566 The Migration of Birds. By James Hardy. 



a quarter of a mile, when 2 Whinchats appeared, perhaps left behind | 

 Swallow seen. May 13, Swallow came to Penmanshiel. May 14, Cuckoo 

 heard at Penmansliiel, and Swifts seen. Looked into Pease dean; Willow 

 Wrens general ; 1 Wood Wren, newly come, was very alert and bold, 

 chasing Willow Wrens and Gold-crests ; it had a fluttering motion in its 

 short flights like a Lark or Pipit ; alighted on slender twigs and trunks of 

 tall trees ; repeatedly hawked after flies. Its short wings project as it 

 sits ; tail short ; bill long and slender. Another male perched on twigs 

 and sung, shivering its tail and the tips of its wings, and then uttering its 

 call-note — Twey ! Tivey ! It often wheeled round on its perch ; there were 

 a few also at North Cleugh and the forester's cottage. Pair of Sandpipers 

 at Pease burn ; female Redstart at the cottage ; Tit-lark seated on a drying 

 post moiinted aloft and wheeling suddenly returned to its perch ; 1 Swallow, 

 I again examined Oldcambus dean ; it was occupied by another migratory 

 band of small birds. There were a pair of Whinchats at the upper end, 

 and 4 or 5 on the grass at the lower break in the dean, as if tired, and 

 newly landed ; they hid themselves among furze. There were also several 

 Willow Wrens and 1 Whitethroat, which was in full song, biit keeping well 

 concealed. A pair of Swallows and a Martin were dipping, in flight, in a, 

 pool ; then came more Swallows, and Martins, and Sand Martins, quite a 

 muster of new-comers. At the sea-banks the Swallows were numerous 

 mixed with Sand Martins and Martins, and there was 1 Swift. Near 

 Swallow crag from 20 to 30 Martins hovering about their nesting comers 

 at the summit of the precipice. 3 Wheatears seen during the walk. In 

 the middle part of the dean, near an old quarry, there was a crowded 

 arrival of Willow Wrens, some of them small brown and grey birds, with- 

 put the olivaceous tints, as if a distinct race ; some were sitting on the 

 "grass, others on the gravel of a glitter; 5 were resting on one black thorn, 

 like stuffed birds in a case, and 3 on another ; plumage out of order, weary 

 .and drowsy. A male Whitethroat was also among the reposing group, 

 preening himself ; and there was a larger bird hid in the grass, of the size 

 of a Pipit, but paler in hue, and showing only its head at intervals (Grass- 

 hopper Lark?) A male Stonechat was one of the band. Several of the 

 Whinchats first seen had gone off before I returned about half-an-hour 

 later; but Willow Wrens continued numerous among the furze, and there 

 were several male and female Chaffinches also, which might or might not 

 be travelling northAvards. May 15, Calm and fresh. At 7 a.m. 2 Swallows 

 lighted on Laburnum in garden fence and surveyed the situation ; nested 

 ,here ; 2 also at Linhead. Willow Wrens getting into hedges ; Whitethroat 

 at Pease mill ; Sedge Warbler in Tower dean ; common Wrens numerous 

 in that dean ; Blackcap at Pease bridge, only one ; Whinchat moving 

 inland near Pease bridge; Whinchats and other birds had mostly left 

 Oldcambus dean in afternoon ; a Whitethi-oat and some Willow Wrens re- 

 maining behind; only 1 Martin on sea-banks. May 16, Dean cleared of 

 Willow Wrens ; Swallows remain, playing across the fields ; no Martins ; 1 

 Willow Wren in garden examining the leaf -buds ; Sparrows following to 

 pry into its proceedings. More Whitethroats arrived ; and on l7th became 



