Migration in the Northern Shires. 291 



swarm with migrant Golderests and Titmice; the 

 Merlins leave the moors finally for the winter; a few 

 Fieldfares come to us; the Stonechat quits the 

 moorland roughs ; the parties of Jays disband; flocks 

 of Finches resort to the stubbles; the Yellow Bunting 

 is gregarious once more; many of the Red Grouse 

 resort to the highest parts of the moors; Pheasants 

 are still moulting; Woodcocks and Jack Snipes ap- 

 pear in their accustomed winter haunts. On every 

 side are indications of avine habits and movements 

 characteristic of winter. The Robin, the Wren, and 

 the Missel-thrush are now in charming voice, but 

 the Starling is only an occasional singer, as is also 

 the Sky-lark. 



With November we welcome the principal arrival 

 of the Fieldfare; the large flocks of Missel-thrushes 

 disband; Song Thrushes and Blackbirds decrease 

 in numbers almost imperceptibly. The Robin now 

 shows a marked tendency to leave exposed haunts, 

 and to draw near to houses and gardens; the Gold- 

 crests disperse, the Titmice are nothing near so 

 gregarious; the House Sparrow deserts the fields and 

 takes up its residence about farmyards and home- 

 steads; the uplands are now almost entirely deserted; 

 and shrubberies are filling rapidly with their mixed 

 avine populations characteristic of the winter; the 

 Yellow Bunting and the Lesser Redpole are still 

 upon the stubbles left unploughed, whilst the Pied 



