264 Slimmer Studies of Birds and Books chap. 



But whether they were skulking and moulting, — in 

 an even more melancholy state of mind than usual, 

 — or whether they had really left us, it is certain 

 that they were not to be found. The Corn Bunting 

 is not celebrated as a migrant ; but it is well known 

 to ornithologists that its numbers are largely increased 

 in the autumn by arrivals from the north of Europe, 

 and it is possible that in this case too our resident 

 birds had already left us to make room for the 

 new-comers.^ 



These were our most notable absentees. All our 

 regular summer visitors were with us, though perhaps 

 in diminishing numbers, except the Cuckoo, the Night- 

 ingale (which disappears mysteriously, I know not 

 when), and the Swifts and Shrikes, the last birds to 

 arrive in May. These last left us while we were form- 

 ing our list. On 16th August it was pretty plain 

 that the Swifts were going and that the summer was 

 drawing to an end. We saw one or two on the 18th 

 and 19th, and on the 27th a small party passed on 

 migration. This was the last we saw of them. In 

 1891, the year in which the whole tribe of 

 Swallows and Martins was so late in leaving us, 

 the last Swifts were seen here on the fourth of 

 September ; and I have seen them even later on 

 the coast of Dorset. The Ked-backed Shrikes had 

 left their nesting - places at the end of July, and 



' See Newton's edition of Yarrell, vol. ii. p. 40. 



