28 Messrs. Sheppard cr/?f/ Wiiitear's Catalogue 



a very extraordinary migration of small birds was witnessed at 

 Little Oakley in Essex. The attention of the observer was 

 arrested by an uncommon chattering of birds, and looking up 

 he beheld an incredible number of small birds flying a-breast, 

 in a line extending as far as the eye could distinguish them, and 

 three or four yards deep. Their direction was towards the south- 

 east, the wind favouring them ; their height only a few yards 

 from the oround. The tlock was supposed to consist principally of 

 Chathnches, Linnets, Twites, and Bramblings. None of the two 

 latter species were seen in the neighbourhood after that time : 

 and there is on those shores in the winter season an immense 

 quantity of Linnets, more than can be bred in the neighbour- 

 hood. 



9. F. Spinus (Siskin). 

 Small flocks of Siskins are occasionally seen in Norfolk and 

 Suftblk during the winter season, particularly in severe weather. 

 A flock of them was observed at Sturston as late as the 4th of 

 March, 18'20. They kept up a constant twittering as they flew 

 briskly from tree to tree, apparently for the purpose of keeping 

 the flock together. The twittering of this bird very much re- 

 sembles that of the Lesser Redpole. 



10. F. Linaria (Lesser Redpole). 



11. P. Carduelis (Goldfinch). 



Genus XXIV. Cuculus. 



1. C. canorus (Cuckoo). 



The opinion still prevails among the vulgar in Suflblk, that 

 Cuckoos are transformed into Hawks in winter. — On July 31st, 



1816, 



