244 Holiddn Xofcfi from Easlhoiime. 



Holiday Notes from Eastbourne. 



By S. Williams, F.Z.S. 



To those of our members who take an interest in the 

 avifauna of the district in which they live, or are spending, 

 a holiday, as well as the inhabitants of their cages or aviaries, 

 the following notes may prove acceptable reading. Having 

 recently spent a short holiday in the above town, I will give 

 a short account of the birds I met during one of my walks. 

 I am not going to classify them genealogically, but will 

 mention them as they came before my notice. My host, hav- 

 ing kindly lent me a pair of field glasses, I set forth on at 

 ramble across Eeachy Head and returned by an inland route. 

 Starting from the pier, the first bird to be seen was not oui 

 cheery little friend the House Sparrow {Passer domes ticus), 

 but the Jackdaw (Corviis monedula)^ half a dozen of which 

 at least, were proclaiming their presence on the top of .the 

 houses with their not unpleasant caw. Keeping along thej 

 beach I walked on the sands to Burling C4ap. I saw some 

 Sparrows, Common (Ui'ls, and one Cormoi-anr, uniesi I was 

 mistaken, the last mentioned being some distance away. Star- 

 iings {Si'nnnis rnlguris) were flying about in large numbers, 

 many nests being in the clifi's; some more Jackdaws also with 

 nests and some Sand Martins (Cotile riparia)'. Having reached 

 Burling Gap, I met a coastguard and had a chat with him, 

 and having walked five miles over shingles and boulders under 

 a summer sun, I \^'as not long in accepting his ofl'er of some 

 bathing "togs." ,1 was soon in the warm briny and feljt 

 much refreshed with my bathe. Having rested and enjoyed 

 a pipe I made my way to the Gap Hotel and was soon doing 

 justice to my lunch— nothing beats good home-made bread and 

 cheese and a tankard of good English ale. In the bar were 

 a numlier of stufTed birds and animals, most of them 

 having lallen lo the gun of the prejirietor. A 

 young Black-backed (UiU shot flying with some Wild 

 Geese. and a Golden Plover shot on the did', a 

 Barn Owl, a Diver, and oilier sea birds; also a line Badger 

 taken close by were among the collection. Having lunched 

 and refilled my pipe, I went inland, and finding a nice ^hady 

 seat by a thicket of brambles spent an hour watt-hiiig the 



