158 MY NATURE NOTEBOOK. 



24, when the wind, which had been in the south for 

 some days, changed to the north-west, many rooks 

 passed, flying high overhead. These were evidently 

 British birds coming southward for the winter. On 

 September 25, when the wind had shifted to the 

 north-east, there was a manifest increase in the 

 number of swallows at sunset. These were probably 

 foreign birds from northern Europe. On September 

 26, with the wind still in the north-east, many 

 jackdaws and rooks arrived. These too were pro- 

 bably foreigners ; but the numbers of missel-thrushes, 

 song-thrushes, and blackbirds which appeared on the 

 27th, when the wind had gone back to the north- 

 west, were no doubt British birds. On the same 

 date many British wood-pigeons seemed to have 

 arrived. On the 28th, with the wind in the nor'-nor'- 

 east, a large number of swallows and martins left us 

 for the south-west. 



FOREIGNERS ARRIVE. 



September 29, with a strong north-east wind, was 

 a notable day for migration. Of summer birds, pass- 

 ing on their way south, the wind brought many 

 foreign swallows, martins, and flycatchers the last- 

 named only halting for part of the day. Luckily, 

 though the wind was strong the sun was warm, and 

 the flycatchers had no trouble in finding insect food 

 in sheltered corners. On the same morning great 

 numbers of greenfinches and chaffinches arrived, as 

 well as skylarks, one large flight of the last being 

 sighted as it came from oversea like a cloud, and 

 spread itself broadcast over the coastwise stubbles. 



