244 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



night of the 30th, continued to blow with more or less violence 

 for the three following days. Subsequently a friend living in 

 Grimsby told me he had heard, at midnight on the 29th, the cries 

 of large numbers of birds passing over the town. 



May 2nd. — S., gale. Sedge Warbler and Sand Martins first 

 seen, the latter numerous. 



May 3rd. — S., strong gale. First appearance of Whimbrel in 

 the marshes. 



May 4th. — S., strong. About two thousand Dunlin on the 

 muds, chiefly in summer plumage, with the black abdominal 

 patch very distinct. I was watching these from the bank when a 

 Sheldrake flew into the field of the glass ; following the flight of 

 the bird for about a quarter of a mile along the shore, I observed 

 it suddenly slacken, make a half-circle, and drop to about a score 

 of small, plump, dark-looking ducks, which were swimming rather 

 high in the water. I was puzzled at the time to determine the 

 species, as they showed little distinctive colouring, also the water 

 was rough. The males amongst them were clearly distinguishable 

 by having dark heads and necks, and now one and then another 

 of these, from time to time, rolled up a white flank on the top of 

 a wave. They were most expert divers. Again, on the 5th, at the 

 same place, when the water was comparatively smooth, I had them 

 under the glass, and this time had no difficulty in recognizing 

 Tufted Ducks, but I think there was not a mature plumaged bird 

 amongst them. They were in much the same dress as we find the 

 young of the year in the autumn, with individual variations in 

 the stage of change to maturity. 



May 5th. — Innumerable Dunlin, some Whimbrel and Curlew, 

 and a few Grey Plover, one in summer plumage. Turtle Dove 

 first heard. 



May 8th. — Dunlin still numerous, and many more Grey Plover 

 and Whimbrel. Common Sandpiper on the foreshore. 



May 9th. — Walked for some hours across one of the wild 

 commons which remain in North Lincolnshire. I am sorry to 

 say that, since my last visit, cultivation has made sad inroads 

 into what was, not many years ago, one of the most interesting 

 spots in the county, both as regards the fauna and flora. A con- 

 siderable portion has been torn up by steam, exposing a white 

 blowing- sand, totally unfitted in these times for profitable culti- 

 vation; "flashes," or ponds, formerly the haunt of innumerable 



