9714 Birds. 



eye the now frantic evolutions of the old bird. When set at liberty it 

 ran off rapidly for a few yards, and then stopped and commenced 

 feeding, totally regardless of my presence, picking up what I supposed 

 were minute insects from the ground and from amongst the blades of 

 grass. This lameness in a more than half-fledged bird was in striking 

 contrast to the wild and wary conduct they usually exhibit on the 

 approach of man. 



Whimbrel. — These birds are this year unusually early in their 

 return south. I observed several about the flats during the first week 

 in July, and on the 14th a flock containing eight or nine birds. 



Landrail. — On several occasions during the spring and summer 

 I have been surprised to hear landrails calling in the low meadow 

 lands bordering the stream in this parish. This is the first occasion 

 that I have heard their call in this district, although it is no unusual 

 circumstance, when shooting in the autumn, to flush them in the 

 turnip-fields : we have at that season considerable arrivals of these 

 birds on their passage southward. I do not know of any instance in 

 which the nest has been found in the marsh district. I am so 

 frequently hearing their well-known call during this summer, it is 

 probable that this season may be an exception, and that some have 

 bred in the neighbourhood. 



John Cordeaux. 

 Great Cotes, Ulceby, Lincolnshire, 

 August 1, 1865. 



Ornitholoyical Notes from West Sussex. 

 By W. Jeffery, jun., Esq. 



(Continued from page 9602.) 



May, 1865. 



Arrival of Summer Migrants during the Month. — Turtle dove, on 

 the 4th of May ; nightjar, on the 6th ; spotted flycatcher, on the 8th ; 

 swift, on the 13th; redbacked shrike, about the 16th. The last-named 

 bird is extremely scarce this year — in fact, has been getting so for 

 some years past. 



Land Rail. — The land rail is very irregular in its appearance here 

 in the spring, coming in greater numbers some years than others. 

 This year they have not been numerous. The first I heard was on the 

 8lh of May ; this is later than usual. They breed sparingly every 

 year in some of the uplands j lut, so far as my experience goes, not 



