Birds. 3173 



The arrival of the spotted flycatcher, and of one or two other species, was not ob- 

 served until so late as to render any note of their appearance useless. A male of the 

 blackcap warbler was seen near this place on the 1st of December, apparently in good 

 health; the weather was then very severe for the season, the mercury having been as 

 low as 17° Fahr. — A. Matthews ; Weston-on-the- Green, April, 1851. 



Notes on the Arrival of Migratory Birds at Lewes, Sussex. — 

 March 21. Three wheatears were seen on the Downs. 



„ 25. On the morning of this day I saw a solitary chiffchaff, but did not see or 

 hear another until the 1st of April, when I saw several. 

 April 1. A solitary swallow was seen. 



„ 5. At 2 o'clock in the afternoon I heard the blackcap singing with all his 



might ; a wryneck had also arrived. 

 „ 10. Late in the evening of this day the nightingale was filling the woods with 



his glorious melody. 

 „ 14. On this day I saw several house-martins. 



„ 16. Numbers of willow-wrens came, but departed northward the same after- 

 noon. Several whinchats, whitethroats, a few tree-pipits and ring- 

 ouzels also arrived in the course of the day. 

 „ 17. The sedge-warbler was to be heard complaining in every ditch and osier- 

 bed, and the cuckoo was heard in several places. 

 The yellow wagtail came in numbers. 

 Early in the morning of this day I missed my favourite blackcap, and 



after some search I found out the cause — his mate had arrived. 

 The wood-wren arrived. 

 Lesser whitethroat. 

 I saw a single swift. 

 I saw a male red-backed shrike. 



The spotted flycatcher was very busy among the insects ; and the garden 

 warbler sang his harmonious song on the same day. 

 I did not ascertain the exact date of the arrival of the reed-warbler, and have been 

 told that the red-backed shrike was seen on the 1st of May, which is the usual date of 

 its arrival, and I was much surprised at not meeting with it earlier. Blackcaps have 

 been exceedingly numerous this year, and the plumage of all the birds was splendid. 

 — J. B. Ellman; Lewes, May 15, 1851. 



Observations on the Arrival of Hirundinidcs in Norfolk this Spring. — 

 Chimney-swallow (Hirundo rustica) April 18. Weather mild, wind South. 

 Sand-martin {Hirundo riparia) ... „ 19. Weather mild, wind varying from 



South-west to South-east. 

 Window-martin (Hirundo urbica)... May 2. Weather mild, wind varying West 



by North-west. 

 Common Swift (Cypselus Apus) ... „ 7. Weather milder than in the three 



preceding days, wind West. 

 — /. Harper ; Norivich. 



Late Sojourn of Swifts in 1850. — According to my journal of last year, I saw two 

 of these birds hawking for insects as late as the 29th of August. — Id. 



Display of Parental Affection by Martins. — I beg to record the following instance 

 of parental affection exhibited by a pair of the common martin, as it seems to place 

 beyond a doubt their inability to withstand the temperature of our winters, even dur- 



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