AERIVAL OF MIGRATORY BIRDS. 121 



of weather or very severe winds interfere, the arrival and 

 departure of most birds may be calculated nearly to a day. 



For the last two years I have first seen the martins on the 

 25th of April, and the common chimney swallow on the 27th. 

 The terns also come at the same time. Indeed in both years 

 1 have seen them on the same day, i.e. the 27th. On the 

 30th the fieldfares still remain, but not in the same numbers 

 as they were a few days ago. On the 28th large flocks both 

 of fieldfares and redwings passed by us on their way to the 

 northward. A few pair of these birds breed, I am told, in 

 the large woods near the Spey. And this year (1848) I was 

 shown a nest and eggs, brought from that district by a 

 brother of Mr. Dunbar. He described it as having been 

 placed near the ground. 



Mr. Hancock tells me that in Norway, where he has seen 

 them breeding, the fieldfares make their nests in very large 

 companies, a great many being placed on each tree, and for 

 the most part at a considerable height from the ground. 



The last jack-snipe that I killed this year was on the 18th 

 of April. Indeed I do not remember ever killing one after 

 that time. I shot a green shank on the same day. The latter 

 bird breeds commonly in Sutherlandshire. But I have never 

 ascertained that the jack-snipe's nest was seen, or indeed 

 that the bird is known to breed, in that county. The 

 widgeons began to decrease in numbers. I do not understand 

 the moulting of these birds : for at the very time when they 

 leave us, many of the male birds have not attained their full 

 plumage. Those who frequent the salt water are more back- 

 ward in this respect than such as feed in the fresh waters ; 

 nor are the former ever in such good condition, or so well 

 flavoured, as the latter. 



There are very large flocks of the oyster-catcher, the 

 curlew, and the knot on the sand banks, &c. Whenever 

 these birds want to alight on any spot, if the wind is at all 

 high they invariably pitch with their heads straight to wind- 

 ward ; if they come down the wind to their resting-place, 

 they first fly past it, and then turning back against the wind, 

 alight with their heads in that direction. 



At this season salmon and trout frequent those parts of the 

 river where the stream is the slowest, or lie in dead water, 

 apparently not having the strength, which, in the warm 

 weather, enables them to lie perfectly at their ease in the 

 strongest rapid. 



