ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM A SOUTH LONDON SUBURB. 
strong breeze or even a half gale against them seems to make 
very little difference—in fact, it almost appears that the stronger 
the wind they have to contend against the faster do they tra- 
vel. When leaving us, some departing companies may be 
seen as early as the second week in August, but far the larger 
number between the middle and end of September. Their 
course is, as on arrival, against the wind, but generally to the 
S. of W., whereas in spring their course is distinctly N. of W. 
By the first week in October the main body has passed, but 
a few stragglers are usually seen until the middle of the 
month; in 1902 as late as the 27th. 
MARTIN (Resident). 
From the first year of my observations here, up to 1896, 
Martins nested both in Coldharbour Lane and Wiltshire Road, 
and to a still later date in Josephine Avenue; but for five 
years or more I have known none to breed nearer than Dul- 
wich. In 1905 several pairs were nesting in Croxted Road, 
but year by year fewer make their homes in this much-changed 
district, and the numbers to be seen sporting over the park 
lakes are diminishing yearly. The species, however, is still 
fairly well represented about Tooting Common and its lake, 
and the presence of these birds in the summer months is 1- 
dicative of nests near at hand. In 1883 a pair fed their late 
brood up to the 10th October; and in 1886 a pair endeavoured 
to bring up their young in Balham at a still later date, feed- 
ine them assiduously up to the 27th, when a cold and stormy 
period sent them off before the young were able to fly. As 
a nesting species it is certainly more plentiful than the Swallow, 
and is a later migrant both in coming and going. In 1898 [I 
saw an exceptionally early bird on the 13th April—the earliest 
note, by the way, of the species | have ever made—but the 
usual date of arrival is during the first week in May. As in 
the case of the Swallows, there is invariably a rush W. of later 
migrants towards the end of the month. Autumn migrants 
have never been observed before the first week in September, 
and the chief movement—this, too, in large companies of occa- 
sionally a hundred or more—is to be seen from the last few 
days of September until the second week in October. A few 
stragglers may be seen quite at the end of the month, and 
in 1902 two birds appeared in Dulwich Park so late as Novem- 
ber 8th. On October the. 14th, 1907, a remarkably steady 
stream of some hundreds passed S.W. (wind W.), feeding as 
they went ; this movement lasted for fully a quarter of an hour. 
35 
