2 
LAIIK. 
A head wind appears to draw Larks towards the land, though it is impossible to hazard an opinion as 
to the point from which the birds arriving on the south coast had started on their journey. On the 
8th of October it will be seen that they landed before a light favouring breeze. 
“ 1883, October 5. Wind north, strong. Larks crossing against the wind all day. 
“ October G. ind north, strong. Immense numbers of Larks ci’ossing all day and landing till 
after dusk. In order to ascertain their condition I fired one shot into a dense flock sweeping low over 
the shingle-banks just after dark, and on examination their crops proved perfectly empty. 
“ October 8. Light wind, south ; fine. Large quantities of Larks still landing. 
“October 10. Wind south-east; fine. Larks flying west.” 
A heavy fall of snow and a cold wind from the north-west is certain to bring myriads of Larks and 
other land-birds along the south coast, intent on making their way from east to west ; occasionally they 
pass in continuous streams from daylight till dark. Larks arc usually the first to show, a slight covering 
of snow being sufficient to put them in motion, while it requires a few days of severe weather before 
Fieldfares, Redwings, or Blackbirds appear in any numbers. The storm of January 18G7 caused by far 
the most extensive migration of small birds I have ever witnessed in Sussex ; from the summit of the 
cliffs between Rottingdean and Newhaven, as far as one could see inland over the Downs, these endless 
swarms extended; tor at least a mile at sea also clouds of Larks and Starlings intermixed with other species 
were working west, sweeping closely over the water to avoid the force of the wind. 
At such times the whole of the bird-catching fraternity of Brighton are engaged in the work of 
destruction. Should a strong cold wind from the north-west be blowing, the course of the birds is close to 
the ground, and thousands are captured in the nets. There is great competition for what are considered 
the best pitches, numbers of men leaving Brighton before midnight and depositing their packs on the 
ground they intend to occupy, to reserve the spot; they seek what shelter they can till daylight 
behind some bank or stack. F rorn thirty to fifty dozen are commonly captured, and the takes not 
unfrequently reach as high as eighty dozen. I have often seen over two hundred clap-nets at work on 
a favourable day ; and as scores of drag-nets are out as soon as dusk sets in, some idea of the number 
of birds taken may be formed. 
"When pressed by want during continued snow-storms, Larks arc forced to put up with green meat 
in order to sustain life; the leaves of the winter-cabbages in the fields are at times entirely consumed, 
the veins alone being left, presenting a most singular appearance; turnip-greens also suffer considerably 
from their attacks. The terrible hurricane of drifting sleet and snow in January 1881 inflicted great 
suffering on all the various species of small birds in Sussex. On the 25th several Larks in an exceed- 
ingly weak and helpless state alighted on our lawn to feed on the bread and scraps provided for the 
usual pensioners ; on the following day I watched hundreds of their dead bodies swept out by the flood- 
tide from the weeds on the mud-banks in Shorekam harbour in which they had sought refuse at the 
commencement of the gale. 
A scarce bird not unfrequently falls into the possession of one unacquainted with its value, and the 
occurrence consequently remains unrecorded. Towards the latter end of the flight-time in January 1SG7, while 
Larks were still passing over the south coast, I drove along the road between Rottingdean and Newhaven to 
make notes on the various species moving towards the west. After watching the passage for several hours 
I pulled my conveyance up at the roadside, as the daylight was commencing to fade, and proceeded to 
discuss a well-earned lunch : while so employed a roughly clad individual, armed with an antiquated 
muzzle-loader, drew up alongside, and after loafing around for a few minutes, making some remarks as to the 
weather and other subjects, at length broke the ice by inquiring if I would buy a French Partridge. Not 
satisfied with my answer, he produced the bird, which I immediately identified as a female Little Bustard 
