720 Birds. 



blackbird ; and upon being suddenly frightened, he uttered precisely the same notes as 

 a cock blackbird does under similar circumstances. Several of our summer visitors 

 were unusually late in their arrival here this year: among others I may mention swal- 

 lows, martins and nightingales ; of the number I saw one or two on the 18th of April, 

 but it was not till nearly the end of the month that they arrived in any numbers. The 

 first martin I saw was on the 2nd of May, but the majority of these, also, did not ar- 

 rive till some days afterwards. In some years the male nightingales will arrive in the 

 last week in March, but this is unusually early. I have caught several in the first week 

 in April, but this year the two first weeks passed away, and though night after night I 

 listened for those sounds, " most musical most melancholy," it was not until the night 

 of the 18th, while walking through an avenue adjoining a close copse (one of their 

 most favourite haunts), that I heard their long-expected melody. And what can be 

 more delicious than listening, on a calm night, to the stirring strains of nightingales ! 

 where — 



" Far and near, 

 In wood and thicket over the wide grove 

 They answer and provoke each other's songs, 

 With skirmish and capricious passagings 

 And murmurs musical, and swift jug, jug, 

 And one low piping sound more sweet than all, 

 Stirring the air with such an harmony, 

 That should you close your eyes, you might almost 

 Forget it was not day.'' — Id. 

 Note on the arrival of some of the Summer Birds of Passage at Pilling, in 1844. 



The grey wagtail Feby. 20 House martin April 18 



Wheatear March26 Yellow wagtail , 18 



Sea swallow or tern April 11 Whinchat 20 



Willow-wren 12 Cuckoo 22 



Common swallow 13 



Pilling is on the sea-coast of Lancashire, nearly in latitude 54° north ; and I would 

 suggest to your other correspondents on this subject, to specify the latitude, as well as 

 situation, whether maritime or inland, of the places where their observations were 

 made. — /. D. Banister ; Pilling, Lancashire, July 26, 1844. 



Note of the arrival of the Summer Birds of Passage at Shooter's Hill, Kent, in the 

 Spring of 1844. 



Chiffchaff April 3 Tree-pipit April 17 



Redstart 5 Whinchat 18 



Blackcap 9 Whitethroat 19 



Nightingale 16 House martin 21 



Swallow 16 Cuckoo 22 



Willow-wren 16 Swift May 2 



Lesser whitethroat 17 Garden warbler 7 



Trouble and sorrow had last year so affected my health, that I was advised to sally out 

 daily in search of the rosy-cheeked Hebe, whom I was sure at last to meet with on a 

 heaven^kissing hill, breathing the pure sweet air of a spring morning. In persever- 

 ingly seeking the lovely goddess, I found the sameness of my early rides much relieved, 

 and my mind agreeably occupied, by carefully observing the arrivals and habits of my 

 constant companions, the pretty singing birds that resort to the fields and woods of 



