The Zoologist— May, 1871. 2605 



Wigeon. — The earliest date of tlie arrival of vvigeon I find to be the 17th 

 of September, on which day I bagged two young females. Ve-y few wigeons 

 have been seen, and not more than twenty brace have fallen to the gun 

 during the whole winter. 



Gray Plover. — The first notice I have of this bird was towards the end 

 of September, and during the next month a fair number were seen. Since 

 Christmas they have been very scarce. 



Dunlin. — This bird appears to be getting less numerous every year : the 

 flocks have been very small. 



Brent Oeese. — First seen in the second week of October ; large flocks 

 have frequented the mud-flats about Blacktail and Nore sands ; the largest 

 flocks numbered over two hundred birds. It is ten years ago since such 

 large flocks visited the estuary of the Thames. The punt-gunners have 

 made a good hviug from the numbers they have shot. A large flock was 

 seen flying high in a N.E. direction on the afternoon of the 24th of March, 

 evidently migrating ; none had been seen for nearly three weeks previous to 

 that date. 



Bernicle Geese. — A few seen in February in company with the brent 

 geese. 



Eedshank. — Less plentiful than usual. 



Godwit. — Two or tln-ee small flocks were seen in January : this bird, 

 however, is only seen about the mud-flats at Leigh during the hard weather 

 or during the autumn migration : it is never very numerous. 



Scaup Duck (the dun bird). — A large flock of about a hundred frequented 

 Leigh Eays during January and February: although constantly shot at 

 they refused to leave the cockle-grounds. 



Curlew. — Very numerous, and as wild as ever. 



Sicans. — Some flocks seen about the Nore, but only four birds were 

 brought into Leigh ; three out of the four turned out to be Bewick's, or, as 

 the fishermen called them, the " little " swans. 



Scoter. — I only saw two birds of this species during the whole winter. 



Divers. — Very scarce ; not one-fourth the number seen last year. 



Mallard. — About an average number. 



Teal. — Several small flocks seen, but veiy wild. 



Gray Croiv. — Less abundant than usual : I only saw four or five during 

 the whole winter. Five or six years ago this bird was to be seen constantly 

 in the mud-flats, and was a perfect pest. 



Heron. — An average number. 



Twite. — Scarce : some winters they rise from the saltings in tens of 

 thousands. 



Gulls.— The blackheaded, common, greater and lesser saddle-back gulls 

 maintained a full average number, increasing, however, in number in 

 March. 



SECOND SEEIES — VOL. VI. 2 C 



