22 The Zoologist — January, 1866. 



their first arrival from the cold nortli to the more genial climate of 

 Britain, than Flamborough Head. Projecting from the Yorkshire coast 

 for many miles directly out into the sea, it offers a first resting-place 

 to many of those thousands of weary wanderers which, at this season, 

 arrive on our eastern shores. It was with the expectation of meeting 

 with some of our well-known winter visitors on their arrival that, in 

 company with a friend, I again visited the neighbourhood; and I now 

 venture to give the results of our observations. 



October 16, 3.30 p.m. Left our quarters at the Thornwick Hotel, and 

 walked down to the north landing, and from thence to the extreme 

 point of the headland, following the ins and outs of the coast-line, a 

 distance of three miles. The only birds in the bay, called the "nortii 

 landing-place," were herring gulls and kittiwakes, old and young birds 

 of both species, the young kittiwakes showing distinctly the black tip 

 to the tail, as well as the dark markings on the back of the head and 

 on the lesser wing-coverts. Very few kittiwake gulls are now to be 

 found, compared with the thousands frequenting the neighbourhood 

 during the spring and summer. Rock pipits were everywhere nume- 

 rous along the coast. From the rocks near the lighthouse five 

 cormorants, disturbed by our conversation, dashed out seaward, almost 

 brushing the tops of the waves in their rapid and awkward flight. 

 The shades of evening were deepening as we left the point and turned 

 our steps homeward. From a storm-twisted bush near the lighthouse 

 a redbreast, the " messenger of calm decay," was pouring forth its 

 sweet and lonely song, while overhead the bright scarlet and white 

 rays from the highly polished reflectors were projected, like the spread 

 of a gigantic fan, far into the gathering gloom. Various species of 

 migratory birds have from time to time been picked up outside the 

 lantern ; attracted by the glare they fly like moths against the glass, 

 and are killed : about the middle of October, last year, a woodcock 

 dashed right through the glass, which is a quarter of an inch in 

 thickness, and was picked up mutilated and dead from amongst the 

 lamps. 



October 17, wind S.S.W. A pouring rainy day. Observed large 

 flocks of larks in the stubble-fields opposite our quarters, and a small 

 party of fieldfares and redwings flying over. Walked down to the 

 south landing-place, overlooking Bridlington Bay, disturbing a solitary 

 wheatear from the upper clay cliff" near the landing-place. We pro- 

 ceeded some distance along the coast, to the southern termination of 

 the so-called " Danes' Dyke," and then turned up a little wild glen 



