2 66 Among the Birds in Northejni Shires. 



cocks; Dunlins perhaps leave most abundantly in 

 May, as also do Turnstones, Gray Plovers, Knots, 

 Sanderlines, and Godwits — birds that breed late in 

 the arctic regions. The coasting migration of the 

 Pied Wagtail, the Hen Harrier, the Merlin, the 

 Ringed Plover, the Ruff, the Whimbrel, the Litde 

 Stint, and the Curlew Sandpiper is most apparent 

 in April and May; the Skuas perhaps in April, with 

 the exception of Buffon's Skua, that is still passing 

 the coasts of the northern shires in May and even 

 early June. 



This grand departure of birds, however, does not 

 appeal to the ordinary observer one quarter as much 

 as the arrival in spring of the first Swallow or 

 Cuckoo — birds which he associates inseparably with 

 the so-called mystery of migration. As it is always 

 more difficult to detect a departure than note an 

 arrival, all these other birds slip away during spring 

 almost without being missed, and more especially so 

 because few of them are familiar species; whilst such 

 that are more widely known are usually still repre- 

 sented by sedentary individuals. We allude to such 

 species as Wrens, Robins, Titmice, Greenfinches, 

 Chaffinches, Hedge Sparrows, and so on. To the 

 ordinary observer, then, spring migration apparently 

 commences with the appearance of the first of our 

 usual summer migrants — birds that come to our 

 country to breed, and leave it again without fail in 



