MIGRATORY BIRDS. 187 



caps appeared in the garden — the male in splendid song ; doubtless 

 they had arrived much earlier. They had a nest of five eggs by 

 May loth. May 1st, House Martins. These have been backward in 

 nesting on account of the dry season and their not being able to find 

 mud for building. The next day I saw a pair of Swifts ; by the 23rd 

 they had nests under the slates of the village chapel. I was fortunate 

 enough to get quite close to a Reed Warbler early in the morning of 

 the 5th, it is rather a rare species here. I also noticed two or three 

 Sedge Warblers. On the 7th, the Garden Warbler was in song, and the 

 next day Lesser Whitetliroat ; the latter bird probably arrived some 

 time before. A Corncrake was caught on the 7th. I have sometimes 

 noticed them by the last week in April. In my list of autumn and 

 winter migrants, I have included the Common Sandpiper as only 

 appearing in early autumn, but I find now that it appears quite 

 frequently enough in spring to warrant its being considered a regular 

 visitor at that season. It stays but a very short time. Two or three 

 were noticed about the 5th, and several frequented Broughton Castle 

 Moat for some days about the 8th. On the 10th, Spotted Flycatchers 

 arrived ; there were hard set eggs in the garden before the middle of 

 June, and yesterday the young flew. Turtle Doves were first heard on 

 the 19th. Tree Pipit I heard in full song on the 29th, from its actions 

 I have no doubt it had a nest close by ; it usually arrives by the middle 

 of April. We do not often see Sand Martins just here. On the 

 22nd April I paid a visit to a nesting-place, but they had not then 

 arrived. The Nightingale has become scarce in this district the last 

 few years ; it has been heard once or twice this year. This completes 

 the list of those noticed this year. We have one or two more species 

 — the Nightjar, Wood Wren, and Red-backed Shrike for instance ; all 

 uncommon. This year they have not been observed that I am aware 

 of. A Whimbrel was shot at Thorpe Mandeville, Northants, on 

 May 16th. A specimen was procured last spring also ; but it can only 

 rank as an accidental visitor. 

 Bodicote, Oxon., July 2nd, 1881. Oliver V. Aplin. 



THE PERMIAN FORMATION IN THE NORTH-EAST 

 OF ENGLAND, 



WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE PHYSICAL CONDITIONS 

 UNDER WHICH THESE ROCKS WERE FORMED. 



BY E. WILSON. F.G.S. 



(Continued from page 124.) 

 Magxesian Limestone. 

 The most important member of the Permian rocks of the North- 

 east of England is the Magnesian Limestone, using that term as a 

 broad one to include all the rocks from the Upper Limestone of 

 Durham and Brotherton Beds of Yorkshire, down to the Lower or 

 compact Limestone of Durham inclusive. 



