180 THE ORNITHOLOGIST. 



with each barrel, making three in all. I gave two of them 

 to the late Mr. Glennon, and he then showed me another, 

 which he told me had been killed from a flock in the Co. 

 Donegal, on the 17th, the day after I got mine. The birds 

 were following the course of the Shannon, flying north. I 

 gave the third specimen to Major Newton, R.A., who sent it 

 to his brother, Alfred Newton, Esq., so well-known for his 

 work on eggs ; I saw between sixty and seventy in all." 



BIRDS OBSERVED DURING A CYCLING TOUR 



THROUGH THE NORTH OF FRANCE. 



By F. B. Whitlock. 



To form one of a party making a cycling trip is, perhaps, 

 not the best situation for an ornithologist who wishes to learn 

 something of the avi-fauna of the country through which he 

 is passing. 



Our party consisted of three, two gentlemen and one lady; 

 and our plan, which we carried out as far as the elements 

 allowed, was to ride from Calais to Fontainbleau and return 

 by a route lying a little more to the west — via Abbeville and 

 Boulogne. We landed at Calais about 12.30 a.m. on Friday, 

 September 11th, and commenced our first stage of the journey 

 to St. Omer about 9.30 the same morning, in squally and 

 showery weather. 



From Calais to St. Omer the country is pretty level and 

 freely intersected with broad drains. There are no hedgerows, 

 and the timber is for the greater part confined to the imme- 

 diate neighbourhood of villages and the interminable avenues 

 of elms and poplars through which all French roads seem to 

 run. As might be imagined, bird-life in such a district is not 

 much in evidence. To my surprise I saw no Lapwings in the 

 marshes near Calais, though the ground looked very suitable, 

 and the day was one to rejoice the soul of a Peewit. The 

 most conspicuous bird near all the French roads we traversed 

 was the Magpie. From Calais to Fontainbleau they were 

 abundant ; as many as seven or eight rising from some small 

 patch of turnips or mangolds on many occasions, and there 



