Black Tern. (Sterna nigra, Briss.) A pair were, not long ago, shot by Mr. Charles Reeks, near the Old Bridge, Christchurch.
Little Gull. (Larus minutus, Pall.) Mr. Rake informs me that a pair of these rare birds were killed near Breamore, in November, 1855.
Glaucous Gull. (Larus glaucus, Brün.) A solitary specimen has, I believe, once been shot near Christchurch, by the Hon. Grantley Berkeley, in whose collection it is.
Common Skua. (Lestris catarractes, Ill.) Occasionally killed flying round Christchurch Head.
Fork-tailed Petrel. (Thalassidroma Leachii, Tem.) Mr. Rake informs me that a specimen was picked up dead, near Fordingbridge, November, 1859.
Stormy Petrel. (Thalassidroma pelagica, Vigors.) Frequently picked up dead, or exhausted, along the coast, after severe weather, with the wind blowing from the west.
Adopting Yarrell’s census, an analysis of these lists gives to the Forest district 72 out of the 140 British residents, 31 out of our 63 summer visitors, 35 winter visitors, and of rarer birds and stragglers, 90; or altogether, including the two birds of double passage, 230 species out of the whole 354.
Since these lists were arranged, Mr. Rake sends me word, concerning the reed wren, that in the winter of 1858, a nest, evidently built the preceding summer, and exactly resembling that bird’s, was found in a thick bed of reeds on the bank of the Avon, near Fordingbridge, but he has never seen the birds or eggs from the neighbourhood.
With regard to the kildeer plover, I may add that several persons saw it in the flesh, and that Mr. Tanner received it soon after it was mounted. My only surprise is with Dr. Sclater (see the Ibis vol. iv., No. xv., p. 277), that a bird with so large a range of flight should not before this have been recorded as occurring in England.
The vignette is, with a slight alteration of position, taken from Mr. Tanner’s specimen.