THE ZooLocistT—JANUARY, 1876. 4747 
Song Thrush.—28th. I saw a single bird on the lawn, the first 
I have seen this year. 
FEBRUARY. 
3rd. Saw two more song thrushes. By the 16th a good many 
had returned, but still less than our usual complement: the same 
may be said of the blackbirds. 
Razorbill—On the 20th I found several dead on the beach. 
Birds so picked up I always find poor in condition, with empty 
stomachs, and generally after stormy weather from the north-east ; 
but the fact of this mortality amongst them so invariably taking 
place in or near the month of February rather goes to show that 
these birds are commonly, if not always, reduced to a very weak 
state at this time of year. 
May. 
On the 12th I had a hurried run up the North Tyne, partly on 
foot, but mostly by rail, and therefore found but little to note. 
Blackheaded Gull.—This species first took my attention. I found 
it straggling the whole distance—a few immature amongst them, 
Nothing ever pleased me more than the sight of these birds hawking 
the sprouting corn-fields, and the graceful and easy manner they 
alight to pick up a grub, their feet just touching the ground for a 
second and their wings remaining full spread upwards. I made 
inquiries but could not find any clue to their nesting up the 
_ Yiver. 
Warblers.—Near Hesleside I was brought to a halt at a thicket 
by the roadside, and compelled to sit down and listen to such a 
medley of song as I never before heard, the performers being the 
sedge warbler, blackcap, garden warbler, wood wren, willow wren, 
whitethroat, and the common wren (the latter only joining in at 
intervals, and was certainly heard above all); added to these was 
the song of the sky lark overhead; a chaffinch and his mate, 
I thought, would have been better out of the way. I could have 
spent the day with them, but I had set out at 6 A.M. on a glass of 
whiskey and milk only, and the thought of having to tramp nine or 
ten miles before I could breakfast caused me to move on. 
Sand Martin.—Found nesting on the banks of the river in great 
abundance. Mr. Hancock must have been there when he wrote 
his curt notice of this species in his ‘Catalogue of the Birds of 
