208 BIRDS OF NORFOLK. 



"A flock of tree-sparrows settled on the ship, and 

 others of this species continued to arrive during the 

 whole day, as the vessel passed the Norfolk and Suffolk 

 coast, particularly when ofiP Hasboro', Yarmouth, 

 and Harwich. Their numbers increased at length to 

 upwards of a hundred, and they remained on board 

 until the vessel almost entered the Thames. The exact 

 direction from which they came could not be very well 

 ascertained, as they descended from an invisible height 

 in the air, to the call of those which were in the ship ; 

 and after wheeling two or three times round the vessel 

 to reconnoitre, joined their companions on board. They 

 appeared to arrive from the English coast, and there can 

 be little or no doubt but that they did so." I do not, 

 however, consider this latter remark against the proba- 

 bility of these birds visiting us at that season, since these 

 flights, in pursuing a southerly course, not far from land, 

 would appear to be coming /rom the English coast, when 

 merely seeking the rigging of a passing vessel, to rest 

 for awhile, or attracted towards it by the *^call" notes 

 of others. With regard to the authenticity of the above 

 statement, Mr. Blyth adds — " The number and variety of 

 the species, which my informant observed, are, indeed, 

 so extraordinary, that if I did not know my source of 

 information to be respectable, I should have felt great 

 hesitation in thus making it pubHc. I have seen, how- 

 ever, several of the birds which were taken on board, 

 and can quite safely vouch for the accuracy of all that is 

 above stated." In further corroboration also of the 

 migratory habits of this species, I extract the following 

 note, by Mr. E. H. Rodd, of Penzance, from the 

 "Field" (November, 1860): — "A Norwegian brig put 

 into Penzance a few days since, and among other inci- 

 dents of the voyage between Norway and England, the 

 master of the vessel mentioned that midway between the 

 two countries thousands of small sparrows passed and 



