$6 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



northward and passed over the east of the town inland : they flew 

 high and at a tremendous pace, so that in all probability they 

 escaped destruction — at all events, I did not hear of any having 

 been shot here. Several " Petrels of the Storm" were seen, and 

 three or four captured ; I bought one from a fisherman, and kept 

 it alive for some time ; it became quite tame, and nestled under 

 my coat for shelter and to avoid the glare of the light. What 

 interesting little creatures these are, the least of the web-footed 

 tribe ! I was particularly struck with the elegant and graceful 

 manner in which my little captive glided across the room on 

 uplifted pinions, seemingly "as light as air." During the 

 height of the gale a continuous flight of ducks passed in small 

 flocks. 



On the 15th October, the wind still blowing hard from the N., 

 I was at the Tees-mouth with Mr. Emerson ; in returning home 

 he shot a pair of Grey Phalaropes, right and left ; they were 

 mature birds, in almost full plumage, only two or three grey 

 feathers showing on the back ; the red on the necks faded, but 

 otherwise they were in good feather. On the same day we saw 

 another Phalarope on the sands east of Redcar. On the 19th 

 several Fieldfares were heard "chuckling" as the fishermen were 

 going out to sea, and a Woodcock was shot in a field behind the 

 sand-hills. On the 20th a Great Grey Shrike was shot about 

 three miles from Redcar, and the last Tern was seen by Mr. T. B. 

 Wood near the Tees-mouth. On the 22nd, stormy, strong E.S.E. 

 gale, twelve Goosanders (or " Sawbills," as they are termed here) 

 flew over East Scar, nine going west, the others flying east. Two 

 Woodcocks and a Short-eared Owl were seen. Great Black-backed 

 Gulls were unusually plentiful during the previous few days, 

 coming from eastward ; forty or fifty passed on the 23rd. 



On October 24th, the wind having been easterly for several 

 days, a flight of small birds appeared. While I was at breakfast 

 five Lesser Redpolls alighted on the ground in front of the window, 

 facing the sea. I saw another small flock at the Breakwater, 

 and several Gold-crests, Thrushes, Blackbirds, Robins, Yellow- 

 hammers, Hooded Crows, a Ring Ouzel (a young bird, which was 

 shot), and a small red-tailed bird, probably a Redstart. A Short- 

 eared Owl was seen, and I flushed a Woodcock among the bents. 

 An iininature Glaucous Gull was shot at the Breakwater, and 

 was preserved for my collection. 



