12 



R. LOFTHOUSE : THE RIVER TEES. 



limited numbers, and others of the Sandpipers. The Dotterels pass 

 here, going north, early in May, and return early in September. 

 The numbers are said to be on the increase ; a few years ago, before 

 there was a close time for birds, a local sportsman, who is an expert 

 at tieing trout-flies, shot seven in one day ; he uses the feathers for 

 making flies. They are stupid birds, and easily shot, allowing them- 

 selves to be walked up to and shot in succession. Unlike many of the 

 other migrants, they appear to be oftener met with in the spring than 

 in the autumn migration. In 1883 one killed itself against the 

 telegraph wires, and in the same year over a dozen were observed 

 flying over Cowpen Marshes. The Little Stint ( Tringa minuta) is 

 occasionally met with ; I came across four on the 22nd September 

 last year, and shot one. Their note is a feeble plaintive whistle; 

 nothing like that of the Dunlin. 



The Common, Sandwich, and Arctic Terns {Sterna fltiviatilis^ 

 cantiaca, and 7?iacrura) also appear at this time, the first some- 

 times in great numbers. If one of these birds be shot, the others 

 will hover round it, regardless of their own danger, even after several 

 shots have been fired. The Roseate and Black Terns {Sterna doiigalli 

 and Hydrochelidoji nigra) are also occasionally met with; one of the 

 latter was observed among others of the common species this last 

 autumn. The Little Tern {Sterna inifiiita) and the White-winged Black 

 Tern {HvdrochelidoJi leucoptera) have also been met with. All the 

 commoner Gulls are abundant during the winter and autumn months, 

 and in less numbers the whole year. The Iceland, Glaucous, and 

 Little Gulls {Lams leucopterus^ L. glaums, and Z. minutus) have 

 been met with occasionally ; one of the latter in November of last 

 year (1885); and an Ivory Gull {Pagophila eburned) on the 14th 

 February, 1880. 



Herons {Ardea cinered) are also very common in the autumn, 

 chiefly, if not entirely, young birds ; at least, all those I have known 

 to be shot were birds of the year. I remember seeing ten or eleven 

 on the wing together on the 2nd of September, 1884, skimming along 

 lazily just over the surface of the ground. They leave before the 

 v\^inter sets in. They must come from a considerable distance, as 

 there is no heronry in the neighbourhood ; there used to be one at 

 Kildale, another at Sedgefield, and I have been informed there was 

 one at Greatham, but none of them exist at present that I am aware of. 

 Other birds, such as the Grey Plover {Squatarola helvetica), are resi- 

 dent, but in diminished numbers, most of the winter ; as is also the 

 Turnstone {Strepsilas interpres), Oystercatcher {HcBviatopus ostralegus), 

 Purple Sandpiper {Tringa striata), Knot {Tringa canuttts), and 

 Bar-tailed Godwit {Li?nosa lapponica). The Common Curlew 



Naturalist, 



