Birds. 9599 



and on the 11th, two; all males. In- both cases the birds were 

 sleeping on the water and floating down with the tide, their heads 

 buried under the left wing, and their broadsides swung round to the 

 current, and thus they drifted along with all the apparent inaction of 

 dead birds. 



Dunlin. — April 4lh, 4 p.m. Immense floclcs of dunlins on the mud 

 flats, one flock alone numbering many thousands; as yet they show 

 very slight traces of the black summer feathers on the breast. Since 

 this date, and up to the end of the month, they have almost entirely 

 disappeared from the district, only a small flock or so remaining on 

 the Humber flats. A bird I examined, shot on the 18lh of April, 

 had partly acquired the summer garb, the tips only of the feathers on 

 the breast having become changed to black, giving the bird a mottled 

 appearance. 



Gray Plover. — April 7. A decided increase in the number of gray 

 plovers; but few, however, compared with the number we may expect 

 later in the season. Their usual time of arrival in their passage north- 

 ward, during the spring migration, is about the first week in May, and 

 they will not leave us again before the end of the month. A small 

 flock, on the 22ud of April, contained some birds which had nearly 

 acquired the full summer dress. 



Golden Ploi-er. — April 10. A considerable flock of golden plovers 

 in the marshes, an unusually late period for them to remain. I saw 

 two of these birds on some wheat-land on the 18th : they had acquired 

 their full summer dress. 



Fieldfare. — April 14lh and 29th. Observed flocks of fieldfares in 

 the low meadow-grounds bordering our stream. I have for some years, 

 in April, and as late as the first and second weeks in May, seen large 

 flocks of fieldfares on the east coast, generally on the low grounds 

 near the streams, apparently recruiting themselves before their final 

 departure. 



Hooded Crow. — April 18. A few still linger about the mud flats and 

 banks, also in the newly-sown corn-fields. 



Whimbrel. — April 5. A small flock of whimbrels on the flats, their 

 first spring appearance. It was not, however, till the 27th that I saw 

 any considerable quantity : on this day I counted forty feeding in 

 their favourite haunt, the grass marshes near the Humber. 



LATE APPEARANCE OF SUMMER MIGRANTS. 



Swallows. — Swallows are unusually late in showing themselves. 

 I saw them for the first time on the 14th of April, on which day ten 



