200 ANNALS OF BIRD LIFE. 



Turkestan, might wander here in autumn with 

 the usual stream of migrants bound west ; but 

 the examples hitherto obtained are all said to 

 belong to the western form, although the eastern 

 race has been met with at Heligoland. A good 

 look-out should be kept for this bird in autumn, 

 especially on the south coast of England. 



One of the most interesting birds that has ever 

 visited this country from the far east is the Yellow- 

 browed Willow Wren. This delicate little bird 

 lives in the pine forests of Eastern Siberia, and 

 winters in China, Burma, and India; yet every 

 autumn a considerable number appear to lose their 

 way, and, instead of going direct south to their 

 winter quarters, join the western stream of birds, 

 and after travelling with them nearly four thousand 

 miles, pass Heligoland, apparently on a southern 

 course towards Africa. It would appear that some 

 of these lost little birds survive the winter, and 

 actually go back in spring or attempt to do so 

 by the same road that they came in autumn ! 

 Another tiny autumn stranger is the Firecrest ; 

 and at the same season observers should keep a 

 sharp look-out for stray examples of the Conti- 

 nental or Arctic form of the Long-tailed Titmouse. 

 Now and then the Alpine Accentor visits the 

 British Islands. Probably the examples which 

 reach us do not come from any part of Europe 

 (throughout which, in the districts it frequents, it 

 is a resident, only descending the mountains in 

 winter, like our own Meadow Pipit), but from 



