MIGRATION IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 2? I 



summer migrants are notably rare in the south- 

 west of England, or even absent altogether from 

 that area, which are commonly distributed or at 

 least present in more easterly localities. Among 

 such species we may mention the Redstart, which 

 is very local west of Somerset and almost absent 

 from South Devon; the Wheatear, which is only 

 seen comparatively sparingly in spring, although 

 farther east it literally swarms all along the area of 

 the Downs ; the Whinchat, which is even more local 

 in Devon and Cornwall, but significantly commoner 

 in Dorset; the Nightingale, absent altogether west 

 of Somerset; the Lesser Whitethroat, very scarce 

 and local in South Devon, and an abnormal 

 migrant only to Cornwall; the Reed Warbler, 

 absent from the entire south-west, except as an 

 abnormal migrant; the Tree Pipit, decidedly more 

 rare and local in the south-west than elsewhere, 

 and significantly commoner in North Devon than 

 in the south of the county; the Pied Flycatcher, 

 only in limited numbers on migration, and might 

 almost be classed as abnormal, seeing that there 

 is no thoroughly authenticated instance of its 

 breeding in Devonshire, and we ourselves have 

 met with but one example during eight years of 



