The Migration of Birds. By James Hardy. 569 



moor, Sept. 18, Swallows still at Belford. Sept. 19, All Swallows and 

 Martins appear to have left Oldcambus, etc., after a thick fog; and none 

 seen at Penmanshiel after that. Sept. 25, again to Wooler. Swallows 

 and Martins sporting together on Tweed at Berwick. Sept. 27, pair of 

 Swallows still at Middleton Hall ; numerous others at Tiptoe, along hedge 

 sides, during a thunder storm ; Pied Wagtails on slated houses at Middle- 

 ton Hall, and again at Etal, in chase of flies ; and again on Tweedside at 

 Berwick. 



October. 

 Oct. 2, 4, and 5, hitter cold weather ; Snow-buntings at Penmanshiel. 

 Oct. 12, a Whinchat among bean stooks near coast. Oct. 13, at evening, 

 4 or 5 Ring-ousels in the dean among the hips of the dog-roses, along 

 with Blackbirds and Thrushes, making much chattering. They were 

 pursued as strangers by Yellow-hammers, which were also pecking at 

 Chaffinches. Oct. 16, vast numbers of Lapwings in fields at Skateraw, 

 E.L. ; as they rose the fields appeared to undulate with the flapping of 

 wings ; 16 Grey Linnets in dean. I am glad to see that in summer, by 

 hedgesides, extracting the dandelion seeds. Grey Linnets are pretty general. 

 Oct. 20, a Ring-ousel among turnips at Siccar ; pair of Stonechats left 

 in dean. Oct. 23, 33 Ducks in sea at Siccar ; 20 there a week ago ; 1 

 Cormorant only. The salmon fishing has disturbed their retreat, and they 

 are now scarce. Oct, 25, 5 or 6 Ducks ; few bred in the mosses this year. 

 Oct. 26, Peregrine at Siccar, near the caves ; 6 or 7 Wild Ducks. Oct, 

 28, calm. A very large flock of Wild Geese at 4 p.m. flying to the north, 

 towards the sea, upwards of 100 ; they rose from Howpark where they 

 were feeding on stubbles ; two days previously 24 had been seen at Pen- 

 manshiel. Oct 29, 20 Wild Geese passed flying northwards. 



November, December, 

 Owing to the mildness and uniformity of the winter, very few birds 

 have frequented the coast, and only of the ordinary kinds ; the Stonechats 

 remained all wintex*. 



1884. 



I have seldom had a poorer return of migrants than this season. Owing 

 to the long continuance of cold north-east winds on the shelterless coast, 

 birds on arrival either passed directly inland, the open weather offering no 

 obstruction, or they preferred the warmer interior valleys in making their 

 advances northwards or across the country. There were no marked 

 " rushes " or migratory associations of a variety of birds, as might have 

 been expected from detentions by adverse weather on the passage, but for 

 the most part the new comers were scattered or single, the vacant places 

 in the woods and wilds being filled up, like the silent covering of the trees 

 with foliage, without being the subject of observation. 



Jan. 20 and Feb. 23, Stonechats had continued all winter in last year's 

 quarters, in which 3 pairs bred during May, as they had done in 1883. 

 Feb. 23, About 20 Curlews assembled on the shore, previously they were 



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