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bit of local information given—‘ Under a bridge in Wormeill, 
West Cumberland, over the Calder, there existed for some years 
a small colony of ousels, who built their nests close together” 
—or something of the kind. Every minute detail of every bird 
should be given, mind that—especially dates as to time of 
shooting. 
In winter here we have great flocks of ex Chaffinches—in 
other counties great flocks of cock birds; and now we come to 
see the use of dates—arguing from this broad example, useless 
perhaps except as an example—for by dates alone can we ever 
_ hope to get some clue to the partial migration of birds in England 
—a great mystery! I often wondered what became of our familiar 
friends the Starlings, after with so much fuss and noise they had 
reared their young about our chimney tops ;—and what a bold 
beautiful fellow the cock Starling is, shining resplendent in the sun 
with his coat of rainbow colouring—glossy, iridescent. I ceased 
_ to wonder after one wild November day I spent in a long walk 
upon the downs between Somerset and Wiltshire. I had the luck to 
see that day absolutely thousands of Starlings packed flying south- 
wards; and during the years I spent in Somersetshire, as each 
winter came round, with it came the flights of Starlings; but I 
never but that once saw the whole body, as it were, of all the 
Northern Birds upon the wing. Now mark the difference—here, 
when the Starlings come, we know that spring is come ; there, their 
arrival told us of the Cyder-time—and greedily they took their 
share of the stores of fruit laid up in every orchard ; and were shot 
_down—lI regret to say—pitilessly; and I have heard that a starling 
pie was no mean dish. 
It is easily intelligible how tender birds may like warmer 
quarters than we can offer them in winter months—small blame to 
them these winters—but the subtle influences which induce certain 
birds at certain times to leave their usual haunts, and repair to 
others apparently very little dissimilar, are too subtle for us to 
explain readily. 
Flocks of Bullfinches, for instance, coming down at certain 
times, but not staying to breed, and Goldfinches (and in North- 
