STARLINGS USING A ROOST IN SUMMER. SOME observationnöTEs that I made in BedfordshirSe may , I think, be considered of added interest to this subject (see British Birds, Vol. XXIII, pp. 6-7). S'tarlings that I estimated at upwards of 20,000 birds had selected for their roost a chestnut plantation with a very considerable undergrowth of dense hawthorn bushes on the Crown Farm at Tumey. On May 2nd, 1912, and the two following evenings, the keeper, by shooting, caused them with the exception of about a hundred birds to desert this roost. I gathered up twelve birds that had been killed, and every one proved to be a male. At this particular time of year practically all the females would be incubating, as nesting in this species in any particular locality seems to be simultaneous as regards laying and the time the young leave the nest. Hence, I concluded that during that time of the year the females would evidently be in a very small percentage indeed. On June i5th, 1913, the Starlings were occupying the same roost. My daughter and I attempted to estimate their number. They started to come in about 5 p.m. and so continued for nearly three hours, and we calculated there were fully 30,000 birds. The line of night from the south and west was very greatly in excess than from any other directions. Again visiting this locality May ist, 1914, there did not appear to be more than one per cent. of their numbers coming from the north or east; the wind then being from the south. J. S. ELLIOTT. GREEN WOODPECKER ATTACKING HIVES. SOME time ago, Mr. G. C. Hobday, of Sandbanks, Bourne- mouth, informed me that he had seen a Green Woodpecker (Picus v. virescens) close to his hives and enquired whether this species was known to take bees. I informed him that I knew of no recorded instance of their taking them, and in reply he sent me two copies of the British Bee Journal, Nos. 2,448 and 2,453 ix929)- In the first, Mr. F. Holland described and figured a hole made in February about z\ inches in diameter in the top lift of the outer case of ä W.B.C. hive. The wood was about half-an-inch thick, and the work was presumed to be that of the Green Woodpecker. No damage was done to the bees as the top of the hive was empty. 274 BRITISH BIRDS [VOL. XXIIK Writing from Boxford, Suffolk, Mr. G. Hogan states that a few years ago he found the entrances to his hives much damaged in winter. Some 200 holes were made, the largest being about 3 inches in diameter. By watching, it was- discovered that Green Woodpeckers were the culprits, and their tapping could be heard at the house some 200 yards away. To save the apiary, five of the birds were shot. The damage to the apiary was very severe and many of the hives were subsequently queenless. It was noted that out of about 80 hives the single-walled Langstroth type was almost invariably chosen for attack in preference to the double-walled hives. There seems to be no proof that bees. or honey were actually taken, but the damage to the hives necessitated strong measures, and since then, though an occasional small hole has been noticed, there has been no need to take direct action. F. C. R. JOURDAIN.

SNOWY OWL IN SOMERSETSHIRE. ON January i8th, 1930, I saw a Snowy Owl (Nydea nyctea) on Haddon Hill, . The bird, which was on the ground among short heather, was about forty yards away, and appeared to be about the size of a Buzzard. I watched it for some minutes and could see that it was not entirely white, but had some blackish speckies or bars. After I had watched it for a few minutes it flew heavily as though tired, and again alighted at some distance. As I was hunting at the time I was unable to follow it up. GEOFFRINA CHURCHILL.

FLEDGING-PERIOD OF THE BARN-OWL. THE following notes may be of interest in connection with the fledging-period of the Barn-Owl (Tyto a. alba) as obseived in Cumberland. The eggs were laid on hay in a corner of a mewstead, and a few feet below a wall-plate. Four eggs were hatched, and three young reared; these young were hatched on May 22nd, 241h and 261h respectively. By June 8th the nestlings were growing the long, silky down and the quills of the flight-feathers were appearing. By the I5th they were covered with the long down, and their long faces were notice- able ; the feathers were beginning to sprout from the flight- quills, and the nestlings were first heard snoring. By 22nd the night and tail-feathers were further sprouted, and their faces were nearly feathered. The nestlings lay on their backs and used their talons when disturbed. By 20,th the night and tail-feathers were further sprouted, and the mantle VOL. XXIII.] NOTES. 275 feathers were noticed under the silky down. The nestlings were upright and Walking about the hay. On July 6th the plumage was more perfect, down adhering to the feather-tips; the nestlings were waving their heads. On ioth they were almcst fledged and on i2th they were found on the wall-plate. On the i5th they were judged to be in juvenile plumage, but they made no attempt at night when handled. On 23rd they had moved further along the wall-plate, but still no attempts at flight were made. On July 29th the nestlings flew the length of the barn when disturbed, the fledging-period thus being sixty-four to sixty-eight days. R. H. BRCWN. SPOONBILL BREEDING IN DENMARK. IN the Dansk Ornühologisk Forenings Tidsskrifi for 1929, pp. 111-118, V. Holstein gives us the welcome news that a small colony of Spoonbills (Platalea leucorodia), consisting of three pairs, was discovered nesting in an extensive marsh in Jutland during the surnmer of 1928 by Messrs. Koefoed, Klinge, Thornys, Schäffer and Bramsen, who were making a study of the wild life of the district. There is also reason to believe that some years ago a pair nested in Jutland, but the eggs were taken and the birds shot. For many years the Jutland coasts have been visited by small parties of these birds, but this is the first time that breeding has been recorded, and makes a considerable northern extension of the ränge of the species in Europe. The nests were not disturbed in 1928, and the young were successfully brought off. The paper is illustrated by some excellent photographs of nests, eggs and young birds by A. Heilmann. The Danish govemment has given absolute protection to this species for the years 1928, 1929 and 1930. F. C. R. JOUKDAIN STORM-DRIVEN BIRDS ON THE LONDON RESERVOIRS. ON December 7th, 1929, during one of the strong gales, .D. L. L. saw two adult Kittiwakes (Rissa tridadyla) at Staines Reservoirs, Middlesex. Probably they were greatly in need of food, for they beat around the banks continuously through- out the hour for which they were watched, They showed no signs of exhaustion. On December löth, there was a dead adult floating in the water of the reservoir, which had clearly been there several days. On January i8th, 1930, after the last of the gales, T. H. H. found another adult Kittiwake floating dead on Littleton 276 BRITISH BIRDS. [VOL. xxm. Reservoir (Middlesex). It had been dead several days, There are extremely few previous records for Middlesex. On January ist, 1930, we saw a Little Auk (Alle alle) on Molesey Reservoirs (Surrey). Like those reported from Staines Reservoirs, which are only a few miles distant, on December 3ist (antea, pp. 252-3), but unlike the one captured on the Round Pond, Kensington Gardens, on December 3ist (Field, 8.11.30), it was wild and active. It flew rapidly out to the centre of the reservoir when we disturbed it, and dived on striking the water. There are about fourteen previous records for Surrey. D. L. LACK. T. H. HARRISSON. STORM-DRIVEN BIRDS IN SOUTH WALES, DECEMBER, 1929. THE coast of South Wales experienced to the füll the severity of the gales which occurred at the beginning of the rnonth, and as a consequence many unusual species have been reported to us and are recorded in the list which follows. GANNET (Sula bassana),—One was found on the roof of a house in Aberystwyth (Cards.) on December 6th and reported to the National Museum of Wales by Mr. W. Miall Jones. STORM-PETREL (Hydrobates fielagicus).—-The National Museum of Wales received a specimen from Haverfordwest (Pemb.), found in that town on December I2th. LEACH'S FORK-TAILED PETREL (Oceanodroma l. leu- corrhoa).—Two were reported by Mr. W. Miall Jones to the National Museum of Wales, one being picked up on the railway embankment, December 6th, and the other on the shore at Aberystwyth (Cards.), December i2th. The Museum also received one which had been picked up alive in a garden in Cardiff (Glam.), December 7th, and another specimen was received from Llanboidy (Carms.), where it was found on December ioth. This is the first to be recorded from Carmarthenshire, FULMAR PETREL (Fulmarus g. glacialis).—On December I5th, we searched the tide-line for a couple of miles along the Kenfig Sands (Glam.). Dead birds were found at almost every step, the majority being Kittiwakes,* Puffms, Razor- bills and Guillemots with a few Herring-Gulls. Among these we discovered a Fulmar Petrel of the pale form, a good speci­ men and quite fresh. This is the first to be recorded for Glamorgan, and as there are comparatively few records for the whole of South Wales it may be of interest to note here

* The mortality amongst Kittiwakes was noticeably heavy—out of 34 Gulls found, 30 were cf this species. VOL. XXIII.] NOTES. 277 that besides the one recorded for Pembrokeshire (Mathews, Birds of Pemb.), Professor J. H. Salter informs us that Hutchings, the taxidermist in Aberystwyth, must have had about a dozen through his hands, but without any data. He has himself seen two Cardiganshire specimens, one shot at Aberystwyth on January 7th, 1892, and the other he picked up on the beach at Clarach, about two miles north of Aberystwyth on June 6th, 1895. We are informed by Mr. Ewart Cooke, of Llanelly, that Jeffreys, the taxidermist at Carmarthen, has a specimen which is said to have been taken locally, but there are no data. There are apparently no records from Breconshire, Radnorshire, and Monmouthshire. GREY PHALAROPE (Phalaropusfulicarius).—Thebird already reported from Pembroke, December 7th (antea, page 230), must be included in this list. ARCTIC SKUA (Stercorarius parasiticus).—We observed one on the Llanishen Reservoirs (Glam.) on December 8th, and Major C. Hodgkinson-Smith informs us that one was present off Sker Point (Glam.), and was seen by several observers between December 9th and I5th. LITTLE AUK [Alle alle).—The National Museum of Wales received a specimen in the flesh, which had been found near Cowbridge (Glam.) on December I2th. • We are indebted to Mr. Colin Matheson, the Keeper of the Department of Zoology, for the records of the specimens sent in to the National Museum of Wales. GEOFFREY C. S. INGRAM. H. MORREY SALMON.

BLACK-THROATED DIVER IN SURREY. ON December 24th, 1929, my friend, Mr. T. H. Harrisson, observed a Black-throated Diver (Colymbus arcticus) on Molesey Reservoirs, the bird probably having arrived during one of the gales which had occurred with almost unbroken succession since the early part of November. On January I2th, I visited the Reservoirs in the Company of Messrs. T. H. and W. R. D. Harrisson, and P. A. D. Hollom. When we arrived the bird was within about 50 yards of the concrete wall, from the top of which we obtained an excellent view with the aid of a powerful telescope. Mr. T. H. Harrisson and his brother, who have seen the Diver on at least a dozen different days, inform me that it evinced a streng attachment to a particular corner of the Reservoirs, driving away any birds which ventured to 278 BRITISH BIRDS. [VOL. XXIII. encroach upon its territory. On two occasions, after diving, it was seen to emerge beneath a Great Crested Grebe, and a vigorous onslau'ght upon one of these birds was once witnessed. The Diver was still present on January i8th, but could not be found on January 22nd. HOWARD BENTHAM. WOODPIGEON INCUBATING IN JANUARY IN LONDON. A WOODPIGEON (C. palumbus) built a new nest on top of an old one near the top of a fifteen-foot May tree in Onslow Gardens, and on January oih, 1930, was sitting hard on two well-incubated eggs. Up to this all was going well and there seemed every prospect of a brood being reared; but she then deserted, for which cats were probably to blame. H. LYNES. OYSTERCATCHER NESTING IN KENT. SINCE instances of the Oystercatcher {Hcematopus 0. ostralegus) nesting in Kent have been very few in recent years, it may be of interest to record that on May 3oth, 1929, three eggs of this species were brought to me by a friend who had found them in the neighbourhood of Sandwich. On June I2th I visited the place with hira and, near the site of the first nest, we found a second containing two eggs. I had previously found a nest at the same spot on June 23rd, 1927, but so far as I kfiow none was found in 1928. In each case the nesting site was a shallow depression in the shingle, lined with a few pieces of shell. LIONEL H. DAGLEY. AVOCET IN DEVON. I AM informed by Mr. M. W. L. Tutton, of Cambridge, that on January 22nd, 1930, he saw, from the train, an Avocet (Recurvirostra avocetta) alighting on the mud flats at the mouth of the Teign. He teils me that the bird was near enough for him to see its black and white plumage and its dark upturned bill, which made it quite unmistakable. As the train was travelling slowly he was able to observe the bird for some time. J. M. Mc C. FISHER. LITTLE GULL FEEDING ON EARTH-WORMS. AN immature Little Gull (Larus minutus) was in the vicinity of Weybourne, on the north Norfolk coast, from January i8th to 25th, 1930. On two occasions I watched it feeding on earthworms on a neighbouring field where ploughing was in VOL. xxin.] NOTES 279 progress. I was near enough to be able to see the worms hanging from its bill. As this seems to be an addition to the dietary given in the Practical Handbook, it may be worth recording. R. M. GARNETT.

CENSUS OF HERONRIES.—Since the publication of Mr. Nicholson's Report on our Census of Heronries, 1928 (Vol. XXII, pp. 270-323 and 334-372) we have received a number of additions and corrections. Mr. Nicholson is now preparing these for publication as a Supplementary Report, and this will appear in the April number. If any of our readers have any further material, this should be sent in immediately.

RAVENS NESTING IN TREES IN DEVONSHIRE.—With further reference to the notes on this subject (antea, pp. 126 and 198), Mr. Owen Wynne informs us that in 1929 he found the nest of a further pair in a big larch tree in a Valley. He had noted a pair haunting the locality every spring for four or five years, but had not previously found the nest.

CHIFFCHAFF IN WINTER IN SOMERSETSHIRE.—Mr. E. G. Holt informs us that he watched a Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) at Cossington Manor, , for about live minutes on Febfuary I4th, 1930. The day was warm with the sun out, and the bird sang almost continuously. We have notes of two other occurrences in winter (December and January) in the county, where it has also been recorded as early as March 4th.

SAND-MARTINS NESTING IN DRAIN-FIPES.—With reference to previous notes on this subject (cf. Vol. XXI, pp. 166 and 208), Mr. L. H. Dagley informs us that in 1929 he found several drain-pipes in an old wall at Ross-on-Wye being used for nesting, while a few yards away, many Sand-Martins were nesting in normal sites in the river bank.

WHOOPER AND BEWICK'S SWANS IN KENT.—Mr. Lionel H. Dagley informs us that a Cygnus cygnus was shot out of a party of four in Pegwell Bay, on February I5th, 1929, and that he saw several at Kingsgate on the 22nd. Also that an immature C. bewickii was shot at Broadstairs on February zist.

PINK-FOOTED GEESE IN KENT.—Mr. Lionel H. Dagley writes that on January 4th, 1929, he saw a skein of five 280 BRITISH BIRDS. [VOL. xxm. Anser brackyrhynchus flying across Pegwell Bay, and that with his glasses he was able to see satisfactorily their small bills. LEACH'S FORK-TAILED AND STORM-PETRELS INLAND.—With. reference to the note on this subject (antea, pp. 253-4), Mr. H. E. Forrest sends the following additional records :— LEACH'S FORK-TAILED PETREL. On November 23rd, one found dead near Shrewsbury, Shropshire. On December ioth, one killed against telegraph wires at Barmouth, Merionethshire, as reported by Mr. J. Backhouse. In December, two reported from Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire, by Prof. J. H. Salter. Mr. Stanley Lewis sends us the following list of occur- rences, all in Somersetshire in December, 1929 :— STORM-PETREL. One at Cleveden, two at TJphill, one at Clarence Park (Weston-super- Mare), one at Burnham-on-Sea (kept alive for a time by Mr. Holt and then liberated), one at (R. Parrett), two at Shurton Bars and one at Meare.