The Zoologist— June, 1870. 2153 



Ornithological Notes from North Lincolnshire. 

 By John Coedeaux, Esq. 



(Continued from S. S. 20S1.) 



March, 1870. 



Golden Plover. — Excepting at the time of their autumn migration, 

 these birds are now tamer and more approachable than at any other 

 period of their sojourn in our marshes. By the first week in March 

 they have commenced moulting and changing their winter dress : with 

 them this seasonal change takes place some weeks earlier than in the 

 gray plover, and they are off to their northern breeding-haunts fully 

 six weeks before the latter leave our coast. In the second week of 

 the month the flocks contained birds in summer plumage, others in 

 transition, and many which as yet shew no indication of a change. 

 The spring note of the golden plover is extremely wild and beauti- 

 ful ; some of its modulations closely resemble the notes of the black- 

 bird : to me, however, there is always something inexpressibly 

 melancholy in this spring call, recalling as it does the recollection of 

 many a wild northern moor and lone mountain summit. Their flight, 

 too, now differs from the winter, is much more buoyant, and often 

 swifter, or, if I may use the expression, has more elan. When 

 alighting the flock hover for a time, and then slowly float downwards 

 on motionless wings. They are late this year in leaving our marshes, 

 and hundreds in full summer dress remained to the middle of the first 

 week in April, and I saw a single bird on the 25th. 



Snow-Jlake. — March 9. Observed many hundreds this morning on 

 the narrow belt of sand fringing the foot of our sea embankment. 

 They are busily employed in picking up small fragments of sand and 

 gravel. Some seen as late as the middle of the month. 



Wild Duck. — March 10. The stomachs of two mallards contain oats, 

 vegetable matter, and a mass of the broken shells of marine bivalves. 



Woodcock. — March 10. Are now moving northward: we always 

 find some during the second week in March in our plantations and 

 on the coast. They do not linger more than two or three days, and 

 are then off for their breeding-haunts; fortunate in having run the 

 gauntlet of so many breech-loaders. 



Smew. — March 15. Amongst various wild-fowl from the coast of 

 Holland, brought into Hull by the packets, I picked out two mature 

 smews. 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. V. 2 D 



