6 



The Natukalist. 



now and then are to be found in badly-drained meadows. Botb, 

 however, are prickly, and few botanists seem to take the trouble to 

 distinguish them by the fission of the corolla-limb, although nothing 

 is easier. 



NOTES OF BIRDS, CHIEFLY SPRING MIGRANTS, IN 

 BARNSLEY AND SOUTH YORKSHIRE DISTRICTS.* 



By T. Lister. 



The wheatear : first report we have received of this earliest spring 

 visitant in South Yorkshire, is March 30, and on Greetland Moors, 

 March 24. The chiff-chaff, second in arriving as a general rule, 

 was noted this year the first at Crigglestone, March 28 ; again on 

 April 1 ; also during the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union excursions 

 on Easter Monday. Sand martin, March 31 and April 6. Cuckoo, 

 near Thorne, 20 miles south, heard on Easter Monday ; near Bretton, 

 April 3 ; Hemsworth, April 8. Willow-wren, April 2 and 6; yellow 

 or Ray's wagtail, April 4 and 9 ; whinchat and whitethroat, April 6 ; 

 swallow, Hemsworth, April 8 ; house-martin, April 10 ; tree-pipit, 

 April 11 and 12; redstart, April 13 and 18 ;" sedge warbler, April 

 14 and 23 : lesser whitethroat, April 18 and 23 ; grasshopper warblei-, 

 April 24 ; blackcap warbler, April 30 ; land-rail or corn-crake, May 

 3 ; swift, May 7 ; grey or spotted flycatcher, May 11 ; sand-piper, 

 May IS; wood-wren, May 14.' 



I have no report yet of the garden-warbler, nightingale, goat-sucker 

 or night-jar, and pied flycatcher (which occur locally in this district). 

 We have little doubt the above have arrived where accurate observers 

 have looked out for them. 



The birds named are nearly all the migrants from southern countries, 

 occurring in Yorkshire, as shewn in Talbot's list. Of those migrating 

 northwards, redwings were seen April 17, and fieldfares, about 2000 

 seen in Cannon Hall park as late as May 1. Brentgeese were seen 

 by me flying north, April 24 ; other swimmers and waders have been 

 seen by day, or heard by night, Canada geese have bred at Wors- 

 borough reservoir, also at Nostell and Walton Lakes, with many other 

 water birds. Mr. Hailstone, of Walton Hall,, who strives to bring 

 back these interesting tribes to their former numbers in Watei ton's 



* In the exceptionally early cases, two dates are given to aid in forming a fair 

 estimate of the time. The main bodies came unusually late, except chiff-chafF, 

 willow wren, and tree pipit, Som.e of the early dates refer to individual instances. 



