ORNITHOLOGY OF CORNWALL. 115 



(Smithers) had the bird in his hands before it was skinned. I am none the 

 more certain, however, that it was shot at the place mentioned, for I have 

 known many instances of rare British birds being sent to our markets in the 

 flesh, and from the markets sent into the country, for the pm-pose of 

 deceiving the unwary ; stUl the statement may be true, and I will leave no 

 stone unturned to ascertain if such be the case." 



Mr. Gould writes me shortly after with a copy of another letter 

 from Mr. Smithers to him as follows : — 



" December 26th, 1868. 

 Sir, 



I regret writing to you about the Great Black Woodpecker, as 



Mr. told me he bought it in the London market, but being so fresh, 



he said, out of a joke, he shot it at Binstead. I will be more careful for the 

 future." 



I have to observe that an unusual number of Montagu's 

 Harriers have been captured in the county during the past year. 



With regard to the autumnal migration of birds, I may men- 

 tion as a curious fact, and which I have noticed for many seasons 

 that a great number of the British summer visitants, which are 

 almost, and some entirely, unknown in West Cornwall durino- the 

 spring and summer months, are every autumn, at the migratory 

 season, to be found at the Scilly Isles, as a sort of resting place in 

 their passage to southern countries. The Nightingale, however 

 forms an exception. Among the common warblers I may instance 

 that the Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Eedstart 

 Eeed Warbler, Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Wryneck, and 

 also species of other families which,_ for some hidden cause, are 

 scarcely ever seen in the neighbourhood of Penzance, are observed 

 at the Scilly Isles at the autumnal migratory season. 



