Birds. 057 



Remarks upon an Enquiry respecting the Song-thrush, Mr. Jerdon acquaints us 

 (Zool. 493), that song-thrushes leave the neighbourhood of Bonjedward towards No- 

 vember, and enquires whether they resort to the sea-coast, or migrate to the south of 

 England ? Loug before this gentleman's note met my eye, I had conjectured that 

 these birds visited England in the winter, sometimes in large numbers, at others in 

 smaller ones. Occasionally they arrive earlier. My journal for 1843 contains the 

 following observations. Oct. 25. " I imagine that with our regular complement of 

 redwings and fieldfares, we receive every year a very considerable addition to our song 

 thrushes, and which, as far as I am able to judge, depart with them in the spring. 

 These birds always appear to exist in greater numbers about the fall of the leaf than 

 at any other period, and whether the trees and hedge-rows being bare we discern more 

 readily our constant residents, or whether a number of strange birds visit us from the 

 north, I cannot exactly ascertain, but I think the latter." — J. J. Briggs. 



" Curious Locality for a Nest. A small steamer, the Clarence, lies at Annan Wa- 

 terfoot, and plies between it and Port Carlisle, in the way of tugging vessels. A pair 

 of swallows built their nest last year under the sponsons of one of the paddle-wheels, 

 not more than three feet above the water, and succeeded in bringing forth their young. 

 There they are this summer again. During neap tides the Clarence plies every other 

 day, and often every day. When she leaves the Waterfoot, the birds leave her, and 

 keep on the Scotch side ; and then when she returns, and is nearing Annan, the swal- 

 lows invariably meet her, and accompany her to her berth." — Hampshire Advertiser, 

 July 13, 1844. 



Remarks upon the Skylark. The skylark is so well known, so great a favourite, and 

 its manners and character have been so frequently detailed by every poet and lover of 

 Nature, that little remains to be added to its history. An April day — a green field 

 starred with daisies — a bright sunshine overhead, and the skylark carolling between 

 earth and heaven, — are amongst our earliest and sweetest recollections. The most 

 ordinary and casual observer of Nature, however, must sometime or other have been 

 struck with the glad song of this " air-wandering messenger," for there is in it some- 

 thing so peculiarly fresh and exhilarating, that few can hear the wild joyous notes 

 which he pours forth as he ascends higher and higher to the blue dome of heaven, with- 

 out the sweetest and most pleasurable emotions being awakened. He is, moreover, 

 one of our earliest, as well as our sweetest songsters. During the few genial days 

 which sometimes intervene amidst weeks of frosts and snow, even on the very dawn of 

 the opening year, he may be heard in mid-air, giving forth his welcome ditty with a 

 vigour and melody, oftentimes never excelled or even equalled at any other season. It 

 is commenced in January, and continued at intervals the year through. These birds 

 appear to prefer those fields where herbage is short, thick and young, and has been 

 closely grazed, and in addition to worms, snails and insects, sometimes feed on tender 

 grasses. Towards October they congregate in flocks for the winter, feeding together 

 during the day, and nestling in the warm stubbles at night. These companies fre- 

 quently consist of some hundreds. Except in very severe seasons they remain here the 

 whole year. In December, 1840, the larks and meadow pipits left us to a bird, and 

 migrated, I suppose, further south, for immense flocks were observed passing over in 

 that direction, which was considered (and which proved to be the case) a sure prognos- 

 tic of a Laplandish winter. The lark displays considerable affection for her young; 

 and I have frequently noticed in hay-harvest, that when a nest has been mown over 

 and rendered exposed to view, the female, with great cunning, draws the live grasses 



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