REPORTS. 



273 



Wheatear. — This bird was first seen by Mr. Hoc-art, at the Vale, on April 

 1st. Wheatears, if I mistake not, are always more numerous at the north 

 of the island and along the low sandy shores stretching from 

 l'Ancresse Common to Pleinmont, than inland or on the tall cliffs of the 

 South coast. On May 1st I saw one flying low over a field of grass along 

 the Fort-road, and during the afternoon of the 9th one was feeding on 

 the Petit Port cliffs at St. Martin's, where occasionally throughout the 

 summer I saw a pair. Mr. Hocart's last date for seeing the bird in his 

 neighbourhood was October 23rd. Towards evening of October 12th I 

 saw one close to the Model Yacht Pond, near Castle Cornet, one at the 

 Jaonnets on the 19th, and the last on October 31st on the Petit Port 

 cliffs. This is by six days our latest recorded date for seeing Wheatears. 



Wryneck. — This always very welcome bird of the springtime is reported by 

 Mr. E. Durman as having been heard on March 28th at the Grande Rue, 

 St. Saviour's. This again constitutes a record, for the earliest date given 

 in our Transactions (1903, 1910) is March 29th. At St. Martin's the well- 

 known cry was first heard by Mr. G. J. Tourtel on April 2nd at Calais, 

 and just a week later by the Rev. R. H. Tourtel at Torteval. My own 

 date for first hearing the bird (at Moulin Huet) was April 14th, Good 

 Friday, while at the Vale Mr. Hocart did not hear one until the 22nd. 

 In connection with the Wryneck's visit to the island this year Mr. 

 Hocart has written me as follows : " Wrynecks were very few at the 

 Vale this year. When their nesting time came they disappeared. I 

 consider the reason of this is that there are now so few old trees, and the 

 Starlings having monopolised those that yet remain, the Wrynecks went 

 in search of other quarters." Mr. Hocart gives no date for last hearing 

 the bird. At Torteval Mr. Tourtel did not hear the bird after July 9th. 

 At St. Martin's I continued hearing the cry at intervals and at different 

 spots up to July 15th, when it fell on my ear for the last time while strol- 

 ling on the Fermain Cliffs in the early morning. 



CuekOO. — Ea-ter Monday, April 17th, seems to have been the day of 

 arrival of the Cuckoo at Guernsey and Sark, for my notes show that it 

 was heard for the first time, and at widely -separated spots on this day. 

 Miss Boley reports hearing the bird at 6.30 o'clock that morning in the 

 Sausmarez Manor grounds at St. Martin's, and an hour later I was 

 listening with pleasure to one announcing his arrival at Moulin Huet. 

 During the afternoon, and when in the neighbourhood of St. Apolline's 

 Chapel at St. Saviour's, I again heard the familiar call, and Mr. Hocart 

 heard it at the Vale. As regards Sark, the Evening Press of the 21st was 

 my informant, for in it I read: "The Cuckoo was heard at Sark on 

 Easter Monday." At Torteval the bird was heard by Mr. Tourtel 

 on the 20th. In all parts of the island the Cuckoo announced him- 

 self from four to six days earlier than in 1910 As with the Wryneck, 

 to many people the Cuckoo's note is heard for far too short a period of 

 the year, and long before we have had time to grow weary of the sound 

 the two months and a half during which the bird reminds us that he is 

 sojourning in the land have slipped by, and the pleasant call is heard no 

 more. This year Mr. Hocart's last date for the Vale was June 23rd, and 

 six days later, on the 29th, Mr. Tourtel heard the bird for the last time 

 at Torteval. These are practically the same dates as those on which it 

 was last heard in those districts in 1910. At St. Martin's, we were 

 apparently more favoured, for I still heard the call on July 1st at Les 

 Blanches, on the 3rd in the Vallon trees (a favourite spot of this songster) 

 and again at the same place on the 5th, when as a last effort the bird 

 said " cuckoo " four times. Last year I heard the bird in the same trees 

 almost daily up to the 9th of July. 



SwallOW. — In connection with the arrival of the Swallow Mr. Hocart wrote 

 me : " On Easter Sunday, April 16th, it being a very fine day, I went on 

 Hougue Nermont, opposite Houmet Paradis, to see if the Swallows had 

 arrived along the coast (as they are credited by the Vale people with 



