Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 1 (1877).djvu/468

442 quick-sighted these birds are, and how rapidly and swiftly they can alter the direction of their flight. On hiding behind the alder-bushes for the chance of a passing shot, as the birds were being driven up or down the river, they often came directly overhead, but with great rapidity shot perpendicularly upward, or suddenly diverged to the right or left, offering only a most puzzling shot. They seldom flew low over the river, but, as I have mentioned already, rose xwiftly over the tops of the willows and alders on the banks before flying horizontally. The clear notes were distinctly heard when the birds were quite three hundred yards off, and yet when heard much nearer they always sounded low and almost sibylline. Former occurrences of this species in Stirlingshire are recorded in Gray's 'Birds of the West of Scotland,' when somewhat of the same habits were observed by me, but I have not at present that work beside me for reference. My impression is that these birds now frequent our river as regular early autumn migrants, arriving in August and often remaining till the middle of September. They have been frequently seen by our gamekeeper's son, and were at once recognized by him when I showed him a skin; and he tells me he has seen them about this time of year frequenting the same part of the river on several occasions in different years. There is the possibility of their having bred here, but I scarcely think they would have escaped observation so long if they had. I think we may look upon them as "early autumn migrants" frequenting a favourite locality some weeks in passing, or until circumstances of food or season require them to move further southward again. The specimen obtained is now in the collection of the gentleman who shot it, Mr. G.E. Paterson, of Glasgow. Since then all the low country along the river-side has been flooded, and this may have caused the birds to leave; but when the water subsides I shall again search for them, and if there be anything further worthy of remark will report the same.— (Dunipace House, Stirlingshire).

—On September 5th I saw a fine male Ring Ouzel in the garden of a house at the entrance of Wanstead Park, some six miles from London: having a good pocket- telescope and abundant opportunity for observation, there could be no question of the identity of this well-marked species. After remaining in view for about a quarter of an hour, it flew off in a south-easterly direction till lost to sight in the distance. I trouble you with this notice rather with the hope that other contributors to 'The Zoologist' will communicate any occurrence of the bird in this neighbourhood during September, and whether solitary or in company with others. About ten years ago I saw a single cock bird near West Ham. I have noticed them towards the end of September, in flocks of about twenty, on the wild uplands in the south-west of Dorsetshire, where they are regular visitants in spring and autumn, and may come from Dartmoor, where they are said to breed. White mentions them as visiting