Birds. 1771 



Newman states (Zool. 983), that the goldfinches which breed in Herefordshire dis- 

 appear during winter ; and I suspect that this bird makes wide and extended changes 

 of abode, which may perhaps be owing to the peculiar nature of its food, principally 

 seeds of syngenesious plants. 



The common linnet collects into flocks at the approach of winter, but does not fre- 

 quent homesteads or farm-yards like other Fringillidae. Sometimes I have met with 

 small parties in severe weather, feeding on the seeds of ragwort, or black knapweed 

 (Centaurea nigra), but in general, linnets are not seen with us during winter. In early 

 spring, however, flocks occasionally appear. 



The siskin and the lesser redpoll may be classed together as irregular visitants to 

 this district. The habits of these two species are very similar, and they only appear at 

 uncertain periods, generally in winter or early spring. I have seen redpolls so late as 

 the end. of April, when they fed on the seeds of the larch. Neither of these birds 

 breeds here. 



The starling may be termed a summer visitant in this locality, a few pairs appear- 

 ing in spring to breed. In autumn large flocks are occasionally seen, frequenting 

 large open fields, but in winter none are visible. The starling is rather a rare bird 

 here, and affects particular localities, being by no means generally distributed. 



The golden plover, the lapwing, and the curlew visit our moors and uplands to 

 breed, appearing in March or April, and leaving us in autumn. Curlews are the 

 first to depart, generally disappearing in the month of August. Golden plovers re- 

 main till October, and are to be seen in large flocks in August and September, fre- 

 quenting bare places on upland moors. Lapwings also collect into large flocks and 

 remain somewhat later, resorting to large open fields in the lower districts of the 

 county, where I have sometimes observed them so late as November. 



The common sandpiper breeds by our streams and rivers in abundance, almost 

 every stream having several pairs of these birds stationed at intervals on its banks. 

 They leave us early in autumn. 



The ring-dotterel is also a summer visitant here, appearing in April or May, but 

 it is by no means a common bird, and is only to be found by large rivers where exten- 

 sive gravel-beds abound. It is somewhat a nocturnal bird, and I have observed it fly- 

 ing about and uttering its plaintive note, while fishing in the Teviot by night. It also 

 departs early in autumn. 



I have not observed any partial migrations of Natatorial birds, save that of the 

 black-headed gull, which breeds at Ancrum Moss, in this neighbourhood in abun- 

 dance. These birds appear in March, and leave us again in the end of July. In the 

 first volume of the ' Zoologist ' (Zool. 245) I have given a short description of the 

 habits of the black-headed gull. 



Other species of gulls are occasionally observed by our rivers, but make no stay. 

 In severe weather, goosanders, golden-eyes, and teals are to be found on our larger ri- 

 vers, but other ducks are rare, except the common wild duck, which is a constant 

 resident. 



I have thus gone over our common birds which may be considered as partial mi- 

 grants, and have stated my own observations on their movements, and the times of 

 their arrival and departure. I trust that these remarks will call forth responses from 

 other parts of the kingdom, and that, ere long, we shall have the history of the migra- 

 tions and shiftings of the interesting inhabitants of the woods and fields more accu- 



