22 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. vi. 



masses of these insects were blo\vn past the shore by the 

 south-west wind, and the rocks, banks and houses in the 

 vicinity were covered with thousands upon thousands of the 

 half-dazed creatures. This apparent migration continued all 

 day up to 5 p.m. 



Early in the following morning I noticed a large quantity 

 of gulls off shore, and their numbers increased throughout 

 the day until it is no exaggeration to say that between Tyne- 

 mouth and Cullercoats, a distance of perhaps a mile and a 

 quarter, the sea was white with them. All were Black-headed 

 Gulls {Larus ridibundus). By edging close into the rocks 

 when the tide was full, they were enabled to pick off the fiies 

 clinging to them or snap up those floating on the surface. 

 They gradually departed throughout the next day. 



The Black -headed Gull at that time of year is in this district 

 perhaps the commonest of the family ; but I have never seen 

 one-tenth of the birds together before as on this occasion. 

 So extraordinary were their numbers as to call forth remarks 

 from the casual observer, and a notice appeared in the New- 

 castle Daily Journal commenting on their presence. 



J. M. Charlton. 



THE 1912 " WRECK " OF THE LITTLE AUK. 

 Yorkshire. — In the account under Scotland, signed H. F. W. 

 (Vol. v., pp. 337-8) it is said that the Little Auks "were first 

 noticed in Yorkshire . . . on January 20th."' On that part of 

 the coast between Scarborough and Filey, considerable numbers 

 were passing during the Avhole of January, 1912, and the latter 

 part of December, 1911. Many hundreds passed at this period, 

 and scores were washed ashore in a dead or dying condition. 

 Stragglers penetrated inland for several miles. I saw the 

 first Little Auks at Filey on December 26th, 1911, when there 

 was a number swimming and diving along the Brig side. 

 I have a note that the wind was westerly, the sea smooth, 

 and the temperature mild at the time, and I was surprised 

 to see the birds under these conditions. I heard of one or 

 two stragglers previous to this date, but did not see one 

 myself before December 26th. (W. J. Clarke.) 



Essex. — A Little Auk was found dead on a marsh at Rett en- 

 don on January 21st, and another in a very exhausted state 

 was found in a creek of the River Crouch in the same parish 

 on February 4th. (L. Gray.) 



EARLY NESTING OF MOOR-HEN. 

 On March 29th, 1912, I found on an island in a pond at 

 Burnage, Didsbury, a Moor-Hen {Gallinula c. chloropus) sitting 

 on six eggs. This is the earliest date for which I have a record. 



