NOTES AND QUERIES. 429 



loss to suggest any satisfactory reason why these birds should have been 

 captured or found dead inland on several occasions both in Norfolk and 

 Suffolk, and yet to be so rare along the Norfolk coast, unless it is due to 

 the peculiar configuration of the Norfolk coast-line. If we look at a map 

 we can see at a glance that the north Norfolk shore-line is the most con- 

 siderable stretch of English coast facing due north, whilst at any spot 

 between Hunstanton and Cromer a prolongation of its longitude would pass 

 to the North Pole, without cutting any land ; in fact, the north Norfolk 

 coast-line protrudes into the German Ocean for many miles at a right angle 

 to the meridian of Greenwich, and is probably a serious barrier to oceanic 

 birds on a southward course, hugging the eastern coast of England. Thus 

 Shearwaters following the coast-line from Flamborough Head in their 

 annual movement southward must, on reaching the Wash, be brought up 

 by the land, and unless they divert their course sharply to the eastward, 

 are liable to be cast inland. The low stretch of seaboard prevailing from 

 Hunstanton to Sherringham, where during the hours of high-water sea 

 and marsh commingle, doubtless adds to the difficulty that an oceanic bird 

 must find iu taking its bearings, and this may account for the Shearwaters 

 having been cast away inland on so many occasions in Norfolk. The 

 Scotch coast from the Moray Firth to Fraserburgh is the only other part 

 of the British Isles that coincides in configuration with north Norfolk, and 

 it would be interesting to learn whether similar observations on the 

 stranding of Shearwaters appertain to that part of Scotland. Mr. Harvie 

 Brown, who, I believe, is now engaged in working out the fauna of Moray, 

 might kindly enlighten us. — H. W. Feilden (Wells, Norfolk). 



Migration of Birds at Night. — On the night of the 4th May last a 

 great rush of migratory birds seems to have passed over Dublin, evidently 

 on their way to their northern breeding haunts. While sitting in our rooms 

 in Trinity College, about 11 p.m., we were attracted by the loud call-notes 

 of birds passing overhead. The night was calm and cloudy, not very dark. 

 We listened at the open window until about 1 a.m., when they seemed to 

 be still passing over in undiminished numbers. They were mostly Golden 

 Plovers and Dunlins, easily recognised by their notes ; but we frequently 

 heard the cry of the Whimbrel, or the shrill call of the Common Sandpiper. 

 It was most curious to hear these notes, at first far away towards the south- 

 west, gradually becoming louder as the flocks drew nearer and passed over- 

 head, and then rapidly passing away to the northward. Sometimes the 

 whole air seemed full of their clear whistling notes; in one direction the 

 loud, short, pipe of the Golden Plover, in another the shrill wheezing cry of 

 the Dunlin, reminding one of the sound made by a whistle with a pea in 

 it. Sometimes a bird or two would fly quite close over the house-tops, 

 uttering its loud whistle close to the open window, but they seemed for the 

 most part to fly at a great height. The migration stream probably lasted 



