1891. 
July 8
(No. 4)
England.
Ilfracombe to Clovelly.  Stone Curlews. They looked much
like Golden Plover but appeared to be of a light brown
color. Both were flying over the fields at a very
rapid rate.
   In a ploughed field on the top of a hill and not
fifty yards from the road we saw two adult
Herring Gulls stalking sedately about in the midst
of a throng of Rooks. The driver told me that
these Gulls feed much on ploughed land here
frequently following the plough and picking up
the angle worms which it exposes. The sight
of the great white birds in such a place
was not less new than interesting to me.
   At Bideford I saw a very few Swifts and
there were several this evening flying over Clovelly
in company with a perfect swarm (fully 200) of
House Martins. The latter had either sought shelter
from the strong wind in the ravine which contains
this singular little town or, as is perhaps more
likely, they were attracted by an unusual
number of insects which the wind may have 
driven from the open country into the lee of
the cliffs. At all events they (the Martins)
remained flying over the houses until it was
nearly dark. I satisfied myself quickly that
none are nesting in the village.
   The only birds singing this evening were a
Blackbird (very feebly), a Throstle, a Wren
and a Green Finch. I saw a few Chaffinches
and two Siskins. The latter are the first I have met.
Their flight notes are very similar to those of our Goldfinch.