OCTOBER 205 



as it flutters down the hedge and flirts its tail on alight- 

 ing at once show its kinship to the more familiar 

 butcher-bird. Some years, however, there is quite 

 an immigration of Grey Shrikes, and the chance of 

 meeting with one, especially in the north of England, 

 is far from remote. 



October brings in larger numbers another acquaint- 

 ance whose appearance was noted last month, to wit 

 the Jack Snipe. Winter after winter the little patch 

 of bog at the overflow of the pool never fails to harbour 

 its jack-snipe, which, after lying like a stone while the 

 retriever is scenting about close to it, starts up when 

 least expected, with weak, wavering flight, and, after 

 flying for about twenty yards, pitches again into cover. 



This month sees further arrivals of the " flight " 

 ducks which come from the north to join the mallard 

 and teal which have passed the summer with us. By 

 the middle of the month, the drake mallards have lost 

 the plumage in which they so closely resemble their 

 mates and are once more in full dress . To various parts 

 of the coast come the diving ducks, Scaup, Golden-eye, 

 Pochard and Scoter, which spend the winter chiefly 

 upon the sea or upon tidal waters, obtaining their food, 

 whether shell-fish or vegetable matter, by the method 

 which earns for them the above appellation. The 

 waders, from the curlew down to dunlin and stint, 

 have received further accession to their numbers, and 

 give to sand-bars and mud-flats an important element in 



