210 WOODLANDERS AND FIELD FOLK 



over the sea. Whilst watching these he often heard 

 the notes of small birds; and on one occasion he 

 saw several come off the storks' backs. 



A yet more conclusive piece of testimony, perhaps, 

 is supplied by Mr T. H. Nelson in the Zoologist. 

 It seems that one fine, cold October morning, the 

 wind being northerly, Mr Wilson, foreman on the 

 South Gare breakwater at the mouth of the Tees, 

 was standing at the end of the Gare, when he saw 

 a short-eared owl come " flopping " across the sea, 

 and as it neared he saw something between its 

 shoulders. The owl lit on the gearing within ten 

 yards of him, and directly it settled a little bird 

 dropped off its back and flew along the Gare. Wilson 

 signalled for a gun,' but the owl saw him move and 

 flew off. He secured the small bird, however, and 

 upon taking it for preservation found that it was a 

 golden-crested wren. The broad back of the owl 

 had afforded it a safe platform across the wild North 

 Sea, where thousands of these little migrants cross 

 every autumn. 



