Birds. 9659 



specimen of the whitetailed sea-eagle, which had been shot some time 

 since on the rocks near the Head. It had been stuffed and set up by 

 Mr. Bailey, bird and egg-collector. Mr. Bailey informed us that a 

 fine specimen of that rare bird, the buffel-headed duck had been shot 

 near Bridlington Quay during the last winter. 



We walked from the village to the extreme point of the headland. 

 We observed several wheatears, stonechats and rock pipits ; the latter 

 bird has the same characteristic manners as seen in the tree and 

 meadow pipits, rising into the air for twenty or thirty yards, all the 

 time uttering their simple song, and then descending again head fore- 

 most, the tail spread and thrown backward. 



On one of the fine isolated masses of rock at the extremity of the 

 Head were seven purple sandpipers, sitting just out of reach of the 

 heavy sea on a narrow ledge of the rock. Five of them were in a state 

 of repose, the head doubled back under the wing ; the other two 

 were running nimbly backwards and forwards on the narrow shelf 



We continued our walk along the northern cliff, observing the manners 

 and customs of starlings, jackdaws and rabbits. I was surprised to 

 see the ease with which the rabbits ran along the almost perpendicular 

 sides of the clay cliffs ; apparently the slightest slip must inevitably 

 precipitate them hundreds of feet below into the boiling sea. 



When walking out this evening, about 8.30, enjoying our pipes, we 

 heard overhead the well-known cry of the green sandpiper. I was 

 told it is by no means an uncommon bird at this season of the year 

 at Flamborough. 



April 26th. Having seen our luggage despatched on the back of a 

 donkey to the Marton station, we walked down to take a farewell look 

 at the North landing-place. Two or three fishing-boats had just come 

 up, having met with but indifferent success, owing, as the fishermen 

 told us, to the unusually early appearance of sharks on the fishing- 

 grouud. Each of these boats did not contain more than thirty or forty 

 lean-looking cod, besides a few lings and skates After the fish had 

 been sold they were immediately opened, the livers placed together in 

 a basket, and the entrails, &c., carefully put on one side for bait. 

 They were then packed into deep baskets, the baskets slung across 

 the donkeys' backs, and thus carried up to the village to be finally 

 dispersed by rail over the kingdom. 



On examining the contents of the stomachs of the cod I found them 

 to consist almost entirely of crabs, both the common and soldier crab, 

 several very fine prawns, looking nearly as fresh as if just caught, and 

 a few of those curious and beautiful annelids, the sea mouse {Aphrodita 



