NOTES FROM MID-HANTS. 7 



of adult and immature Common Gulls followed the same route 

 on the 11th and 12th, stormy weather still prevailing. On the 

 12th a fisherman "brought down" an immature Glaucous Gull 

 close to the east end of the town ; and an adult Grey Phalarope 

 was secured near the Tees-mouth. The 24th, S.W. light breeze, 

 witnessed the last arrival of winter migrants, comprising Thrushes, 

 Fieldfares, and Larks, while, a little after mid-day, a large flock 

 of Peewits brought up the rear. 



On the 10th, 11th, and 12th of February we were attracted 

 by the vast numbers of Kittiwakes about a mile out at sea, and 

 rowed off to ascertain, if possible, the reason of this unusual 

 assemblage of Gulls. Both east and west, for miles, as far as the 

 eye could reach, their graceful, white-winged forms were to be 

 seen, some busily engaged dipping into the water, and others, 

 sweeping through the air, kept darting down to seize on some 

 objects at the surface. Two or three were shot, and it was found 

 that their mouths contained a quantity of small Crustacea, with 

 which the whole sea seemed literally alive ; a few days afterwards 

 thousands of these w T ere washed ashore by sea winds, and were 

 strewn all along the edge of the shore, where they afforded 

 plenteous food for the Starlings and other frequenters of the 

 tidal line.* 



On the 18th a female Great Northern Diver was shot in the 

 estuary, and a Fulmar was washed up on the beach on the 21st. 

 On the 26th two more Great Northern Divers and a Great Crested 

 Grebe were seen near the Tees-mouth. 



* Several specimens of these Crustacea were collected and sent to 

 Mr. W. D. Koebuck, who forwarded thern to Canon Norman for identification. 

 Subsequently Mr. Roebuck has written to say that Canon Norman has 

 declared them to be Euthemisto compressa, a species not hitherto recorded 

 from British seas. 



