808 The Zoologist — July, 1867. 



circumstance of a wheatear perching on a tree. On the 13th of April 

 I observed a male of this species sitting on the topmost twig of a fine 

 old hawthorn ; it then flew across the road, perching again on the 

 opposite hedge-row : its next flight was to the top of a cottage 

 chimney. 



Golden Plover. — April 4th. Last seen in the marshes. 



Ch iff chaff. — April 10th. First seen and heard. 



Chimney Swallow. — April 14th. Two seen ; comparatively few, 

 however, arriving in this neighbourhood before the last week in 

 April. 



Dotterel. — April 15th. When crossing some fallow land near the 

 Humber to-day I put up a dotterel : it rose very reluctantly, flying a 

 few yards and again seeking the shelter of the rough land, cowering 

 on the shelter-side of an upturned furrow, evidently unwilling to face 

 the storm of sleet then careering across the marshes. I rode up within 

 two yards before it again took wing, drifting away with the storm, its 

 shrill and melancholy whistle heard long after it was lost to view in 

 the driving sleet. This is the only occasion on which I have seen a 

 dotterel in our North Lincoln marshes in April, invariably making 

 their appearance, in those years when they do visit this neighbourhood, 

 during the first week in May. Very few of this species have this year 

 been seen in this district. On the 7th of May I walked for some 

 hours across the marsh on the look out for dotterel, requiring a pair 

 for preservation. After a long search I found a small flock of six in 

 the centre of a grass field, and presuming on their well-known tame- 

 ness walked up within easy shot, and then biding my time till I got 

 two in line killed them both ; and have no doubt should have had little 

 difficulty in shooting the remainder, as after flying round they again 

 settled near the same place. My specimens proved a male and female, 

 both in beautiful plumage, and very fat. I believe the late Mr. 

 Wheelwright is quite correct when he says the female is " generally 

 larger and handsomer than the male." Montagu says that in the 

 female the " white line on the breast is wanting." This is not the 

 case, however ; both male and female have the white belt across the 

 breast, but in the female it is less distinctly marked. 



Martin. — Has any reader of the ' Zoologist ' remarked any scarcity 

 of martins ? Up to this time, May 21st, I have seen very few, — none 

 in this parish, — although several pairs of these little birds breed every 

 year about my house and outbuildings, and are usually plentiful in the 

 neighbourhood. On the 22nd of April I saw martins flying over the 



