XXXIV PROLEGOMENA 



edge and the higher hills of Longsleddle, led me to suppose that 

 its time of arrival was about the middle of April. But a more 

 favourable opportunity of watching its habits has brought me 

 to a different conclusion. I will therefore give you an extract 

 from my notebook which contains the latest information. 



'1858, March 27, Ring Ouzel arrives. This migrator appears 

 much earlier on Eeston Scar than in any other mountainous 

 situation with which I am acquainted. It would seem that its 

 arrival is tolerably steady as to time. In 1856, March 26th, 

 and in the present year (1 858) March 27th. On each of these 

 occasions a flock has been met with, never amounting I think 

 to a dozen. They remain hereabouts, most of them at least, 

 during the whole season. For some days (8 or 10) the only 

 note heard is a harsh clatter, " check-check-check," ending in a 

 hurried manner. About the commencement of the second week 

 after their arrival, the male birds sing freely, but mostly in the 

 evenings. In the early part of May 1857, at 9 P.M., I heard 

 five birds singing at one time, and all within the space of a 

 mile or a mile and a half. In September the young birds visit 

 our yew trees, morning and evening, and feed on the yew- 

 berries along with the Missel Thrushes and Song Thrushes. 

 The early appearance of the Ring Ouzel in this situation may 

 be attributed to the shelter and food found about the springs 

 and boggy places on the south-west side of the scar.' 



Of the Waxwing, Gough wrote in the following strain : 

 ' Five instances of its occurrence in our district have come under 

 my notice. The first specimen was killed in the early part of 

 this century in Underbarrow by Mr. Richd. Willison, in whose 

 possession I met with the bird many years ago. The second 

 was taken at Cark, near Flookborough in Jany. 1829, and 

 came into my possession for a while, for preservation. It was 

 a male bird in beautiful plumage, and therefore I had a coloured 

 drawing made from that specimen after it was mounted. At 

 the end of the same month a female was killed not far from 

 the town, near Lowgroves ; indeed, one of the specimens now 

 before me in our collection. This, also, I had an opportunity of 

 dissecting and mounting. The flesh was rich and tender eating. 

 On opening the stomach I found a quantity of half digested 



