The Zoologist — Jdne, 1873. 3547 



during the time they remain with us to the pasture-lands in the marshes ; 

 and in this respect their habits differ widely from the curlew, which is almost 

 exclusively at this season a shore-bird. Their food consists of worms, 

 Coleoptera, and various insects; and on the 'flats' they pick up small 

 crustaceans from the tidal pools. They are very partial to washing and 

 bathing ; coming down to the tide edge each day, and wading out breast- 

 deep, they scatter tlie water with their wings in sparkling showers over their 

 backs and body. After the bath they stand on the fore-sliore gently fanning 

 their wings to and fro, or preening and arranging their plumage. 



" Whimbrels are far less circumspect than the curlew, and with a little 

 care and caution may easily be approached within gunshot. 



"In the autumn, compared with the large spring flocks, few visit us; at 

 this season they pass over the district without alighting. This autumn 

 migration, which is carried on in the day-time, takes place from the middle 

 of July to the end of September. These ntigratory flocks vary in size from 

 eight or ten and upwards ; I have never observed them to exceed thirty 

 birds. They advance at an immense height, generally in line, one leading, 

 the rest following, not directly, but en echelon, and are constantly repeating 

 their call-note, without which indeed, owing to the great heiglit at which 

 they fly, it would be impossible to identify them." — P. 109. 



I cannot pass over the avocet without lamenting, as in the case 

 of the crane, its total extirpation from the district. Pennant says, 

 " We have seen them in considerable numbers in the breeding- 

 seasons near Fossdyke Wash, in Lincolnshire: like the lapwings, 

 when disturbed, they flew over our heads, carrying their necks and 

 long legs quite extended, and made a shrill noise (twit) twice 

 repeated during the whole time." In Colonel Montagu's time it 

 bred in the Lincolnshire fens (see 'Ornithological Dictionary,' p. 2), 

 but is now entirely unknown : probably ihe drainage of the fens 

 now so extensively carried on, has had as much to do with this 

 change as the mania for killing which afflicts all classes of people 

 in this country. 



The woodcock (p. 12-2) has of course received a good share of 

 Mr. Cordeaux's attention ; and I am sure 1 need offer no apology 

 for making the long extract which follows. 



" That those seasons with the prevailing wind from the south or west are 

 never good woodcock years, is well known to all our coast sportsmen ; the 

 probability is that, at these times, as they do not alight, they pass over in 

 the night, and are first heard of iu the West of England or in Ireland. 

 Those who have seen the weary, heavy, and short flight of the poor bird, the 

 morning of its landing, can understand the physical exhaustion caused by a 



