312 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



along the banks at Tynemouth, saw a bird rise close before him 

 which was undoubtedly a Swift, and had a white throat and 

 belly, the rest of the plumage being brown. He informed my 

 brother, and they went together to the Hancock Museum, where 

 Mr. Swan immediately "spotted" this species as being that to 

 which the bird he saw belonged. Although the evidence cannot 

 be taken as quite complete where so rare a bird is concerned, 

 yet it merits passing mention. 



Swift (C. apiis). — A resident in spring and autumn, breeding 

 under the eaves of the Tynemouth Palace in small numbers, and 

 also at Tynemouth Priory and Castle. This species is com- 

 monest in spring, when numbers arrive on the coast. The usual 

 date of arrival is May 9th, but in the year 1908 Mr. Gill records 

 a flock on May 1st. My brother observed one on Oct. 3rd ; in 

 1903, on the same date, he observed a Fieldfare, and it is not 

 often these two are seen on the same date. 



Nightjar {Ca-primulgus europtsus) . — An uncommon spring and 

 autumn migrant. Mr. Eichardson informs me that there is one 

 shot practically every season. I know of occurrences in 1904, 

 and August, 1910. 



Wryneck {lynx torquilla). — A very rare spring and autumn 

 migrant. The only specimen I can find a record of was 

 one shot by J. Hancock in the autumn of 1833 at St. Mary's 

 Island. 



Great Spotted Woodpecker {Dendrocopus major). — A rare 

 autumn visitant ; one was seen on the farm of F. Wilson, Esq., 

 Cullercoats, between Sept. 30th and Oct. 16th, 1903, and very 

 frequently observed pecking at an old gate-post. Another was 

 shot at Holywell Dene in 1904, and was set up by Mr. Eichard- 

 son, of Seaton Delaval. Another was observed by the park- 

 keeper and Noel Leeson, Esq., on several occasions, some time 

 in January, 1910, at Tynemouth Park. It flew to and fro 

 between Shields and Tynemouth Parks for several days. It was 

 very tame, and allowed a close approach. 



Kingfisher {Alcedo ispida). — Occasionally met with in severe 

 winters on the coast, and probably bred formerly in Holywell 

 Dene, where it is generally to be met with now in winter. In his 

 ' Scraps about Birds' Adamson mentions one that was killed at 

 Hartley during the severe winter of 1844-5. It had been driven 



