274 Among- the Birds in Northern Shires. 



appreciably increase during September, but in 

 October they poured across the North Sea in count- 

 less thousands, and from all parts of the east coast 

 came reports of the unusual visitation. Two nights 

 in October were specially remarkable for the marvel- 

 lous migration waves of this tiny bird, which not 

 only spread across England, but reached Ireland, 



The Hooded Crow. 



and possibly spent themselves in the Atlantic 

 beyond! So far as concerns our own special length 

 of coast-line, the migration appeared to reach its 

 climax on the 8th and the I2th of October, when 

 vast numbers were recorded from Whitby lighthouse; 

 at Flamborough it was reported in unusual abund- 

 ance between the 7th and the I4th; at Spurn on the 

 7th and 8th, crowding into the hedgerows and fields 

 near the sea; whilst on the Lincolnshire side of the 

 H umber the 8th was remarkable for these migrants, 

 many of which actually sought refuge amongst the 

 piles on the quays and in the timber yards at 



