducted, the colour of this membrane appeared to me to be bluish-white. Sometimes the eyes gradually close from sleepiness, the lower eyelid advancing nearly over the whole eye. In the sitting position which I have been describing, the bird will remain for a long time, and he is often seen in it when the box is opened. Sometimes again he is found with his legs perpendicularly under him, in this respect standing as the Storks and some other birds often do. The feathers of the rounded body do not reach down below the end of the fleshy part of the leg, the head is very little advanced from the body, and the beak rests nearly perpendicularly, with its point upon the ground, so that the figure of the bird is something that of a globe upon a tripod. From this position he often seems inclined to bend his legs under him, so as to attain his former one, but on other occasions he remains standing for a long time motionless, and then an opportunity is afforded of ascertaining the rate of breathing, for there is a slight movement observable in the feathers of the underside of the body; several times I have counted about twenty-three respirations in a minute. Here also, as before, the beak seems for the most part to drop gradually into its place, and not to be deliberately put into it to form a support. From this figure it is very curious to see the sudden change which is produced when the bird is irritated. He then lengthens himself out, straightening his back and neck, and standing nearly upright. There is generally a slight bend forward of the lower part of the neck, which, with the feathers upon it, does not seem much narrower than the part of the body which immediately succeeds it. A little lower down there is a lateral enlargement from the rudiments of wings pushing out the feathers, and in front there is a degree of forward curve, but how triflmg when compared with that which appertains to hirds whose breast-bones have a keel supporting a mass of muscles! Proceeding downwards, the belly, so much longer tian that of other birds, seems to retire somewhat until we come to the thick fleshy legs, which, supplied with their own feathers, are not overlapped by those of the body, but show their whole contour, even standing out so as to allow to be seen above them the interval which exists between the true thigh and the belly. The pale colour and the finer clothing of the middle space of the underside of the body, give it very much the appearance of that of a mammal; the size of the lower extremities and the general shape reminding one of a Kangaroo perhaps more than of a Penguin, which has a figure far more thick and compact than the Kiwi-kiwi has. The beak is sloped — down considerably, so as to become nearly parallel to the neck. I have fancied that in this condition there is more of the white of the APPENDIX : NO. XLII. be) eye visible at the hinder part of it, which gives it a wild expression ; but this “white of the eye” is rather of a deep livid colour, not separated from the black by any sudden line. Perhaps the feathers of the head and neck appear more erect than before the putting on the attitude of defence, but they are at all times so much so as to have the appearance of fur. There is never the slightest attempt to use the beak in defence either by pecking or biting; though, from its great strength, it seems that it might be effective i in the former way; but the Eagle affords a similar instance of reliance upon the feet alone; for Sutherlandshire keepers, who have had many encounters with Eagles, have assured me that the beak has never been used in those engagements, whatever opportunities may have been offered to it. The Kiwi-kiwi seems to have little notion of lowering the head or putting it on one side to avoid the hand that is intruded upon it, though the whole body and neck are then drawn back, the front always towards the enemy. When any approach from the front is made to the bird in this war- like state (and it is never possible to avoid causing a demonstration of his wrath, unless by the most gradual advances), he soon shows his method of attack. He suddenly raises his leg, sometimes the right and sometimes the left, and strikes downwards with great force, while the other leg remains a steady and generally unmoved support. In this act he takes a great range, raising his foot quite up to his breast, sometimes, I should guess, a foot from the ground as he stands upright. Occasionally he aims a blow sideways, as an Eagle will do, but differing from that bird in this respect, that the kind of injury he is able to inflict, requires an impetus only to be obtained by a great previous elevation of the foot, whilst the Eagle has only to direct his aim by the shortest possible route. I have known the Kiwi-kiwi to reach a hand placed upon his back, but then he has been in a more horizontal position. Generally the movement is sudden and unexpected, but sometimes the leg is raised up to the breast with the claws expanded, and kept there, at least in one instance, for several minutes ; so that I began to think he was bond fide resting upon one lIcg, as I have never otherwise seen him do. I do not know which leg he uses most frequently, but at any one visit he generally is seen to use the same one in all his blows, but not always. Sometimes, again, he takes a kind of spring forwards, and possibly strikes with both legs. These, and the other attacks, when made in good earnest, are accompanied by a kind of growl or grunt, like that of an angry Rabbit, which any oue who has put his hand into a hole where there is a tame Rabbit weli knows. ‘he growl is often closely either followed or preceded, I am not sure which, by a snap of the beak, which snap is not so sharp as that made by an Owl, and more feeble, perhaps like the noise made by holding together by the ends two small leather straps (say of the size of six inches by one inch), relaxing them in the middle, and suddenly bringing them together again. This additional menace, 58 APPENDIX: NO. XLII. however, is by no means a universal or even a general accompaniment of the growl. On my first interview there appeared to me to be a kind of vicious dig or catch in the middle of the stroke, which made it, as it were, double; and I conceived a theory that this was for the purpose of first driving in the spur-like claw of the hind toe. Prof. Owen had. however, previously shown that this supposed spur had no existence as such, at least in A. Mantelli; and I have since that occasion seen little indication of the double stroke. I have frequently subjected my hand and hat to the blows, and have never felt the hind toe or seen the mark of it. The three anterior claws, or one, or two of them, sometimes inflict scratches, and sometimes the blow takes more the form of a pat, perhaps according to the way in which it happens to be received, for the aim is very bad, and often, I can only speak for daylight, very wide of the mark. As to the force and effect of the stroke, | have not seen it draw blood, though it once nearly did so on the tender side of my wrist; were the claws less blunt, the scratches would probably be severe. I may here mention the highly amusing scene which occurs when the keeper places his open hand upon the lower part of the bird’s back, and gently pushes him forward, to bring him better into view. Kiwi-kiwi does not think of turning upon his assailant, but holding himself more upright than ever, pushes backwards with a force alto- gether unequal to that used against him, and serving only to give a more steady purchase to his adversary, so that he is obliged to advance with little, reluctant steps, occasionally interrupted by a stamp, for he has not time to make a full stroke whilst his centre of gravity requires such constant attention. When he has been exposed for some time, during which, if he has not been approached too closely, he has probably maintained a sullen inaction, he begins to move his head and beak, which last he uses like the antennz of an insect or the nose of a quadruped, but not exactly like either. He does not steadily scent about like a quad- ruped, but moves his beak from place to place, touching some sub- stance or other, and then stopping for an instant, apparently to get the smell; perhaps not unlike a Cat in a strange room, only that the bird does not seem to take a second or prolonged smell at the same object. In fact, his mode of proceeding is, as far as I know, quite peculiar and original. So he pokes his beak throngh the straw in various places, touches the ground and dwells a moment upon it, and repeats the process until, perhaps, in some part, his whole beak is buried, and this being hidden, his whiskers and small eyes give his furry-looking little head very much the appearance of that of a quadruped. He will then take a sudden rush, forcing his body head- foremost horizontally under the straw with the rapidity of flight, his legs alternately pushing behind him, with the joints in such positions and states of flexion as those of a quadruped would assume under the same circumstances. As, for instance, in the leg which happens at the moment to be hindmost, when the toes are on the APPENDIX : NO: XLMf. S9 ground, the femoro-tibial joint may be nearly on the same level, whilst the intermediate tarso-tibial forms an angle considerably above it. If there is plenty of cover he stops when he is quite concealed, but if the straw is scanty, he will work on even once round his box, or further. Should a bystander press down the straw before his beak, so as to defeat his purpose of plunging into that point, he manifests great determination in attempting it elsewhere. I have not been able to make out that he ever lies under his straw, unless he has been previously disturbed. One day he placed his beak on the door of the box which is Ict down upon the floor, tried it in different places, and stepped out upon it, using his beak in every direction, feeling the wainscoting even nearly as high as he could reach; but all this with a want of discrimination which agreed with the impression of a deficiency of intelligence previously derived from his whole conduct and appear- ance. He had advanced some little distance from bis box, with his body in the semi-erect position ; he gave one the idea of his being in a state of uncertainty as to where he was, but soon seemed to recollect himself; yet, instead of going in by the way he had come out, he ran towards the back wall, then, as soon as he reached it, turned suddenly and rushed under his curtain. On this, as on other similar occasions, he charged strenuously again and again, throwing himself against any one impeding his retreat to his den; and he never, in the presence of persons, shows any notion of escape from his confinement. He is not nervously timid, for he does not start at a sudden noise, though, as I shall have occasion to mention presently, he has excellent ears. It is evident that he can see by day, from his attacks upon anything brought near him; but he never looks about him, and this gives him a mopish appearance, very different from that of most birds. How opposite, for instance, to that of his neighbour, the Weka, whois always turning his head and directing his eyes, stooping down to peep under or standing on tip toe to look over an obstacle. The mode of life confirms Professor Owen’s deduction from the organization, that in the Apteryx the sense of smell is developed at the expense of that of sight ; and this is associated with many peculiarities of disposition and habits. He seems as irascible as when he first came over, several months ago; but it is fair to mention that his temper was spoiled on board ship, for his fellow-passengers are said to have been in the habit of teasing him. He does not at all know his keeper, which is not to be wondered at, considering that he feeds at night. Earthworms, and a considerable quantity of meat cut into pieces the size of dice, are placed in his stall every evening ; the latter in a corner, and the former in a flower-pot with a hole in the bottom, through which they crawl into the heap of soil which I formerly mentioned. Most of the meat has disappeared by the morning, and holes made by the beak of the bird all over the soil, show how busy he has been in hunting for worms. A track made all round his stall tells how much he paces near the outskirts of his territory. Ils digestion, from the 60 APPENDIX: NO. XLII. quantity of food he eats, must be excellent. His droppings are liquid, like those of carnivorous birds, and each of them spreads perhaps for four or six inches square upon the bricks, the white urinous part generally predominating in quantity. Once when I saw him mute, he shuffled a little backwards first, as some other birds, especially young ones, will do. I have on one occasion lately seen him eat worms out of my hand. I had advanced them gently to the point of his beak; he seized one, and then relaxing the grip of his beak and darting it forwards, and now closing it again upon the worm and drawing his head backwards, repeating these movements three or four times in rapid succession, he moved the morsel up to his mouth, and perhaps with a slight shake, such as a dog gives a rat, and then with a gobble-gobble like a young Rook only much less loud, and with several snaps of the beak fainter than those I have before described, greedily swallowed it down. I do not know that there was anything different from the ordinary mode of seizing and swallowmg food as practised by long- billed birds, ouly the way in which he brought it about reminded me of the unconscious promptitude with which a newly-caught Mole or Shrew rarely fails to fall upon a worm presented to it. Another time, before a number of people, he gave a most ungracious kick when a smoot! caterpillar was held to his nose. There is, however, much which it is not fair to judge of by day. An animal awakened from its sleep might well appear stupid and sullen; its eyes might be dazzled, its paces might be unnatural; in short, it was most desirable to see him quite unconstrained at his proper time for action, for his whole conduct and character might then appear different, and then only could his mode of finding his food be fully ascertained. I have now twice had the privilege of so watching him when he believed himself unobserved. A lamp had been suspended for several nights in front of his cage, to accustom the Kiwi-kiwi to it, when I had the pleasure of accompanying a distinguished member of the Zoological Society ' on a nocturnal visit early in February, on which occasion we saw the bird to advantage: but I will rather describe what happened at my second lying in wait, which took place in the evening of February 28, 1852, and was on the whole more successful than the former one. . I took my seat in front of the stall as it was becoming dark, having a bull’s-eye lantern on the ledge before me, so that 1 could not possibly be seen by my quarry. ‘The first sounds procceded from the Weka; he had hopped upon the shelf at the back of his cage, and remained in the full light of the lamp troubled with a fit of sneezing; previously to this, however, he had raised one of his powerful series of cries. Not long afterwards my attention was called to rustlings in the box of the 4pteryx, which showed that he was on the move, and for some time I continued to hear snaps of the beak, from which 1 concluded that he might be preening his feathers, an operation 1 (Mr, D. W. Mitchell, then Secretary of the Society.—Ep. ] APPENDIX: NO. XLII. 61 I have never been so fortunate as to see him perform, but for the facilitating of which he is described as being, like other birds, provided with an oil-gland. Presently he put his head under the curtain and stepped out, feeling his way, or smelling it, with his beak. He advanced towards the front in the dim light, his body rather rounded, his hind quarters reminding one of a Bear’s in contour, his head lower than his back, and his beak dotting about from spot to spot, actually touching the ground, as was perceived plainly enough by the tap when he was on woudl. 2 ‘and scenting also, as was inferred from the slight delay on each point, and from the little sniffe which often followed it, apparently to clear away any dust which might have got into the nostrils. Not unfrequeutly he walked about without any of this investigation, the point of the beak, however, being seldom raised far above the ground ; I have never seen him use his beak as an assistance to progression, at any time. Once or twice he shook himself, but not in a remarkably vigorous manner, as his development of cutaneous muscles might have enabled him to do. Several times he scratched his skin smartly with the claws of one foot. He was not long before he paid a visit to the heap. He inserted his beak into the flower-pot and ate a worm, but then immediately began to examine the soil in preference to adopting so lazy a mode of getting his breakfast, for that there were still worms in the pot was proved by his presently returning to it and eating another or two, although they might not be such healthy and well- seasoned ones as he procured elsewhere. I was much pleased to find that 1 could turn ‘the full light of the bull’s eye upon him without disturbing him, so that I was able to see his movements sufficiently distinctly. Standing with one foot a little in advance of the other, and holding his beak in a more or less slanting or again in a nearly upright position, he pushed it into the ground by a succession of four or five shoves, following one another at intervals of something less than a second of time, each of them accompanied by a slight sound just audible to me, but whether caused by the friction of the beak against the soil or by a sniff underneath it, | cannot say with certainty. In this act the whole body, head, and neck, moved together, the feet appearing to be the pivot on which all turned, and there was not any drawing back to get an impetus for each new shove. At last, with- drawing his beak, he was heard to swallow a worm with the usual snaps, or, if unsuccessful in finding one, at least to give a little sneeze to clear the nostrils. He then perlaps takes a step in advance, and applies his nose very deliberately and attentively to several parts of the soil; almost seeming to listen, but never approaching his ears to the ground or turning his head on one side. Respecting the pushing, he may almost bury his eyes before he reaches the worm, and sometimes he has to give one or two lateral jerks, to obtain room to turn his beak into a new direction, for he seems to be following his prey by scent under ground. ‘The soil is so light as to offer little resistance, being for the most part imperfectly decomposed 62 APPENDIX: NO. XLII. vegetable matter. He employed himself in this worm-hunting for a considerable time, leisurely examining the whole heap. More than once he stretched himself, standing on one leg, extending the other behind, and protruding his neck and body in front to their utmost extent. But a partial stretching of the legs behind was frequent, an action accompanied in other birds by an extension of the corre- sponding wing. I had many opportunities of observing that his sense of hearing is acute, for if I made the slightest unustal noise, he stopped in whatever be was about, and remained perfectly motion- less for a few seconds. All the while the only sounds heard from him were the scarcely audible rub made by the penetrating beak, the snapping of the mandibles as the worms were being swallowed, or the sniffle as he brought his nostrils above ground after each act of exploration. The light thrown just upon the extraordinary-looking being gave a very striking effect. His long legs and beak, his unearthly figure, his quiet mysterious movements, just visible upon the black soil, made one think of warlocks and such “lang-nebbit things”; and then again of the sailors in the New Zealand yarn, who lay out to wait for a Moa, and on seeing it come out into the light of the moon, were afraid to fire. When at length the Kiwi-kiwi left his hunting-ground, he came forward to his larder and ate one or two bits of meat, apparently finding them not by the eye, but by the sense of smell, for he did not at once direct his beak to them, but kept dotting it about until it alighted on them; though at this time I think the light was not in his eyes. .Soon afterwards he went to the wainscot to my left hand, and ran backwards and forwards along it for a short distance, turning round awkwardly towards the wainscot, so that his beak clattered against it and got in his way. He ran quicker and quicker, until his legs slipped from under him in a sudden turn, and he fell side- ways. He recovered himself immediately, and trotted rapidly into his box. It is probable that the light, or some movement I had made with it, had caused a sudden panic, or confused him; but I have seen him running backwards and forwards against the wall when disturbed in the day-time. In his box I presently heard his beak snapping at the rate of four or five to a second, for several seconds together, as I had never heard it before. In a few minutes he came out again, quite composed, and strode about following his old occupations. I have before alluded to his principal modes of progression, but cannot hope to give an accurate idea of them. His fastest pace, if L understand it rightly, is made up of a succession of rapid strides causing the continuous advance of the body in a scarcely undulating line, both feet never being off the ground at once. But a more ordinary pace is a kind of elastic trot, which I have heard compared to that of the Cassowary, and which is characterized by a slight approach to the bounding action which most persons are familiar with in the Ratel [Mellivora], but i cannot say that it is produced in the same way, for I have not been able to analyze it satisfactorily in , Aa ae APPENDIX : NO. XLII. 63 the disadvantageous circumstances under which I have generally seen it. In none of the paces is there anything approaching to a strut or a play of the head and neck, or any of the more elegant modifications of terrestrial locomotion observable in other birds: on the other hand there is no waddle, and nothing like a series of hops. Tail there is none to jerk or spread ; the wings are invisible, and the feathers I have never seen to be raised or lowered to give expression, unless perhaps those of the neck. The principal variety is in the relative position of head, neck, and body. The bird can run in the most elongated upright posture, and generally does so when disturbed ; but the more contracted mode of carrying himself, with head. below the level of the top of the rounded back, is adopted for ordinary progression. All the time I was watching him he uttered no ery, nor have I or the keepers heard him make any sound, except the growl, which it would be too great a compliment to designate a war-cry. He did not use his feet to scratch up or scrape the soil, and as he has never done so, so far as I have heard, there appears little likelihood in the account that he burrows in the ground in his native country—his long beak would probably be in the way were he to attempt to do so. As it has, I believe, elsewhere been suggested, his habits are probably in many respects like those of the Hedgehog, of which animal he has often put me in mind, and, like it, he may make his lair in corners in a good thick cover, such as the fern-thickets of New Zealand afford. With respect to his food; various kinds of insects have been found in the stomachs of those which have been dissected, and our bird has been known to eat grubs, very young mice, pieces of meat, and worms, being especially fond of lob-worms. His mode of piercing the ground seems to be too zealously practised not to be a constant habit, and it is probably amongst decayed leaves and vegetable matter that the Apteryx principally obtains its food. Mr. Yarrell describes a valve in the A. australis which would be pressed against and cover the nostrils in the operation; but Mr. Owen speaks only of the form of the bones as affording some protection in A. Mantelli*. It is at all * Dr. Mantell remarks, in speaking of the “common species” of Apteryx, having just before mentioned the three species, that “ the nasal apertures are in the base of the beak ; * * by a strange mistake the nostrils are stated by authors to be at the extremity ot the beak.”— (Fossils of Brit. Mus., Oct., 1851, p. 107). Mr. Yarrell had described the nostrils as opening at the end of the beak in Lord Derby’s original specimen of A. australis. Mr. Owen, after a careful dissection of what is now called A. Mantedli, had described them similarly in this bird; and,if my memory serves me, Mr. Gould had given no hint of any other mode of formation in_A, Owenzz. Dr. Mantell’s more recent assertion must not lightly be passed over; and I see that in a specimen of the true A. australis in the British Museum, there is, in addition to the openings near the tip of the beak, an appearance of two tubes between the cere and the bise of the beak, such as is not observable in A. Mantell’, which however is the “common species.” I have not yet examined this curious though perhaps fallacious structure. M>. Bartlett in the paper read before the Zoological Society [Proc. Zool. Soc. 1850, pp. 249-251], in which he established the two species, and spoke among others of Dr, Mantell’s specimen of A. australis, made no allusion to any difference in the nostrils. 64 APPENDIX : NOS. XLII.—XLIU1. events not very obvious externally, but it is difficult to understand how stoppages of the nostrils should not be constantly occurring unless there is some such safeguard. I do not remember ever to have seen either Snipes or Woodcocks in the act of piercing the soft ground; it is probable that they do it by bearing forward the weight of the body as the Kiwi-kiwi does, but whether the different sense which predominates in their beaks does not cause some departure from the exact method in which the Kiwi-kiwi operates, remains to be learned. I am not aware that water has ever been offered to him; it would be interesting to know whether he would ever drink or wash. I have never observed any use made of the little claw at the end of the wing, which is far too feeble te be available for defence. This claw is probably only a development showing the relationship of the wing to the legs, or, when compared with other animals, to their fore legs. A similar claw is attached to the longest digit of the wing of a nestling Eagle. I have only to add that one of the keepers tells me he has seen the Apteryx lie on its side, and strike out like the Rat-Kangaroo [Hypsiprymnus| ; but I believe he saw it only once. He also on one occasion, when the box was opened, found it lying upon its side, with its legs stretched out. These actions however I have not seen. There are many points which require a better description than [ have been able to give, and especially the paces, the positions, and the general expression. Some good paintings would be far better than any other means of explanation, and are indeed indispensable accompaniments of a complete history, for the benefit of futurity. One considerable addition to our records will be a series of foot- marks, which Mr. Mitchell is, I believe, intending to obtain. Many more particulars in the habits of the Apteryz, especially of it in a state of nature, remain to be observed ; and indeed something of its nidification is already known in this country; but some of the peculiarities which I have endeavoured to describe are sufficiently remarkable, and their duration amongst the things that are is sufficiently ‘precarious, to engage the services of more capable pens than mine. 21 Cambridge Terrace, Hyde Park, March 1852. XLIII. OccuRRENCE OF T'RITON PALMIPES IN SCOTLAND ', [‘ Zoologist, x. (1852) p. 3426.] Last April I saw Triton palmipes, Daud.,in plenty, on moors between the foot of Ben Nevis and the Caledonian Canal, and in the same ' [See Nos. XXIII., XXV., and XXXVI.—Ep. ] APPENDIX: NO. XLIV. 65 little pools where the Common Toad was spawning. The record of any new locality is useful in tracing the distribution of a species. I have not happened to hear of this Newt being found in England, except in the South and South-west. 21 Cambridge Terrace, Hyde Park, March 1852. XLIV. On THE Speciric DistinctNeEss oF THE RinGep GUILLEMOT. (‘ Zoologist,’ x. (1852) pp. 38477-3479. ] In an interesting note (Zool. 3425), Mr. A. Newton remarks it can only be ascertained by repeated observations whether or not the Ringed Guillemot is to be regarded as a distinct species from the Common one; but he expresses his opinion that it is a point which may be easily ascertained, and he feels that it is highly desirable the question should be settled. Whilst I cordially acknowledge the justice of these views, I confess I do not see any probability of a speedy settlement of the matter. Assertions which find their way into books of authority are very long before they entirely lose credit. They are handed down from one writer to another; they are received as articles of early faith to which one is apt fondly to cling in after years: those who might make original observations not caring to run the risk of unsettling their former belief, whilst those who have no personal opportunities of inquiry prefer the established authority of their first favourite to that of any one- who has been rash enough to call it in question in any point. Numberless feelings are operating in the same direction. In questions of species, this man has specimens which are valuable as long as the species is supposed to be distinct ; that man has some equally powerful bias, of which he may not be at all conscious. Few persons are actuated by a pure love of truth. But these are not the only difficulties. There are differences of opinion as to what really constitutes a species, and not many people have clear ideas on this head, none, I believe, can have any permanently settled notions. At all events, those who hold the opinions which have been recently advocated by several of the most advanced men in paleontological research must be in some perplexity. If certain living beings have made their first appearance not in one spot, but in several parts of the world independently, in one case precisely similar to each other, in another so nearly similar that they will still breed together continuously, in a third so that they commonly breed together for one or two generations: if on the other hand, as we know, ages of peculiar influences may have subsequently made apparently distinct races, that is what we call permanent varietics, PART LV. e 66 APPENDIX : NO. XLIV. of various branches from one common stock ;—it will be admitted we must be in considerable difficulty in adapting the word species to our new ideas, and supposing this to be done, great obscurity must still remain respecting individual cases. Without, however, discussing the question,—Wahat is a species ? it appears to be pretty - generally agreed that if no obvious structural difference can be shown to exist, beyond what may be due to age, sex, or season, there is no presumption of a distinction of species, unless at all events there can be found some marked variations in the actions of life, and especially a constant restriction in interbreeding. It follows, if the rule is stated correctly, that Mr. Newton must not throw the onus probandi on those who do not believe the Ringed Guillemot to be a distinct species, at least if this assertion be not denied, namely, that there has not been proved any appreciable structural difference between it and the Common Guillemot. For a constant restriction in interbreeding has not been shown, and the only variation in the actions of life hinted at has been the occupa- tion of particular shelves of the rock. But that peculiarity might be owing to age, for it is probable that of all gregarious species, as certainly of Rooks, the old birds take the best places for themselves, leaving the outskirts to the younger members of the community. Even then admitting the fact of the segregation, I think no case is made out for those who would subdivide the species of the Common Guillemot. But I do not admit the supposed fact as a general truth. Even if the information given to Mr. Proctor in Iceland be correct (and Mr. Newton’s observations in the Farn Islands tended to confirm it), it is certain in this country, and in the Faroe Islands, the birds lay their eggs promiscuously. In the year 1849 I paid particular attention to this subject. First, I saw a large assemblage of Guillemots on April 22 (a sunshiny day), upon the flat summit of the rock called the Kleat, at Holborn Head, in Caithness. There were several hundreds of them standing together on the guano-covered platform of that lofty stack. They were not more than forty or fifty yards from me, and with a glass I could see_ them as well as if they had been in my hand. Perhaps every sixth bird amongst them had the white margin to the eyes, and the white line extending from it. They were courtesying and bowing to each other, without any reference, so far as J could see, to the presence or absence of the facial peculiarity ; and as I carefully watched this match-making party for some time, had they shown any marked preferences, I could hardly have failed to observe it. At the beginning of June, in the same year, I became familiar with the Guillemots on the cliffs of the island of Handa, off the coast of Sutherland, on which they are in myriads. I was not satisfied with looking at them from above, but with the help of a rope I went amongst them in every part of the rocks on three or four days. The Ringed ones seemed rather less numerous than in Caithness ; they were scattered amongst the others, neither often mixing with the Razor-bills on the upper shelves, nor confining themselves to the APPENDIX: NO. XLIV. 67 lower shelves of the rocks, but in every row of ten or twenty Guillemots, one or two were sure to have the white about the eyes. I took with great care the eggs from underneath several of the white-eyed ones. They differ in no respect from the other eggs, and are liable to the same varieties. Jn one instance of a row of ten or twelve eggs, the only white one (there was scarcely a spot upor it) was laid by a white-eyed bird, which so far gives colour to the story of the Flamborough climbers, that the Ringed Guillemots lay white eggs. However, I am by no means sure (alas for egg- collectors !) that birds are always found sitting on their own eggs. Does not a Guillemot when wishing to sit take to the first egg which it finds uncovered on the shelf or part of the shelf to which it has attached itself? At all events, moved about as the eggs often are, and ignorant of exchanges made for them as most birds seem to be, it appears probable that such may be the case; and certainly it is so with another gregarious sea-bird laying a single egg—the Gannet. At the Bass I have seen one go and sit upon the nearest unoccupied egg, when pecked off another egg which it had previously been sitting on, by a comrade just arriving from the sea. Yet this bird makes a nest ; indeed that which came up last, in the anecdote I have just related, showed a knowledge of some claim of right or might to which the other submitted. In the Shetland Isles, on the sides of the Holm of Noss, I saw the white-eyed birds sitting on their eggs side by side with the others, in about the same proportion as in Handa. In the Faroe Islands the Ringed Guillemots struck me as being perhaps in greater plenty than in the North of Scotland, especially on the little rocks at the level of the sea; of course not breeding in those low situations ; but the Common Guillemots were always in far greater numbers than the Ringed, and always mixed with them. Down the stupendous cliffs of these islands, I did not attend so much to the Guillemots when such rare and interesting birds as the Fulmars fully occupied me, but I examined the heaps of broken-necked birds brought up by the climbers for provision ; here, if I remember right, the proportion was about as one to ten. Of two Ringed birds which I dissected in Fugloe, one was a male the other a female. I constantly made inquiries of the people, who are very intelligent, and very intimately acquainted with their birds. They none of them had ever dreamed of the white-eyed birds being of a different kind from the others, but some of them thought that they were the males, others that they were the females,—both opinions, as I ascertained, only partially true. In other instances also they never confounded two kinds of birds. They even recognized the two species of Fjad/murra—the Dunlin and the Purple Sandpiper. I feel convinced that if the ornithologists who have described the two species of Guillemot had had opportunities of seeing them on their native rocks, the idea of their being distinct could hardly have occurred to them. The differences due to age in the Razor-bill formerly gave a far more plausible ground for a subdivision of species in its case. Were we to follow the analogy of that species, we might e2 68 APPENDIX :* NOS. XLIV.—XLV. suppose the white-marked birds to be old ones, but I rather incline to the idea that if the distinction is one of age, they are young birds, especially as it is the character of young Guillemots of the year to have most white about them. But had it not been for a private invi- tation from a gentleman much interested in the subject, I should not have ventured to intrude my opinions upon the readers of the ‘ Zoolo- gist.” Ina question certainly not easy of proof, opinion will always go with acknowledged authorities, and I cannot expect my convictions to be of any use in settling the question. Almost the only proof of which the matter is capable, is perhaps the keeping specimens in confinement, when if the Ringed changed to Common birds, or vice versd, I suppose every one would be satisfied, on the fact being properly attested; but if they did not change, unfortunately nothing would be proved. The only alternative would be the marking of wild birds, but without unusual opportunities this method could not be followed out. Mr. Newton’s paper is headed “ British Species of Guillemot,” but as no mention is made of Briinnich’s, that gentle- man or Mr. Newman very probably does not consider it worth mentioning, and in truth, as a British bird, it scarcely is. It certainly does not breed anywhere round our islands, and I could see or hear nothing of it in the Faroe Islands, although it has been mentioned amongst these [qu. their ?] birds. Mr. Hancock tells me there is no other species in Baffin’s Bay ; but whether it is to be considered distinct, or a local race, I am not sufficiently familiar with the bird to have formed any opinion. In conclusion I may mention that the substance of the above remarks on Uria lachrymans was introduced into a paper by myself on the “ Birds of the Faroe Islands,” read at the meeting of the British Association at Edinburgh, and printed at length by Sir W. Jardine, in his ‘ Ornithological Notes.’ May 1852. Rav. On THE GREAT BusTARD IN SPAIN. [Extract from a letter to Mr. YARRELL printed by him in his paper “ On the Habits and Structure of the Great Bustard (Otis tarda of Linnzus),” read before the Linnean Society 18 January, 1853. (Trans. Linn. Soc. xxi. pp. 156, 157.)] “ My very little acquaintance with North Africa does not extend beyond the neighbourhood of Tangier, and there I did not see the Great Bustard, nor have I receiv ed its eggs from that quarter in the several packets which have been forwarded to me; but this proves nothing; it only renders it probable that this bird i is not common in the immediate vicinity of that town. “Of Spain I have almost equally little to say. One day, about APPENDIX : NOS. XLV.—XLVI. 69 the month of September, goimg up the Guadalquivir in a steam-boat to Seville, I saw several flocks of the Great Bustard at no great distance from the river banks, on the level, and at that time of the year burnt up, plains which extend, almost without trees or enclosure, on each side of the Guadalquivir. These flocks consisted, as I remember, of four or five birds each; and from the deck of the vessel, which was almost on a level with the land, they appeared to be walking in file, some with their heads down, and reminding one of Gilbert White’s note, ‘ Bustards upon the downs look like deer in the distance.’ This appearance of walking in a row was probably deceptive. ‘There was nothing in their manner to give the impression that they were timid, or very cautious, but one at least of a party frequently had its head raised as the steamer passed at a few hundred yards’ distance, and with the help of my glass I thought this was generally a cock bird. On one occasion, as the boat came suddenly round a corner several of them rose together from the edge of the water, springing hastily to the height of forty or fifty feet, nearly perpendicularly, partly perhaps to clear the bank, and then turning suddenly and somewhat clumsily, and after a few more not rapid strokes, sailing along with the arched form of wing so general in game birds. “T have now told you all I know about the Great Bustard in - Spain. I wish I had more to say about it. I was told that the Spanish name was Adbutarda, which is, I should imagine, connected in some way with the specific name ‘ tarda,’ for the bird can hardly be called ‘slow,’ but I do not know who gave it its scientific appella- tion. On the occasion I have referred to, a Spaniard on board the steamer told me that two or three months earlier in the year was the time for shooting the bird, and that then they were not difficult to approach with the assistance of cattle or carts, if I remember night. This would of course be in the breeding season.”’ Sonar Suprosrp OccuRRENCE OF A SPECIMEN! OF THE SEVERN SWALLOW (Hrrvwpo srcooror, Viniuu.) at Dersy, 1n 1850. [‘ Zoologist, xi. (1853) pp. 8806, 3807. ] Tue notice of the supposed occurrence of the Rufous Swallow [Hirundo rufula| at Penzance (Zool. 3753), reminds me that I ought not any longer to delay recording in your pages, the supposed appearance of an individual of an American species of Swallow at 1 [This specimen having come into my hands was exhibited at the Meeting of the Zoological Society on the 28th of February, 1860, as recorded in its ‘Proceedings for that year (p. 131), It is now in the Norwich Museum.—Ep. ] 7O APPENDIX: NO. XLVI. Derby, in 1850. I say supposed appearance, because though I have not much doubt that the bird was really shot at Derby, there is nevertheless quite a possibility of mistake. Some months ago, my friend, Mr. John Evans of Darley Abbey, sent for my inspection, and afterwards kindly presented to me, the skin of a sort of Swallow whose name he had not been able to ascertain, of which he gave me the following account :—One day that he called at the shop of Mr. Cooke, a bird-stuffer and museum-keeper in Derby, im the summer of the year 1850, he was shown the skin of a bird which had lately been shot at the Siddals (the name of some common land, I believe, in the suburbs of Derby), with eleven Sand-Martins, with which this had been considered to make atwelfth ; in skinning them, Mr. Cooke had remarked that it was not like the others, and he thought it a variety, but asked Mr. John Evans his opinion about it. That gentleman did not know what it was, but he bought the skin for one shilling, and has had it in his possession from that time till he gave it to me some months ago, as I mentioned before. Mr. Cooke is since dead. The circumstance of his having skinned the birds himself, makes it appear improbable that he should have made a mistake, and Mr. John Evans assures me that he does not think there were any foreign skins about. I should add, that I believe there is no possibility of error since the skin came into Mr. John Evans’s possession. The bird now before me is very hke the House-Martin, and not much like the Sand-Martins in whose company it was said to have been found. When com- pared with the former bird, the only difference seen at first is the continuous dark colour of the back, instead of being white over the tail. On a further examination, the legs are found to be quite naked below the knees, instead of downy, as in our Martin. These characters are I believe sufficient to refer it to the well-known American species called Hirundo (or Chelidon) bicolor, and I find my skin to agree with the several specimens of it in the British Museum. It is useless to give a particular description unless in comparison with a skin of the House-Martin, one of which I do not happen to have at hand. It is enough to say that the whole of the upper surface has a deep metallic green gloss, approaching to purple in some lights, except the tail and the flight-feathers, which are dull black; the whole under surface is white except the tail and wings, which are of an ordinary neutral tint, whilst on this aspect the greater part of the shafts of the primaries is white. ‘The occurrence of a specimen of a second species of American Swallow in England is no more than anyone, who had satisfied himself of the reality of the former event (the occurrence of the Purple Martin), would be prepared to expect. No kinds of land-bird once driven out to sea seem better qualified for arriving safe at this side the Atlantic than the Swallows; but it is a question whether even these could accomplish it without the assistance of ships, of which land-birds at sea are so often seen by sailors to make use. Also they probably require strong and long-continued west winds to APPENDIX : NOS. XLVI.—XLVII. Wall lessen the duration of their exertion and their fast; and still it appears likely that they have a chance of surviving only when their misfortune happens at the time of their migrations, when doubtless nature has prepared them for extraordinary endurance of hunger and fatigue. And after all, what a very few are lucky or unlucky enough to reach our inhospitable shores ! 11 Park Place Terrace [Paddington], February 5, 1853. XLVII. Hasits or tHE Hawk-Owt (Svryra vxura) |. [‘ Zoologist,’ xii, (1854) pp. 4203, 4204.] “THe Hawk-Owl is not uncommon here. It flies much in the day-time, and with its long tail, short wings, and quick flight, has a very hawk-like appearance in the air, when its large square head is not seen. Its cry near its nest is also similar to a hawk’s; and it often sits on the bare top of an old dead fir, to watch intruders, where it seems to have no idea that it can be in danger. It carries itself much after the fashion of the more regular owls; but whilst all the feathers at the back give a great breadth to its full face, there is quite a ‘table’ at the top of its head. It casts its bright yellow eyes downwards with the true air of half-puzzled wisdom, or turns its head round for a leisurely gaze in another direction ; to glance backwards is out of the question, and to look at any one with a single eye much beneath its dignity. I have seen it from my window fly down from its stand and take the mouse it caught back to the tree before it began to eat it; but it shifted its place several times before it found a convenient spot for finishing its meal. I do not know whether it is in the habit of hunting on the wing, but this year mice are so abundant that such exertion would be superfluous. When disabled from flight, it at once ‘ squares’ itself for defence, putting on its most formidable countenance, guarding its back, and presenting its front to the enemy; silently and calmly it maintains its ground, or springs from a short distance on its foe. So, bravely it dies, without a thought of glory, or without a chance of fame, for of its kind there are no cowards. “One day I heard a low noise in the woods which surprised me. I thought it must be the whine of a dog that was very eager after some animal it could not get at; I even guessed it might be a wolf. 1 [These and the following notes (No. XLVIII.) consist of extracts pieced together from letters written to me from Muoniovara, in August and October 1853, which Mr. Wolley at my request allowed me to communicate to ‘The Zoologist.’_ It is necessary to observe that they were not originally written for publication. The meaning ot “ tyllyrs ” has already been explained (supra, pp. 610-612).—Ep. | V2 APPENDIX : NO. XLVI. After a careful stalk I came upon a family of Hawk-Owls, one of which dropped a mouse as I fired. It was in the day-time; they were very little alarmed, and I could have shot them all. I am told that they breed in ‘ tyllyrs.’ I have not found a nest, but shall set up some convenient houses for them this autumn.” MLVILI. Sone or tHE Repwine (Tvurpbvs 2140s). [‘ Zoologist,’ xii. (1854) pp. 4204, 4205.] “Wnuen they have young, the old Redwings are bold, flying suddenly towards the face of. an intruder with an angry note, some- thing lke that of the Blackbird, snapping their beaks, and then wheeling rapidly out of sight. At other times, they use the same note as they fly from tree to tree round the nest, but they keep out of sight as much as possible. As she sits on her eggs, the white stripe over the eye of the Redwing is very conspicuous. Like other birds of the kind, she has so deep a cup to hold her that the rim of it necessarily chucks her under the chin, and makes her beak poimt upwards. ““The Redwing and the Redstart sing here [Tornea Lappmark] all night ; the Redwing incessantly, night and day, without any variation. A string of three or four notes—tut-tut-tut—in a regular descending scale, and then a little inward twittering or warbling, the former at about the ordinary pitch of the voice of the Song Thrush (whose music, by the way, is infinitely superior), but the last part so faint and feeble as scarcely to amount to a whisper, and only to be heard at a short distance. For a long time I was not aware of the existence of this inward melody: perhaps the twittering of a Swallow on the house-top may give some little idea of it. The tut, tut, tut is repeated so constantly and regularly as to be quite tiresome, the rest seldom reaches the ear; nevertheless, these loud clear notes, followed at the end of the next interval by the suppressed scarcely distinguishable twitterings, make a very striking wood-sound. I much question whether it is ever to be heard in perfection before the bird leaves our islands. The inward kind of song I think f have heard up here very late in the year, but unpreceded by the bold open notes, and unfollowed by a repetition of them after a very short rest, as in the perfect spring song, which I heard for the last time this year about July 27th.” APPENDIX : NO. XI.IX: 13 XLIX.! On THE IMPROVEMENT oF THE BREED oF THE REINDEER. (Ou Vorpeperne ar pen ramMur Reewspyr Race vep Ave.) [Forhandlinger ved de Skandinaviske Naturforskeres Syvende Méde. I Christiania den 12-18 Juli, 1856, pp. 185-189. Read “11” (13) July, 1856.] “Iv has several times happened to him in Lapland to have found Reindeer-oxen of rare excellence in regard to docility, speed, en- durance and many other qualities. But when he has tried to make enquiry so as to trace out more of the breed, it has most often been to no effect. For though it might be easy to follow up the animal’s origin, through its several owners, to the herd in which it was bred, yet the Lapps seem not to pay such attention to breeding as would enable them to ensure the reproduction of some of the rarer qualities which are seen in individual animals. There are several reasons for this. ‘« First, there is ignorance of the possibility or use of the careful breeding of animals, the more so as the settlers themselves, with whom the Lapps chiefly come in contact, have no idea that selection is necessary for the breeding of other domestic animals. “Next, in a widely-spreading herd it would require greater care and foresight than could be expected of an ordinary Lapp to set marks to or remember a calf’s immediate parentage and to regulate the future breeding in accordance with such observations. “Thirdly, the Lapp would perhaps not let bis animals come to- gether with others which have different habits, both in regard to their periodical wanderings and their general mode of life; for as is well known there is a great difference in the habits and mode of life of Reindeer in different districts, a difference which is no doubt to a certain extent hereditary. “The Reindeer of the Mountain-Lapps will always in spring take to the mountains on their way to the sea-coast, and their owners, even if they wished it ever so much, could hardly restrain them from so doing, It is otherwise with the animals from the lower districts or woodlands, the Otto Porrot as the Finns call them. They could be kept from wandering away. “ Wild Reindeer, at least in many districts, seem to have a habit quite contrary to that of the Reindeer of the Mountain-Lapps, for the former keep in the highlands in winter and come down to the eastern forests when the cleg-fly | Zabanus] begins to be troublesome in summer, 1 (This and the next (No. L.) are translated Abstracts of papers read by Mr. Wolley in the Zoological Section of the Seventh Meeting of Scandinavian Naturalists held at Christiania in July 1856, and retranslated from the Danish as printed in the ‘Transactions’ (4 or handlinger r) of the Meeting, published at Chris- tiania in 1857. A third paper read by him in the Physic sal Section, ‘ On the Recrystallization of Fallen Snow ” (see No. LVL), was not printed.—Ep. ] 74 APPENDIX: NO. XLIX. “There is a very considerable difference observable in Reindeer which keep in particular districts, and have a certain mode of life. “The Reindeer of the Mountain-Lapps is commonly stoutly built, hardy and capable of long fasting, but it falls off quickly and is sometimes useless for many weeks. The Reindeer of the lowlands generally shews signs of a better race. It is for the most part bigger, with finer legs, and has a lively but less wild eye. It is more manageable, more active and docile. But beside the two chief races, just named, there are several subdivisions. Reindeer from certain parts of the country have local peculiarities more or less pronounced. The finest tame Reindeer he has seen are from the neighbourhood of Lake Enarain Finland. Their superiority may be chiefly ascribed to the luxuriance and abundance of Reindeer- moss in this district, and partly also because the Enara Lapps do not milk the Reindeer-cow, so that the calves are left with sufficient nourishment. — “The wild Reindeer are bigger and stronger than perhaps any race of the tame. “Tt cften happens that Reindeer will wander from their own herd and for atime take up with another. This happens particularly in the rutting season, and then it is not rare for a wild Stag to become master for a time of a number of Rein-cows in a tame herd. ‘Che offspring of these accidental crosses are sometimes of an exceedingly superior race, but nevertheless it seems not to have happened that the Lapps have made any attempt to obtain results in this direction. “The biggest and strongest animal that he ever possessed was the offspring of a wild Rein-stag, but its other good qualities were not in proportion to its size; yet to draw firewood or other heavy loads for a short way it was, as the people said, ‘like a horse,’ and on that account it was valued accordingly. ‘There is no better proof of the different kinds of Reindeer than the prices paid for them by the settlers, which vary in a very great degree compared with the prices of other objects, which among these primitive people are remarkably uniform. “In short it would be very interesting for those who have the opportunity to endeavour to improve the breed of Reindeer ; but as particular Reindeer are already employed for particular uses, some for sledge-travelling, others for drawing heavy loads, it would be necessary in improving the breeds to keep these different kinds in view. « A sledge-Reindeer which he had lately owned seemed to be almost perfect. It was extremely docile and enduring, and at the same time lively, willing and easy to manage. Its action was elastic and graceful. ‘he symmetry of its make was admirable. Its legs were small with the muscles exactly in the right place and of the best proportion. Its head was beautiful and in complete harmony with the rest of its shape. Its countenance had even an expression of intelligence, which is rare in a Reindeer. Its horns were not wide spread and inconvenient, but as it were compact, of small APPENDIX: NOS. XLIX.—L. ee extent and vigorous growth. There was as much difference between this Reindeer and another ordinary one as between a racehorse and a draught horse. If one could but produce a breed that resembled this Reindeer one would certainly considerably raise the working- power of Lapland. “Since he was speaking on the subject he could not forbear expressing his regret at the fate of the Lapps, obliging and useful as they are, in winter indeed almost necessary for the settlers. They do not deserve to be extirpated like the savage races of people in North America and other places, which civilized man has subdued for himself. And yet all signs point in this direction. Settlers are ever pressing towards the wildest parts of Lapland, and where they have settled down, Lapps can with difficulty keep their herds. For every trifling damage done to a far outlying hayrick, the owner is immediately ready with his claim for compensa'ion. There is the greatest probability that the Lapps cannot much longer hold: on in Finmark. Strictly excluded from Russian territory the nomad Lapps of that district will see their herds gradually disappear, and the fine race of Mountain Lapps who are so justly known for their retirmg and modest manners, must either altogether disappear or betake themselves to the seaside and increase the number of their poor and degraded brethren who have already settled down there.” 15 On tHe Swarm or Lemmines in Lapianp 1n 1853, tHE Birps THAT ACCOMPANIED IT AND THEIR MODE OF BREEDING |. (Om Svaruer ar ForskELLIGE Arrer ar SitzerTEeN, Lemus Livy., 1 Aarer 1853 1 per norDiIGE Laptanp og om DE RovpyRr som FORFOLGE DEM.) [Forhandlinger ved de Skandinaviske Naturforskeres Syvende Mode. I Christiania den 12-18 Juli, 1856, pp. 216-224. Read 16 July, 1856. ] “Hy was so fortunate, the first time he was in Lapland, in the summer of 1853, te arrive during a period of Lemming-swarms. 1 [Throughout this paper Mr. Wolley follows the scientific nomenclature of Professor Nilsson’s ‘Skandinaviske Fauna,’ which was then almost everywhere accepted in the country. It included all the species of Rodents here particularized under the genus Lemmus, and all the Birds-of-Prey named under either Faéco or Striv. The case of the Birds presents no difficulty to the reader; but in regard to the Mammals it may be remarked that few modern zoologists leave more than the true Lemming, the Mus lemmus of Linnzus, in the genus Lemmus, which some render by Myodes: the rest being referred to Arvicola, Lvotomys, Hypudeus, oy Microtus, more or less according to faney—the specific names printed being, however, retained in all cases, except that of L. medius, Nilsson, which seems to have been first properly described as Hypudeus ratticeps by Keyserling and Blasius.—Ep. | 76 APPENDIX: NO. L. In the mountains in the neighbourhood of Muonioniska, on Pallas- tunturi one could everywhere see the vegetation cropped off, and heaps of dung, which, as he afterwards found, shewed that the Lemmings had passed the preceding winter there. “At the time he visited that mountain range, in June, there was not, so far as he could see, a single one of these animals left, but he observed them in the valleys at the foot of the mountains. They spread but slowly. In August they began to cross over the Muonio river from the east—in which direction the mountains le—appa- rently not in compact bands, but as if each animal took its own way. That they were migrating also by night was evident from the reports _of the fish spearers, who often saw them swimming over the rivers and lakes. Afterwards on the Swedish side of the frontier, both on the high ground and in the valleys, in the forest and in the meadows, one saw them in all directions at all times of the twenty-four hours, but apparently they were settled and not on migration. They made paths in the grass and other vegetation, and seemed to house them- selves in holes in the sides of hillocks. ‘This was the case whenever he came across them, and they were quite evenly distributed over all these parts. When autumn came on and the snow was yet thin, they often ran over the surface, and even in the month of December at Karesuando, in an isolated place where the snow was partly blown away he saw them run in and out on the paths they had formed init. Afterwards, when the snow increased, the Lemmings were for the most part lost to sight. t “ But in spring when the snow again diminished he expected to see them once more. He was pretty sure that they could not have wandered away at that season, when it is always light, without being seen on the surface, especially as after the snow was encrusted they would not otherwise be able to go far. “‘ Nevertheless when the ground was completely bare there was nothing to be seen but large heaps of dung everywhere, generally at the openings of the burrows where the animals had sat for a great part of the winter, as was apparent from the remarkable accumu- lation of each heap. Entire dead bodies were however not plentiful, but the earth was strewed with a quantity of remains of their bodies, mostly headless, and, as he believed, the leavings of birds-of-prey from the previous autumn, for he had not the least ground for thinking that they ate one another. He only doubts whether the great number of Lemmings were not dead in their burrows, but unfortunately he did not make sufficiently careful investigation in that direction. There was not a single living Lemming to be found, though at Muonioniska he offered a reward for every one that might be brought to him. But in Karesuando, in the village itself, he got some in the summer of 1854, though they were very rare there. “From the whole country quite up to the Norwegian coast had the Lemmings disappeared, except as he has since been informed in a APPENDIX: NO. L. 7 few small districts, of which one was about Karasjoki. Yet a Lapp in whom he had much confidence told him that he had seen a female with her young on a mountain not many miles north-east of Muonioniska—Ounas-tunturi. “In the beginning of May he himself was on the Norwegian coast about Troms6 and Alten, and there found the ground covered with remains of Lemmings, which had been there two summers before, namely in 1852, and had again vanished, Of this he was positively assured. “Tn East Finmark last summer, 1855, he was assured that all the Lemmings had disappeared for a long while ; but he himself and his friends tad found on a little island in the Varanger Fjord, called Sandskjer, hardly fifty yards in diameter, a colony a Lemmings of various ages, which had unquestionably bred there and produced s some twenty individuals. This was towards the end of June [$ 3271]. “ But in 1853 the Mountain- Lemming [Lemmus norvegicus] was not the only species found in abundance. ‘here were at least four, or possibly five, others ? te 4 1-9 9 3) 3) LONDON, W.: R. H. PORTER, 7 PRINCE'S STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE eo a AG) emanate ab | ee + < dere, ~ 5 A Ae » si . . . i AAA | Ag AAA Anaaar a ae ; aia nin VY \ x WAN AA vA ANA AN aaah Ar <3 . Saal ainannn Oe ® AAS wpe ce snnne sateen Anna | ma pAnaaeh, Me pels Be . 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