4748 Tue ZooLoGisT—JANUARY, 1876. 
Northumberland and Durham’—viz., “It breeds wherever there is 
a sandy declivity.” 
Gray Wagtail.—I saw two pairs and an odd bird (a male) at 
different places on the river: one of the pairs was flitting about 
amongst the sand martins. I also saw a pair of black-and-white 
wagtails; but whether they were the so-called pied or white 
species, if they are really distinct,—my humble opinion is that they 
are not,—I was not near enough to determine. 
Common Sandpiper.—l saw a single pair on the river near 
Falstone. 
I had not time to follow the course of the river, so I missed 
seeing the dipper and very probably other interesting species. 
Hen Harrier.—On the 138th, walking from Melrose to Abbots- 
ford, a female of this species crossed the road a few yards in front 
of me, and, after skimming across an adjoining field, alighted on a 
tree at the edge of a plantation. Five or six wood pigeons flew 
from the same tree in a rather confused manner on her approach. 
She made no attempt to strike any of them. Itis to be hoped that 
this species still manages to breed in the district. 
Swift.—On the 16th I observed the swift very common at 
Alnwick; a great number were wheeling round the top of the 
Castle. The swallow tribe seems to be unusually common this 
season. | 
Summer Migrants.—There appears to me to be an uncommonly 
uneven distribution of our most common migrants this year. Ou 
the 17th I walked from Alnwick to Warkworth, through fields and 
woods, some eight or ten miles perhaps, without hearing or seeing 
the wood wren, nor did I observe the chiffchaff, and there is no 
lack of lofty trees in the neighbourhood. On the other hand, 
I never before found the sedge warbler so abundant anywhere— 
scarcely a hedgerow without its pair or two; this latter I have not 
seen or heard at Castle Eden this season, where it is usually not 
uncommon, and the two former have appeared here in larger 
numbers than usual. The whitethroat and the garden warbler 
have come in about their usual numbers, but the blackcap is much 
less common, and I have not seen the wheatear nor whinchat this 
year, and the latter is usually very common here. The corn crake 
is commoner here this season than I have ever known it; the 
cuckoo has also appeared in greater numbers here: all, however, 
have arrived later than usual. 
