Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 1 (1843).djvu/43

Rh with meat instead of fish. I had it killed, as it had completely lost its sight and appeared to be suffering greatly.—Id.

Note on Woodcocks and Snipes. Two woodcocks (Scolopax rusticola) were killed last June, on the moors of James Runnington, Esq., and a full-grown young bird, which I purchased and skinned, on the 8th of June: they breed most years in this district. Snipes' nests are common on the Thorne moors, where I have repeatedly seen them: they, with woodcocks, are often killed the beginning of grouseshooting, (12th of August).—Id.

Additional Note on Migratory Birds. During September Butalis grisola resorted to the roofs of houses, the warmth of the slates supplying food and a more suitable temperature. All the warblers and flycatchers disappeared about the 24th of the month. On the 4th, 5th and 6th of September large companies, chiefly martins, were flying about the town; these all disappeared about the 20th, while about our house, from the beginning until the end of the month, there were more swallows than I have seen for many years, but only one or two solitary martins. On the 29th of September, while travelling on the York and North Midland Railway, I saw many thousand swallows, their chief rendezvous was near the Sherbum station. On the 4th of October one swallow was flying about the barracks; on the 6th about twenty swallows were on a house at Crookes, making their usual migratory sallies; the night had been very frosty. October 11th, two swallows, young birds, were flying about the same place; since that time, although I have been very particular in observing the birds, T have not seen, either there or anywhere else, anything like a swallow, they all, no doubt, having reached a more genial climate.—''Id. November'' 9, 1842.

Note on the occurrence of Birds on board ship. So little is or can be known with regard to the fate of the companions of our summer months, after they have once left us on their long and distant flight, that however trivial the following remarks, 1 shall not hesitate to send them.

Whilst passing down channel on my way to Madeira, in the month of October, several birds paid us a short visit. After we had cleared the Lizard Point, and were at a distance from any land, a short-eared owl, apparently on a trip of pleasure, if we might judge from the leisurely way in which it seemed to go about it, after tarrying with us some time, making its beautiful hawk-like circles near above us, directed its flight right out to sea.

Each evening, towards sunset, we had several small birds to roost