734 The Zoologist— May, 1867. 



Spotted Flycatcher. — September 23rd. One was seen to-day taking 

 a bath in the road-side brook. 



Woodcock. — September 25th. A woodcock was observed to alight 

 by the brook near the cliffs at Steephill ; on being flushed by the 

 farmer's men it took a long flight in a northerly direction. It being 

 rather early for the migratory flight, this bird may possibly have passed 

 the summer with us, the woodcock occasionally breeding in the 

 Island : I once saw a nest of young that had been taken, together with 

 the old bird, in a wood near Yarmouth. 



October. 



Green Linnet. — October 1st. A flock of green linnets observed this 

 morning passing over the town in an easterly direction ; the yellowness 

 of the plumage leads me to believe they were all males. This species 

 is not nearly so common here as in the north — Morayshire, for instance, 

 where it was found most abundant and familiar. 



Sicallotv, dec. — 5th. Thermometer 48° at 9 a.m., having fallen 12° 

 since yesterday. This sudden change of temperature is causing a 

 geneial migratory move, thousands of swallows and martins, in about 

 equal numbers, having been observed to-day, from an early hour, in 

 rapid flight to the eastward, against the wind, which is bringing up 

 both fog and rain. Their migratory flight is generally opposed to the 

 wind, which is readily accounted for : having gradually approached 

 the south coast during the latter days of September, they linger in our 

 sheltered glades and vales, roosting on the ledges and in the clefts 

 and crevices of the shelving inland cliffs, till change of temperature 

 warns them to depart ; they then have to make their way to the eastward 

 against an adverse wind till reaching the point of departure — probably 

 somewhere between Dunnose and Beachy Head. Accompanying the 

 swallows, and intermixed with them, several species of small birds 

 were noticed, but owing to the fog and rapidity of flight few were 

 identified : a hawk, being among them, probably accelerated their 

 flight. 6th. On my way to Niton, at eight o'clock a.m., I observed 

 numbers of swallows and martins in circular flight above the cliffs: 

 they had collected about a flock of sheep, which they were encircling 

 in rapid flight, to hawk the flies. They were constantly passing aud 

 repassing, in the same order, and though the stragglers might here 

 and there be seen darting forth, they would speedily rejoin the main 

 body, and whirl away as before. The gathering extended the whole 

 length of the Undercliff, and they were to be seen in countless numbers. 



