STRANGERS OF THE AUTUMN. 199 



localities. Another little Arctic stranger which 

 appears from time to time in this country in 

 autumn, is the Blue-throated Warbler. It some- 

 times appears in considerable numbers, and as 

 the females and birds of the year are dull- 

 plumaged little creatures, they may often be 

 overlooked. This bird usually occurs in Septem- 

 ber and October. Three species of Chats have 

 also visited us at this season : the Desert 

 Wheatear, the Black- throated Chat, and the 

 Isabelline Chat. These birds most probably 

 came to Western Europe with the crowds of 

 migrants that pass west from Siberia and 

 Turkestan. The Red-breasted Flycatcher is a 

 stranger of the autumn. This bird breeds in the 

 German forests, but is rare in the extreme west 

 of Europe, so that I am of opinion that the stray 

 individuals which have reached us came from the 

 east. The occurrence of several examples of the 

 Rufous Warbler in this country in autumn, is an 

 interesting, yet puzzling circumstance. This bird 

 only breeds in the south and east of Europe, and 

 in Palestine, therefore it has no inducement or 

 reason to go north of these localities in autumn. 

 There would be nothing extraordinary in an 

 example of this species straying to the British 

 Islands in spring, as birds of many kinds are apt 

 to overshoot the mark at that season, and. get 

 far north of their proper habitat. Nor would it 

 be difficult to comprehend how the eastern race 

 of this bird, which is found between Greece and 



