FIELD MEETINGS FOR 1909 1 95 



The ebbtide had formed a temporary lagoon near Cressvvell, 

 between the shore and an exposed reef of low-lying rocks 

 sweeping and whirling over it were the larger gulls, strong on 

 the wing. Near the reef two or three birds were floating, one 

 of them considerably smaller than the others ; these swam to 

 the edge and took to the rocks. After preening its feathers 

 the smaller bird rose, and wheeling towards us, was identified — 

 to the delight of our ornithologists — as the little gull, which is 

 but rarely seen on this part of the coast. 



Cresswell, with its peel tower, its hall embowered in trees, 

 its undulating village green, lay to our right ; but we found 

 the beach with its shells, its crabs, its starfish and its sea- 

 weeds, too interesting to leave. On the short springy turf of 

 the point which we had to cross, the thrift was still flowering ; 

 beyond this another bay opened out, bounded by low cliffs of 

 sandstone. At its far end, on the margin of the sands, another 

 flock of gulls were feeding; also a smaller bird, one of the 

 terns, but too far off to identify more closely. As we 

 endeavoured to approach it, bang went a gun, and a couple 

 of men emerged from the other end of the bay. Happily 

 poor marksmen, for the birds escaped. 



Marking something down seaward which we had not seen, 

 these men, their dog in leash, proceeded to creep cautiously 

 to the edge of the far rocks : a pair of oyster-catchers rose, 

 foolishly circling overhead in the fashion of the domestic 

 pigeon. After two unsuccessful shots, the gun apparently 

 jammed, and the poor birds got away. 



But all chance of watching birds had now gone, for more 

 men with dogs and guns were met with. We were nearing 

 Newbiggin, where the sporting instinct is strong, and wanton 

 destruction of bird life is too common. Nothing except a 

 stray dunlin or ringed dotterel was afterwards seen. On the 

 banks a few flowers had been met with, notably the uncommon 

 Geranium sanguineum ; also the dove's foot trefoil, tufted 

 vetch, red bartsia, small willowherb, field gentian, campion, 

 fumitory, goatsbeard, nipplewort, and mouse-eared hawk- 

 weed. 



