18s THE ZOOLOGIST. 



S.S.E. to N.N.W. If subsequent observations sbould prove the 

 correctness of this rule, it will go far to account for all the 

 irregularities of migration — the "why" birds are seen in great 

 numbers in one j'ear in an}' locality, and perhaps absent altogether 

 in following seasons. 



Subsequent to the writing of this report I have received 

 several communications showing a large and ver}' lemarkable 

 influx of immigrants on to the east coast of England in January 

 and the first fortnight in February, 1880. On Jan. 24th great 

 numbers of Fieldfares were seen near Spurn Point, between 

 Easington and Kilnsea, and since this date they are reported as 

 very numerous in the locality ; with the Fieldfares came many 

 fine old cock Blackbirds. In North-East Lincolnshire, also, during 

 the last fortnight in January I saw many very large flocks of 

 Fieldfares, apparently entirely composed of old birds ; before this 

 time scarcely any had been seen. Mr. Giltke writes from Heligo- 

 land : — *T. pilaris all January, through night from 10th to 11th, 

 great many ; also Oystercatchers and other waders coming from 

 the E ; also from 21st to 24th, the same." These dates agree 

 very well with the tinie of their arrival on our east coast. Short- 

 eared Owls arrived in some numbers at Spurn in the last week in 

 January. A very large flock of Snow^ Buntings was seen on the 

 8th February. On the Lincolnshire side I noticed an immense 

 flock of the same species, fresh arrivals, on the 5th ; and on the 

 11th thousands, also hundreds of Larks. This final and third 

 "rush" of immigrants so late in the winter is curious, and may 

 perliaps be explained by the comparatively uiilder winter over 

 Northern Europe, compared with what we have experienced in 

 the central and southern zones of Europe. We have indeed a 

 recent precedent for this in the winter of 1877-78, when, after 

 a long continuance of mild weather in Scandinavia, a sharp and 

 sudden outburst of real wdnter drove the Fieldfares, as Mr. Gatke 

 says, over Heligoland, on the night from the 27th to 28th January, 

 in " countless flights." 



