NOTES FROM NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE. 89 



August 26th, from S.W. to W. Immense flights of Snow Buntings 

 passed the Teesmouth from November 23rd to December 17th, at 

 intervals, and notwithstanding the abnormal mildness of the 

 season they were the most conspicuous species in the returns from 

 our north-eastern stations. Early in November immense flocks of 

 Greenfinches, many thousands together, probably the accumulated 

 immigration of days and weeks, with flocks of Tree Sparrows, and 

 some Linnets and Twites, visited these same oat-stubbles, where 

 the smaller grain-eating migrants found an almost inexhaustible 

 supply of food ready for their use. The Greenfinches were, with 

 very few exceptions, young of the year and old females. 



Like the Woodcock, the Short-eared Owls came in very irregu- 

 larly, two or three at a time, through September and October. 

 On November 9th I saw quite a young bird perched on a foot- 

 bridge across one of the marsh-drains, and got very close before 

 it was sufficiently aroused to flap lazily along the drain-bank, 

 where it soon plumped down amongst the rough grass and reeds. 

 This bird had a good deal of down still adhering to the tips of 

 the feathers, and was certainly much too young to have come 

 any distance. 



There was a very general arrival of Hooded Crows along the 

 east coast on October 18th, soon after nightfall probably, but 

 between sunset and dawn. Both on the 17th and 18th they crossed 

 Heligoland in immense numbers ; and Mr. Giitke remarked that 

 their migration " differed very markedly from their usual habit 

 in passing overhead [E. to W.] at least twice as high as usual; 

 further by continuing to pass on till later in the afternoon, which 

 accounts for your arrival during night or early morn. As a 

 general rule, C. comix coming here later than 2 p.m. do not 

 proceed on their migration, but remain here during the night, 

 when they are so stupid that a year or two ago a man killed 

 forty-five with a lantern and stick, almost the whole congregation 

 resting on the plateau of the northern cliff." Heligolanders eat 

 them, so do the fishermen and labourers in North Lincolnshire 

 whenever they have a chance; a fresh "hoodie" put up as a 

 scarecrow is tolerably sure to disappear. There was a very con- 

 siderable flight over Heligoland on the 8th and 9th of November, 

 and again on the 10th and 11th of December. 



Mr. Winson, captain of the Spurn life-boat, picked up a Knot 

 on the 7th November, killed by flying against the single telegraph- 



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