MIGRATION IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 28 1 



as early as the 6th of that month (1895). Almost 

 simultaneously the Chiffchaff appears in our 

 southern hedges, orchards, and coppices, from 

 the 1 8th to the 23rd of the month being a fair 

 average date for him in this part of Devonshire ; 

 although in an exceptionally early year we heard 

 of his familiar song on the 5th of the month 

 (1895, the same season as the remarkably early 

 arrival of the Wheatear was noted). Following 

 this species very closely comes the Willow 

 Wren, but it is never common hereabouts 

 much before the middle or third week in April. 

 Another occasional March migrant is the Sand 

 Martin ; odd birds sometimes being seen round 

 sheltered parts of the coast in that month, but 

 their usual time of passage is somewhat early in 

 April. This latter month inaugurates migration 

 on a much grander scale, and before its close by 

 far the greater number of our spring visitors are 

 back again in their old haunts. One of the earliest 

 April arrivals is the Blackcap. We have, however, 

 one solitary record of this bird's appearance in 

 some numbers on the 28th of March (1896). 

 Another is the Ring Ouzel ; but this species, like 

 the preceding, not unfrequently "enters an appear- 



