ON THE AUTUMN MIGRATION OF BIRDS IN 1878. 43 
numbers of Thrushes, Blackbirds, Redwings, Fieldfares* reaching 
our east coast; and a few Ring Ouzels, as usual, coming with 
the Blackbirds. October 15th, Thrushes and Blackbirds from 
1.40 to 3.30 a.M., flying past light at Flamborough. On the 16th, 
Thrushes and Chaffinches from 1.20 till 8 a.m. On the 17th, a 
great many Blackbirds, Thrushes and Chaffinches from 1.25 to 
5.40 a.m.; wind S. to S.E., stiff, overcast. I saw the first flock of 
Fieldfares in North-East Lincolnshire on the 23rd. Mr. W. E. 
Clarke, of Leeds, who was at Spurn at the time, informs me that 
a considerable immigration of Fieldfares took place on the 27th 
and 28th, and he also observed two Ring Ouzels come in from 
the sea. On November 4th, 2.40 a.m., wind N.W., overcast and 
misty, blowing half-a-gale, six Fieldfares struck the glass of the 
Flamborough lantern, two suffering self-immolation. On the 8th, 
9th, 10th and 11th December a great many Thrushes, Blackbirds, 
Fieldfares, Snow Buntings and Linnets, flying from S.E. to N.W., 
passed the Tees floating buoy-lghtship; wind N. to E., with 
snow. This was the final rush from the north with the com- 
mencement of the frost and snow. From every station last 
autumn I find, compared with the other Turdide, a comparative 
scarcity of Fieldfares; the only exception appears to be North- 
East Lincolnshire, where we have had much above an average, 
the greater part, as ten to one, being young birds of the year. 
Redbreasts were not nearly so numerous as during the previous 
autumn. Gold-crested Wrens were first seen at Spurn on October 
16th, “S.E., gloomy, several through day.” There was a large 
arrival about this date on the Holdernesst and North Lincolnshire 
coast. On the 18th, S.E., showers, many brown Wrens were seen 
near the Spurn Lighthouse by Mr. Watson, the Principal. 
During the last fortnight in October I was much struck by 
the unusual number of Great Tits, Parus major, in our gardens 
and hedgerows, also by a most extraordinary mustering of the 
common Blue Tit, Parus ceruleus—these latter in flocks in every 
hedgerow. My attention was also drawn to their unusual number 
by a friend living in an adjoining parish. I could only account 
for this most unprecedented gathering by supposing they were 
* The species are placed in order in proportion to their relative numbers, and 
also some Pigeons, Columba palumbus. 
+ Mr. P. Lawton, of Easington, near Spurn Point, says, “I think never more 
Gold-crested Wrens”; also, “a very large quantity of Common Wrens.” 
