NOTES AND QUERIES. 127 
Sept. 24th T saw several on some tall thistles in the water-meads. Mr. S. 
Davies sends me the following notes from Langston Harbour :—“ Sept. 1st, 
several Turnstones and two Greenshanks seen. 16th, a good many Grey 
Plovers, Bar-tailed Godwits, and Knots about. Shot five Grey Plovers and 
two Knots. I saw four Little Stints near the harbour.” On the 7th a 
Wryneck was shot at Basingstoke. Mr. Kelsall reports an Osprey at 
Barton Cliff, on the coast, on the 10th of this month. Mr. Stares, -from 
Porchester, reports a flock of Pochard in a marsh on the coast on the 20th, 
and that he flushed a Quail on the 21st, while out Partridge-shooting. He 
also tells me that Mr. Carclers (the Portsmouth taxidermist) received a 
Black-tailed Godwit from Langston Harbour, and a pair of Ring Ouzels from 
Portsea Island. 
October was another warm month, with preponderating south wind. The 
beginning of this month was notable for the large flocks of mingled Gulls, 
Rooks, Peewits, and Starlings, in the ploughed fields on the east side of the 
Itchen valley. I have watched these flocks a great deal, and it has struck 
me that the Starlings are not good friends of the other birds, and usually 
end in being driven away. The similarity of the other three birds’ cries when 
together has also struck me. By the end of the month these flocks were 
quite broken up. The Gulls (Larus canus) that came inland at the 
beginning of the month had the brown on the wings reduced toa minimum, 
but those that arrived at the beginning of November had the brown well 
developed. This species, though very shy of human beings, follows the 
plough with the greatest confidence. On the 14th I traced the Itchen 
north of the town, There werea great many Dabchicks on the river, but 
I did not see a single Pied or Grey Wagtail, or any Gulls, except a few 
passing over. I saw six Snipe (Gallinago cwlestis) started from a bed of tall 
reeds on the river by some dogs, and two parties of Geese (sp. ?) flying high 
along the valley ; also more flights of Peewits, going in an extended line. 
On the 15th I noticed the first influx of Chaffinches (male) into the water- 
meads. On the 18th I saw the last Swallows at Winchester, and on this 
date I saw a Sedge Warbler, on the river about seven miles south of Win- 
chester. This is a late date, and Mr. Chalkley says that when fishing on 
the Itchen during the first week of this month, he saw a great many 
of these birds about. Mr. Kelsall reports the last Swallow at Milton, near 
the coast, on the 23rd; and Mr. S. Davies sends me the following notes from 
Langston Harbour :—* Oct. 2nd, shot two Knots. A flock of twenty 
Wigeon came in. One Grey Plover and a large bunch of Knots. Oct. 12th, 
last Swallow seen.” Mr. Chalkley received the following interesting birds 
during the month :—Kite, adult female from Shoeburyness; on the 2nd, a 
fine female Peregrine from Micheldever ; 4th, two Curlews from Longwood, 
two miles from the town; 18th, a Golden Plover from a flock passing over 
