The Zoologist— October, 1868. 1411 



Errata. — Zool. S. S. 1187, line \&~,for " will come the winter breezes," read " will 

 cau>e," <Scc. Page 1192, line 18,/or " In parts of May," read " In parts of Mayo." 

 Page 1195, for "And last, not least, the redbreast," read "red breast" — "red" and 

 "breast" disconnected. — H. B.-K. 



Ornithological Notes from North Lincolnshire. 

 By John Cordeaux, Esq. 



(Continued from Zool. S. S. 1286.) 



June, July and August. 



Swift. — We have certainly more than an average number of swifts 

 in the neighbourhood, and I am glad to see two or three pairs have 

 this season taken up their quarters in an old church tower. They 

 have also appeared in other localities where not previously seen, at 

 least for many years. 



Corn Crake. — Common as this species was in this parish during 

 the seasons of 1866 and 1867, I have this year never heard its welU 

 known call-note. The absence of this bird from its late haunts is 

 remarkable, and not confined to this parish : a gentleman living in 

 the neighbourhood has also remarked the absence of the corn crake, 

 and informs me that he has not heard them calling during the spring 

 and summer. Perhaps the excessive drought has induced them to 

 seek other quarters in preference to our burnt-up meadow lands, which 

 have barely afforded shelter for a laik. 



Effect of Dry, Hot Weather on Birch. — Have any of the readers 

 of the 'Zoologist' noticed during the late dry and hot season any 

 difference in the plumage of some of our familiar birds? I have, in 

 this district, so repeatedly been struck with the unusually lighter 

 appearance of our sparrows, larks and corn buntings than is the case 

 with these species in ordinary seasons, that I think I cannot altogether 

 be mistaken, and that this is not a mere fancy on my part. This 

 lighter shade of plumage has been most apparent in the corn bunting, 

 which bird, by the way, I have observed is more subject to variations 

 of plumage than any other of our smaller species. The dry weather 

 has driven many of our birds to seek out unusual and unseasonable 

 sources of food. Peewits have frequented the moist margins of the 

 drains instead of the open fields, feeding along the edge of the water; 

 thrushes have drawn upon their winter supplies and accumulated large 

 collections of broken shells around some favourite stone or stump; 



