6532 



Birds, 



parts of the Continent. So has the courser,* a bird of the Mediter- 

 ranean basin, been shot upon Salisbury Plain in October; and the 

 Dalmatian Regulus, from the borders of Asia, was taken in Northum- 

 berland at the end of September; White's thrush in January. The 

 little bustard is a still more striking instance of a species indigenous 

 to the East and South of Europe appearing with us during the winter 

 months ; and this bird, too, has been observed in the act of migration 

 flying from East to West near the Caspian Sea. 



In Devonshire and Cornwall f it is during winter that are found the 

 firecrested Regulus, Richard's pipit, alpine accentor, spoonbill and 

 little bustard ; and many birds of the highest rarity in Britain have 

 occurred at the Land's End in September and October, yet can hardly 

 be supposed to have been reared in England : the crested and short- 

 toed larks, woodchat, ortolan, pastor, avocet and ibis mnst have 

 proceeded from the central or even southern countries of Europe. 

 And the abundant flights of migratory birds which are yearly ob- 

 served in Cornwall at the period of the autumnal movement include 

 many species that nest rather on the eastern side of England, and 

 certainly do not breed in Cornwall, — e.g. nightingale, reed wren, 

 lesser whitethroat, &c. ; and it is evident that these birds have no 

 intention of crossing the channel at its narrowest point. Other 

 examples of a short journey from East to West will be found in the 

 tree sparrow, stock dove and Norfolk plover that are seen in the West 

 of England in winter only. 



Various birds which visit the Land's End in spring, as the Kentish 

 plover, white and gray headed wagtails, purple heron, J &c, do not 

 go far North in England, and so must be advancing in an easterly 

 direction along the south coast, following at this season a reverse 

 course to that of the autumn. 



In Ireland the redstart (probably not the black only) and the 

 crested lark have been obtained in winter; and the blackcap and 

 Norfolk plover are better known in the sister island as winter than 



* Oilier birds no doubt come to us in greater numbers in autumn and winter 

 from the East and South of Europe; but it has been thought best to rely upon the 

 rare species, since they cannot have come to us from a northern latitude. 



f For Cornwall I have principally relied upon the numerous and valuable com- 

 munications of Mr. Rodd to the ' Zoologist/ The Irish occurrences are quoted from 

 Thompson's work; and for Great Britain use has been made of Yarrell's birds and of 

 various notices in the * Zoologist.' The present paper contains but a short abstract 

 from a large collection of facts, and it is intended to invite discussion upon so 

 interesting and difficult a subject. 



t This bird has also frequently visited England in wiuter. 



