53 



THE WHINCHAT. 



Pratincola rubetra (L.). 



Between the 2nd and 26th of April a few stragglers 

 belonging to this species were noted from various counties, 

 but mostly from Kent. The first real immigration, how- 

 ever, began on the 27tb, when Whinchats were observed 

 in Dorset, Hampshire and Kent. On the following day 

 they occurred at the lighthouses in Dorset and Hampshire, 

 and were noted in other southern counties. These birds 

 apparently continued their journey towards the north-west, 

 from whence the majority of the records were received 

 during the following days. 



On the 4th of May the main immigration of this species 

 began in the south and east (Hampshire, Suffolk and Nor- 

 folk), and by the 6th and 7th an increase was noted in 

 Shropshire, Merioneth, Lancashire and Yorkshire. Many 

 were also recorded from Cambridge on the 7th. These last 

 may have been fresh arrivals, but they most probably formed 

 a part of the birds which had reached the coast a few days 

 earlier ; by the following day they had passed on. 



On the 8th Whinchats were recorded for the first time 

 from Westmoreland, on the 9th they had increased in 

 number in Yorkshire ; and on the following day they were 

 recorded from Lancashire and Northumberland. 



It was evident that between the 4th and 10th of May 

 considerable numbers were spreading through the country in 

 a north or north-westerly direction. On the 10th a further 

 small immigration was noted from Surrey and on the next 



