NOTES AND QUERIES. 113 



exaggerate, but I can truly state that this immense army of the 

 feathered kingdom — flying from the bitter snow through the " hard 

 froze fields of air " to lands of greater promise and of more genial 

 climate — could only be estimated in numbers at hundreds of thousands ; 

 in fact, the flight was so remarkable that I have been much astonished 

 that more notice has not been drawn to such a striking incident. The 

 omission can only be explained by the fact that it is always easier to 

 leave others to undertake an effort than to make it oneself. On the 

 afternoon of Dec. 27th, I made an excursion to the fields some miles out 

 of the town, and I found every patch of ground which was only slightly 

 covered with snow comparatively alive with small birds, principally 

 Larks, and along the seashore at the beach limit Finches — principally 

 Chaffinches — were in large numbers. In the squares and enclosures of 

 this town could be seen small flocks of Eedwings and other members 

 of the Turdidce. An interesting question is — was this great movement 

 at the end of December local only as regards the United Kingdom, or 

 was it a vast influx of birds from Northern Germany and Holland ? I 

 am inclined to think that, considering the migration was such an 

 extensive one, that it emanated from the Continent. — H. Peters Bone 

 (28, Adelaide Crescent, Brighton). 



On Sunday, Feb. 17th, there was a considerable migration of what 

 I think must have been almost entirely Song-Thrushes (Turdus musicus), 

 I was walking home about midnight, and the whole time (some twenty 

 minutes) frequently heard the well-known call-note ; the birds appeared 

 to be going from north-west to south-east, and must have been flying 

 very low. I only heard once what might have been the note of the 

 Redwing (T. iliacus). Since the cold spell birds — and particularly 

 T. musicus — have been very scarce about here. The night of the 17th 

 was very dark, with a westerly wind. Had this migration anything to 

 do with the approach of the cold weather of the last few days ? On 

 Feb. 21st I saw eight Herons (Ardea tinerea) near here, standing 

 together in a field awayjrom the river. As we have no heronry to 

 speak of within many miles, this number seems very unusual, and may 

 possibly be accounted for by the gale then still blowing. On Feb. 22nd, 

 though the ground was covered with snow, and a piercing wind blow- 

 ing, a Chaffinch (F. ccelebs) was singing, and a Wood-Pigeon (C. palum- 

 bus) was using its spring note ; the latter are not at all common here 

 this winter. — Theed Pearse (Bedford). 



Swiss Birds in July, 1906. — In my summer chaplaincy in 1906 I 

 was not so fortunate in my observations as in the preceding year. My 

 duty was at Thusis, at the entrance of the celebrated Via Mala, and, I 

 Zool. 4th ser. vol. XI., March, 1907. K 



