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leave before the winter sets in. They must come from a 

 considerable distance, as there is no heronry in the neighbour- 

 hood ; there used to be one at Kildale, another at Sedgefield, and 

 I have been informed there was one at Greatham, but none of 

 them exist at present that I am aware of. Other birds, such as 

 the Grey Plover (Squatarola helvetica), are resident, but in 

 diminished numbers, most of the winter ; as is also the Turnstone 

 (Strepsilas interpres), Oystercatcher (Eccmatopus ostralegus), Purple 

 Sandpiper (Tringa striata), Knot (Tringa canutus), and Bar-tailed 

 Godwit (Lvnosa lapponica). The Common Curlew (Numenius 

 arquata), Golden Plover (Charadrius pluvialis), and Redshank 

 ( Totanus calidris) are resident all the year, but in greatly increased 

 numbers in autumn and winter. The Dunlin (Tringa aipina) and 

 and Ring Dotterel (JEgialitis hiaticula) are also resident all the 

 year, and congregate in immense flocks in the autumn and winter, 

 occasionally associated with Knots {Tringa canutus), Turnstones 

 (Strepsilas interpres), Greenshanks {Totanus canescens), and 

 Redshanks (Totanus calidris). Dunlins (Tringa aipina) shot on 

 August 7th still retained the black pectoral patch, but it had 

 entirely disappeared in birds shot on September 22nd. These 

 birds vary greatly, not only in plumage, but in the length of the 

 bill and other members, so much so, that a taxidermist of my 

 acquaintance maintains there are two distinct species, one having 

 a bill much longer and more bent, and more slender legs, than 

 the other. 



Of the winter migrants, the average date of the arrival of the 

 Woodcock (Scolopax rusticula) at the Tees mouth is about the 5th 

 of October, generally with north-east or easterly winds. They 

 begin to arrive early in September, and continue until late in 

 December, but the greatest number usually arrive about the date 

 named, and, curiously enough, often accompanied by Goldcrested 

 Wrens (Regulus cristatus). The breakwater, which is built of 

 slag, at times swarms with these pretty diminutive birds, which 

 arrive in an exhausted condition. In Sharpe's List, published in 

 1816, it is recorded that many Woodcocks were found drowned 

 on the north sands about twelve years previously, ' in the spring, 

 supposed to have met with a contrary wind,' Redwings (Turdus 

 iliacus), and Fieldfares (2\ pilaris) begin to arrive about the end 

 of September, but the second week in October for the Redwings 

 and the third for the Fieldfares is about the average time of 

 arrival. There is generally, too, a very large immigration of 

 other Thrushes about the same time, or a little earlier, chiefly 

 the Missel Thrush (Turdus viscivorus), with a sprinkling of the 



