NOTES AND QUERIES.
AVES.
Swallow-tailed Kite in Suffolk.—This British example of Elanoides furcatus, recorded by Mr. Butterfield (ante, p. 270), was restored by Mr. Bristow, of St. Leonards, some years ago, and the Mr. Travers who shot it told him it was eating a partridge at the time.—G.W. Bradshaw (Hastings).
Alleged Nesting of Montagu's Harrier in Kent.—About the last week in June a young lady, a near neighbour, called to tell me that she had found a nest that she was anxious to identify, bringing with her a feather which had fallen from the bird as it left the nest. I at once recognized the feather as one of the outer tail-feathers of a Harrier, but of which particular species I did not feel sure at first. It certainly was not a Marsh Harrier's, and therefore was either from the Hen Harrier, Circus cyaneus, or Montagu's, C. cinerasceus. The locality, a marsh, did not accord with the usual breeding places of the Hen Harrier, and on my showing a specimen of a female of each of these species, an objection was raised that the Hen Harrier was too large. A further comparison of the tail-feathers of each left no doubt on my mind that the nest was one of C. cinerasceus. The nest was in a dry part of the marsh, and placed in a thick clump of rush and Carex. Some of the material, which was also brought for my inspection, consisted of broken pieces of dry reed. The nest was described as very slight in construction. There was one pale bluish-white egg, aud this was left in hopes that more would be laid. On a second visit the egg was gone, probably abstracted by a Rook, as no footmark or trodden herbage was visible; nor was the bird seen again. I think there is no doubt whatever that this Harrier (Montagu's) had bred here.—W. Oxenden Hammond (St. Alban's Court, near Wingham, Kent).
Summer Appearance of Wild Geese in Fifeshire.—On July 1st a small flock—about twenty in number—of Wild Geese flew over the links here, going in an easterly direction. Species undetermined, though probably "Pink-footed," which are common here in winter.— A.H. Meiklejohn (St. Andrews, N.B.).
Strange Occurrence of an Albatross in Cambridgeshire.—Mr. Travis, the birdstuffer at Bury St. Edmunds, has lately received in the flesh a bird which is probably new to the European fauna—one of the
