110 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS 



bird-generation fledged, no sooner do the young" realise 

 their newly-gained powers of flight — than we see symptoms 

 of the desire to migrate, these mere fledglings being all 

 but universally permeated by an irresistible impulse to fly 

 afar. The subject is referred to later, in more specific 

 detail. 



As early as mid- June (and even before) such birds 

 as starlings and peewits are gathering into flocks, pre- 

 paratory to moving; but in July the phenomenon rapidly 

 develops, and the signs of the time then become 

 plentiful and patent enough to those who care to read 

 them. Strange birds appear in unwonted situations. 

 The whistle of curlew or plover is heard amid the un- 

 accustomed environment of waving corn, or among 

 enclosed fields of turnips or potatoes. From a farm- 

 pond in the lowlands, there springs a dunlin, or half-a- 

 dozen sandpipers ; while often, by night, a chorus of 

 mingled bird-notes come down from the dark skies 

 overhead. Far away from moorland, a "blackbird with 

 a white breast" is reported by the gardener among the 

 currant-bushes. This is, of course, a ring-ouzel, and the 

 small bird the cat has caught, proves to be a young 

 wheatear. Poor fellow! He is not yet four weeks old, 

 yet was starting so blithely on a voyage of discovery 

 to the unknown Mediterranean. 



On the seaside, the terns have broken up their camps 

 and spread themselves all along the coast where sand- 

 eels and "herring-syle" are just now so abundant and 

 tempting. The terns are immediately followed up by 

 their arch-enemy the pirate skua ; and, from day to day, 

 one may expect to see the first stragglers of the incoming 

 waterfowl and wading birds : whimbrels from Shetland, 

 a little string of grey-geese from Sutherland or the 



