BLACKBIRD. 77 



our coast at dates varying from late September to the end of 

 November, but are usually most abundant during the last fort- 

 night of October, when, along with the Fieldfares and Red- 

 wings, they frequently perish during fog at the lanterns of our 

 sea marks, for their migrations are chiefly undertaken during 

 the hours of darkness. The great majority of these migratory 

 birds are young males of the year with dark-coloured bills, but 

 on the 24th of January, 1880, there arrived, on the Holderness 

 coast, many fine old cocks, along with great numbers of Field- 

 fares, probably from Northern Europe. After their arrival 

 these birds appear to be much more fatigued by their passage 

 than their congeners, and the writer has, on several occasions, 

 had to avoid treading them under foot. On their return passage 

 in the spring they are not often reported, but during the early 

 morning of the 12th of March, 1877, a few were killed against 

 the Flamborough Beacon, along with several Fieldfares. Other 

 observations from the East Coast, communicated to the British 

 Association Migration Committee, indicate that they usually 

 leave us during February and March. 



The records relating to pied Blackbirds are very numerous. 

 Marmaduke Tunstall, of Wycliffe, in the North Riding, writing 

 one hundred years ago, remarks, ' Have had many pied Black- 

 birds, which seemed healthy, stout birds, and sung lavishly ; 

 had once one quite white, but always appeared sickly and 

 cramped, and lived not long : have it now set up.' A perfectly 

 white specimen was seen at large by the writer at Harewood, 

 near Leeds, in November. 1885; while one observed by him 

 on Strensall Common, near York, in April, 1880, had a creamy- 

 white head, which was sharply defined from the remaining black 

 plumage. 



An interesting note on the nidification of this bird appears 

 in Neville Wood's 'Naturalist' (1837,1!. 166), where a pair 

 are described as having their nest beneath the leaves of a large 

 brocoli in the garden at Wentworth Castle, near Barnsley. 

 This nest was completely buried by the snow which fell during 



