The Zoologist— May, 1869. 1669 



March. 



Golden Plover. — March 2. Examined through the telescope, at the 

 distance of about 300 yards, a flock of golden plover; already several 

 show indications of a change to the summer plumage: six are much 

 marked on the under parts with black, in the proportion of two parts 

 black to one white, and one bird is all but in full summer plumage. 



Pied Wagtail. — March 6. First seen, several observed ; have not, 

 as is now usually the case, seen any during the winter. 



Fieldfare. — March 9. Several flocks in the marshes ; they are 

 feeding on the haws, which, thanks to the mild winter, are still plen- 

 tiful on the hedgerows. 



White Wagtail (M. alba). — I have remarked in previous numbers 

 of the 'Zoologist,' on the occasional appearance of this continental 

 species in North Lincolnshire. The last noted was on the 5th of May, 

 1866 (Zool., N.S., 295). On the 23rd of this month I was talking to a 

 brickmaker, who has a yard on the Humber fitties, when a white wag- 

 tail alighted within fifteen yards— curiously enough it was close to the 

 place where I had seen the bird already recorded in the ' Zoologist.' 

 I had a very perfect view of the little fellow as he sat perched on the 

 flats on a sod of Armeria maritima, broken by the waves from the 

 fitties— his black cap contrasting strongly with the very light pearl- 

 gray back ; there is also much more white on the sides of the neck 

 and flanks than is seen in M. Yarrejlii— it is altogether a whiter, more 

 delicate and graceful bird : when once seen, it may readily be distin- 

 guished from either the male or female of the pied species, even on 

 the wing and at some distance. I was surprised to find that the brick- 

 maker, who is both a good observer and a famous wild-fowl shooter 

 was aware of the difference between these two species : he has some- 

 times in the spring seen the " light-coloured sort" about his yard, but 

 considered it very rare. Anxious to procure a specimen I fired at 

 short range, but, having only large shot, failed ; I spent an hour 

 searching the fitties for my bird without success. In the brick-pit 

 were two pied wagtails, male and female, which I watched within a 

 iev; yards ; seeing these so soon afterwards made the difference be- 

 tween the two species more striking. I was not aware, previous to 

 reading Mr. Stevenson's* remarks on this species, that it was so rare 

 a bird in eastern England : that it may occasionally at this season be 



^ ' Birds of Nurfolk,' vol. i., p. 163, 



