Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 1 (1877).djvu/69

Rh Amongst this host of bird-life a few Great Gray Shrikes were seen, and three or four were shot; two of them by myself. The stomach of one of these contained part of a Common Wren, one foot and leg being entire. I think I have already mentioned in 'The Zoologist' that these Shrikes arrive with the Redwings, &c., at this time of the year. Occasionally I disturbed Common Wrens from amongst the long grass, and as Mr. Cordeaux had some time ago, if I remember rightly, expressed an idea that some Wrens he had observed at Spurn in the autumn looked larger than the Common Wren, I procured two for identification.

I observed numbers of Chaffinches and a few Bramblings; also a few Lesser Redpolls and one Mealy Redpoll, which last I shot; it was a male, and alone when I shot it. Some half-dozen Reed Buntings which I saw were no doubt migrants; they were all in winter plumage. A flock of Common Linnets were seen several times, but as these birds breed there amongst the coarse grass, I cannot include them in the migratory list. I saw no Twites, though they are usually present there in the autumn, nor did I see a single Snow Bunting. The only summer birds I noticed were one or two Willow Wrens.

All the species I have mentioned were resting from their journey, and would be moving again in a few days: some of them only rest a day and then are off again, and their places are taken by others. Looking at the small area of the ground which formed the scene of my observations, the great host of immigrants that visit it from the north at this season of the year is marvellous. A very striking feature was the great number of Rooks passing overhead at intervals all day long; in some instances the flocks were composed of Rooks and Jackdaws mixed. Hooded Crows in straggling parties and Sky Larks in small flocks were also passing all the day. All these birds were steering a direct southerly course. The birds comprising some of the flocks of Rooks looked tired, and moved slowly at no great altitude; others, and especially the larger flocks, were high in the air, and were evidently not so much distressed: the Jackdaws were very noisy. This migration of the Corvidæ had been going on for some few days previously, and would no doubt continue some days longer. Were they noticed passing the south coast? and whence their destination?