Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/279

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ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM SURREY.
253

year 1875, obtained ten eggs from the Duke of Northumberland, and reared them all under a hen. They were all turned out on Witley Common, in order to improve the local stock, and the experiment undoubtedly did some good, but not for very long. The young birds would not answer the call of their foster-mother. The species, in Mr. Webb's opinion, is practically extinct now (1900) in the Witley district (in lit).

Water-Rail (R. aquaticus). Mr. Crowley had two clutches taken by Smither at Frensham in 1866 and 1867.

Moor-hen (G. chloropus).—Mr. Crowley had a light buff specimen from near Croydon.

Thick-knee (ŒE. scolopax).—Observed near Caterham last spring by the Editor of this journal (in lit).

Oystercatcher (H. ostralegus).—Mr. Bryan Hook has one from Frensham pond ('Farnham and its Surroundings,' p. 116).

Grey Phalarope (P. fulicarius).—Mr. Crowley had one picked up dead at Waddon in 1890.

Woodcock (S. rusticola).—Mr. F.B.P. Long informs me that it breeds regularly in the Bagshot woods; a few nests are found annually, and the young have been seen as early as April 1st. He has an egg taken some years ago in Bagshot Park (in lit.). Mr. J.D. Salmon had eggs from Godalming taken there in 1849 (MS. catalogue). Although not generally a good season for cock, fifteen were seen and nine bagged in one day not far from Chipstead in the early part of December, 1900.

Snipe (G. cœlestis).—Mr. Long tells me that Chobham Common was a great place for Snipe forty or fifty years ago, and a good many are still sometimes shot there (in lit.). Mr. Crowley had scores of clutches from near Frensham between 1862 and 1882, mostly in the 'sixties. There was a nest this spring quite close to the Frensham Pond hotel.

Dunlin (T. alpina).—Mr. Bryan Hook has a specimen from Frensham pond ('Farnham and its Surroundings,' p. 115).

Curlew (N. arquata).—In this Journal (1900, p. 382), a nest of the Curlew is stated to have been taken in the spring of 1896 on Chobham Common with some eggs, two of which were still in existence. As this was the only definite occurrence of the breeding of this species in the county, I have made the very closest enquiry into the record. The result has been very satis-