47 



THE WHEATEAR. 



Saxicola cenanthe (L.). 



This bird arrived along the whole of the south coast. The 

 earliest record was in Devonshire on the 6th of March, and 

 two were killed at the Smalls lighthouse (Pembroke) on the 

 night of the 14th/15th. By the end of the month Wheatears 

 were thinly distributed over the country, and had reached 

 Northumberland on the 28th and Cumberland on the 29th. 

 A very considerable immigratory movement took place 

 between the 3rd and 12th of April, when large numbers 

 were observed passing the N. Devonshire, Hampshire, 

 Pembroke and Carnarvon lights. On the 8th two Wheatears 

 flew on board H.M.S. ' Dido,' one at 8 a.m. in lat. 50° 55' N.. 

 long. 8° 25' W., and a second at noon in lat. 51° 2' N., 

 long. 8° 2' W. This first large influx during the first fort- 

 night in April largely increased the number of this species 

 all over the country. 



A second wave of immigration occurred between the 1st 

 and 6th of May, and many were reported at the Hampshire, 

 Kent, and Essex lights on the nights of the lst/2nd and 

 3rd/4th, while stragglers were noted on the 4th/5th. After 

 that date very few migratory movements were recorded, but 

 the species apparently continued to pass into and through 

 the country up to the third week in May. Many were 

 observed on passage in Wiltshire on the 6th of May, aiid a 

 party of about fifty (mostly males) was seen in Shropshire 

 on the 16th, while two were recorded at the Smalls light 

 (Pembroke) as late as the night of the 7th/8th June. Wheat- 

 ears were nesting in Cornwall and Heieford on the 17th of 

 April, in Sussex and Wiltshire on the 24th, and in Glamorgan 



