GENERAL OBSERVATIONS., 305 



May, when the temperature stood at 48°, and 

 the wind N.W. Strange to say, it was not 

 observed in 1872 by any correspondent in 

 Scotland and Ireland. 



The Sandmartin is always amongst the first 

 comers to arrive, and was seen in three different 

 counties during the last week of March, viz., in 

 Sussex, Wilts, and Worcester, the weather dull, 

 with the wind blowing from the westward. Its 

 stay in this country is never so prolonged as 

 that of the Swallow, or even the Martin. Large 

 flights are observed preparing to migrate at the 

 end of August and beginning of September, and 

 at the end of the latter month all have gone 

 southward again for the winter. In 1872, how- 

 ever, the' species was seen exceptionally as late 

 as October 7. 



The Swift is rarely seen before the first week 

 of May or after the first week of August, and of 

 thirty independent observations upon this bird, 

 three only refer to its appearance during the 

 last days of April, four-and-twenty record its 

 arrival between the ist and 17th of May, and 



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