THE ZooLocist—NovEMBER, 1875. 4671 
Ornithological Notes from Somersetshire during September, 1875. 
By Joun Gatcomse, Esq. 
September Ist. Remarked numerous flocks of tits, consisting of 
several species, the longtailed included, flitting among the branches, 
and following the line of the extensive rows of withy trees bordering 
the dykes or ditches on the moors in the neighbourhood of Bridg- 
water, and in some instances they were accompanied by the willow 
wren and chiffchaff. The direction of their flight seemed to tend 
generally towards the west. I was also much interested in watching 
the plan adopted by a marsh tit when feeding on the heads of a 
rather large species of thistle which abounds in this locality. It 
would fly down from a tree or bush directly on the head of a 
plant, and, pulling out a mouthful of the down, return to the tree, 
extract and devour the seeds, then down again for a fresh supply, 
constantly repeating the operation until satisfied. 
6th. Vast numbers of swallows and martins have now begun to 
congregate, as if preparing for migration.- Among one large flight 
I observed a beautiful light buff variety, which was continually 
harassed by members of its own species. For some days past 
I have also remarked swallows and martins perfectly swarming on 
a large walnut tree, although its branches were densely covered 
with leaves and fruit ;- indeed, in this locality, they seem to prefer 
alighting on walnut trees to anything else, even the roof of a 
house. 
7th. This morning I caught sight of a green sandpiper flying 
along the banks of the river Parret. 
17th. When driving in the vicinity of Bridgwater, I witnessed a 
rather extraordinary sight: the day was particularly warm and 
bright, and the air seemed to teem with starlings, hovering, wheeling 
and hawking after insects just like swallows. They were in 
thousands, and extended for miles, not in flocks, but each bird 
making a circuit of its own. I have often seen starlings Ay in a 
‘similar manner, but never in such countless numbers. 
25th. This afternoon I observed a beautiful buff or nearly white 
variety of the missel thrush among a flock of twelve or fourteen 
others of the natural colour, but which, like the poor swallow 
before mentioned, was constantly persecuted and worried by its 
companions. Strange to say, only a day or two before, when 
visiting the fine collection of varieties belonging to Mr. Marshall, 
