RECORDS FROM STAFFORDSHIRE. 105 



Staffordshire, a fruitful, but previously unworked, locality, 

 except tlirough the exertions of Mr. G. H. Clarke, to whom 

 most of these records are primarily due. Brief notes on some 

 of these occurrences appeared in Mr. Masefield's report for 

 1908-09, but these may be treated together, as they were, 

 we believe, derived from Mr. Coburn, to whom we must be 

 thankful for rescuing some of these records from probable 

 oblivion. 



Although we cannot agree with many of Mr. Coburn's 

 conclusions with regard to migration, the facts he narrates, 

 taken in conjunction with other records, such as those of 

 Mr. Ward at Gailey Pools, show in a remarkable way that 

 there is a far larger and more regular stream of migrants 

 between the Trent and the Severn than was previously sup- 

 posed, and open a most interesting field of observation to local 

 ornithologists, of which we trust they will take advantage. 



Before dealing with the records seriatim, we should like 

 to call attention to a " very extraordinary migration " which 

 took place in the middle of May, 1891, during a heavy snowfall 

 followed by hard frost. Mr. Coburn says that on May 17th " the 

 whole district was teeming " with Stonechats. They differed 

 from others seen earlier in the season, being " paler in colour, 

 more slender in build and their actions different." No speci- 

 mens were shot, and next day all had disappeared. From 

 later investigations he is " quite satisfied that these were 

 Siberian Stonechats, Pratincola maura " ! We quote this as 

 an instance of very remarkable optimism before proceeding 

 to deal with the more important records in detail. 



All localities referred to are in Staffordshire unless otherwise 

 stated, and the order of Saunders' Manual has been followed. 



[Bearded Tit {Panurus biarmicus). ^Two said to have 

 been shot at ChasetowTi in the winter of 1896 by Mr. G. H. 

 Clarke. Previous evidence of its occurrence in Staffordshire 

 is far from satisfactory. The nest in a gorse-bush, referred 

 to in the Vict. Hist, of Stafford (Vol. I., p. 144), was more 

 probably that of a Long-tailed Tit ! ] 



