222 JOTTINGS ABOUT BIRDS. 



lanes, even the resident species keeping close and 

 silent owing to the rough, unsettled weather. By 

 sunrise the next morning, however, a great change 

 is frequently apparent to the most casual observer, 

 and every few yards birds may be flushed from the 

 cover. Here, for instance, is a note I made on the 

 23rd of April, 1891: "The lanes near the downs 

 this morning are swarming with birds. The night 

 has been stormy but moonlight, with a strong wind 

 from the south-east. As I walk along the lanes birds 

 start up before me almost at every step, and all of 

 them species that were undoubtedly absent yesterday 

 Wheatears, Willow Wrens, Blackcaps, Redstarts 

 (very abundant), Garden Warblers, and Cuckoos. 

 Many of them fly with great reluctance, as though 

 tired out with their stormy journey across the Chan- 

 nel last night. One little wanderer was exceptionally 

 interesting, a Pied Flycatcher, which had evidently 

 come over with the great rush of migrants, and had 

 been blown by the unusual wind pressure far to the 

 westward of its usual course to the British coasts. 

 It was exceedingly tame, and flew before me down 

 the lane, occasionally taking short flights, and then 

 settling again on the outer twigs of the hedges. 

 Now and then it alighted on the road and allowed 

 me to approach within half-a-dozen yards ; it was 



