9774 Birds. 



impossible to identify thera. But few of these birds visit the Humber 

 district during the autumn months compared with the larger flocks 

 which for a time take up their abode here during the period of the 

 vernal migration. 



Lesser Blackbacked Gull. — These gulls are not infrequent on the 

 Humber coast during the present month. I have so far, hovrever, not 

 observed them on this coast at any other period of the year. I saw 

 several of them to-day (August 23rd), both old and young birds, ou the 

 flats ; in some cases four or five together, generally young birds, the 

 old full-plumaged gulls keeping in pairs. They never in any weather 

 leave the Humber or its flats for the inland district, as is the case with 

 other gulls. This I have observed to be also the case with the great 

 blackbacked gull ; during a residence of many years in this parish 

 T never remember seeing one of them on the land side of the Humber 

 embankments. Both species are strictly marine in their habits. 



Heron. — Herons are much more frequently met with in the marshes 

 during the autumn than at any other season : I lately saw as many as 

 nine together. The k'f/ which remain the winter appear to be all old 

 birds. A party of herons, five, six and sometimes even more in 

 number, have now for many years haunted a certain retired portion of 

 the marshes, returning regularly year after year in the later summer 

 and autumn to fish in the same drains and pools, occasionally changing 

 their fishing-grounds to the Humber flats, where they follow the 

 retiring tide, as it slowly creeps away down the muddy plain, keeping 

 a sharp look out for any small fish left behind in the little salt-water 

 pools. In the inland drains they catch eels and flat-fish ; the latter 

 I have sometimes found on the drain-banks, pierced through with one 

 blow of the heron's sharp bill ; but in consequence, I should suppose, 

 of the great width of the fish, they find it impossible to bolt it, and 

 are reluctantly compelled to leave it for the carrion crows. 



Snipe. — It is not often that snipe visit us so early as they have done 

 this year. 1 have on several occasions during the month put them up 

 from the drains near the Humber. 



Knot. — Some small flocks of knots were seen on the flats on the 

 28th of August. My informant, an old gunner, got within a short 

 distance of a dozen of them which were feeding on the fore-shore. 

 This is earlier than I ever remember them to have arrived in any 

 previous season. 



John Cordeaux. 



Great Cotes, Ulceby, Lincolnshire, 

 September 1, 1865. 



