1978 The Zoologist— January, 1870. 



LarJcs. — October 19 to 25. Immense flocks arrived between these 

 dates in the marshes, and mav now be found by hundreds in all the 

 stubbles. At this season I have frequently, when on the coast, seen 

 small straggling flocks of this species coming in from the sea, and 

 also at night, when out at sea, recognised their familiar note. The 

 lark, like the starling, is often picked up dead under our east coast 

 light-houses. 



Golden Plover. — October 26. Heavy gale from the N.W., with frost 

 and snow. First flocks of golden plover seen in the marshes, but 

 none between this date and the 10th of November, when we had a 

 return of frost and some heavy snow squalls. On ihe 11th, from early 

 morning till late in the afternoon, flock after flock of the golden and 

 green plovers passed across this parish, flying from S.E. to N.W., at 

 the average height of two hundred jards. Often two or three flocks 

 were in sight at the same time, and there was rarely five minutes 

 interval between them. The two species were never intermixed, each 

 flock keeping distinct, which is the case when travelling to any 

 distance, and this, I am convinced, was no ordinary change of 

 feeding ground, but a general movement to some olher part of the 

 country. 'J'hese flocks were of all sizes, from five birds up to many 

 hundreds. Throughout the day incredible numbers of both these 

 species passed over the marsh, so as to be the general subject of 

 remark. This movement did not appear to be confined to ihe plover, 

 for I noticed during the day hundreds of hooded crows, also dunlin, 

 snipe and curlew, all travelling in the same direction. I have occa- 

 sionallv in past years noliced a like movement of wild fowl towards 

 the N W., and find that this movement is as certainly followed by 

 mild and open weather as that their passage southward indicates frost 

 and snow. 



Grai/ Watjl((il. — October 29. First observed. This graceful and 

 lively species is this season most plentiful. 



Misnel Thrush. — October 29. 1 believe we have a very considerable 

 addition to all our resident Merulinoe in the auUimn, coming either 

 from the northern counties or the continent: of these the missel 

 thrushes are the earliest, arriving from the latter part of August to 

 early in September. This au'iumn these flocks have been both large 

 and numerous. Now from the middle to the end of September we 

 always find thrushes more or less plentifully in our marsh turnip- 

 fields — a district where, 1 need scarcely remark, from the absence of 

 trees and shrubs, a thrush is a rarity at any other season. Later still, 



