Wheatear.—At Hunstanton, May 24th, 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., drizzly rain, forty-one small birds killed, amongst them three Wheatears. At Cromer, Aug. 16th, 1 a.m., several Wheatears; four killed.
Titlark, Anthus sp.?—At Spurn, May 25th, 1 a.m., rain, several Titlarks killed (referable to the spring migration), At the South-sand Head, Oct. 12th, 3 a.m., N.E., dense fog, Titlarks, amongst thousands of other birds, around and passing lantern.
Shore Lark, Otocorys alpestris.—On Dec. 19th two were shot, from a small flock on the Humber side of Spurn Point; these were received in the flesh on the 22nd by Mr. W. Eagle Clarke, of Leeds.[8] At Heligoland, on Oct. 1st, "some flights"; 5th, "some score"; 8th, "a great many"; 10th, "many flights"; on the 24th likewise, and again on the 29th, "many."
[8] Mr. Clarke subsequently informed me that on March 18th, this year, he saw a flock of about twenty Shore Larks at Spurn, and that during the past winter thirty-three have been shot there, in the proportion of two males to one female.—J. C.
Sky Lark, Alauda arvensis.—None reported north of the Humber, and a negative return from Heligoland. South of the Humber, from every station making returns, and showing a gradual increase towards the more southern stations, where they crossed in immense numbers. Earliest date of passage, July 24th, at the Goodwin, 10 a.m., ninety to a hundred flying N.W. to the nearest land, and again at the same station on Aug. 4th. After this no further notice till Sept. 17th, when the regular and normal migration of this species appears to have set in and continued without intermission till Dec. 27th. Leaving out the two earliest dates as exceptional, we shall find that the immigration of the Larks to our east coast was continued over 102 days. During October, November and December (first fortnight) they crossed continually, passing from E. to W., also from points S. of E. to others N. of W., over the narrowest part of the North Sea, as is shown in the returns of the most southern lightships—Galloper, Kentish Knock, Nore, North Foreland, Goodwin, Gull-stream, East Side, and South-sand Head; time, any hour of the day or night; direction of wind, variable. It would be quite impossible in a limited space to give anything like a detailed statement of the immigration of Larks, so a few extracts from my summary of the reports must suffice. There was a "great rush" of Larks and other species between Oct. 12th and 23rd. On the 16th October more birds appear to have crossed than on any day during the autumn. There was again a "final rush" of the laggards just preceding and during the outbreak of severe weather early in December. At the Newarp, Sept. 29th to Oct. 27th, on fourteen days, going W., no particular hour, some striking lantern at night. At the Cockle, Sept. 28th to Oct. 17th, as a rule, very early in the morning (4.30 to 9.20 a.m.), on foggy, thick nights stopping to hover round lantern, some strike and are killed; Oct. 9th to 16th, "great rush." At the Corton, Oct. 22nd and 23rd, flocks passing all day to N.W.; Nov. 11th, many hundreds during day; and again on Dec. 25th, all day from N.E. to S.W., Ducks and Larks; Dec. 27th, hundreds of Larks during afternoon. At the Shipwash, from Oct. 9th to 16th; all day on 15th and 16th. At the Galloper,[9] from Oct. 8th to 24th, Larks, Starlings and Chaffinches, generally during night; between these dates 135 of these species killed against lantern. At the Kentish Knock, Oct. 23rd, N.W., hazy, Larks and Chaffinches through night, "in clouds," sixty picked up on deck, and probably double this number falling overboard; Dec. 1st, from noon to 2.30 p.m., thick snow falling, Larks, Curlews, Starlings, Ducks, Chaffinches and Linnets, too numerous to mention; they came in clouds from N.E. to W.S.W. At the Nore, Aug. 4th to Dec. 6th and 7th, on forty-four days; on Dec. 6th and 7th, by hundreds all day, often mixed with Starlings, Linnets and Sparrows. At the North Foreland, on Sept. 17th, a few; Oct. 16th, midnight, misty, fourteen Larks and ten Starlings; 17th, between 3 and 4 a.m., ten Larks and nine Starlings struck. At the Goodwin, Sept. 17th to Dec. 7th, on nineteen days, going W. or N.W. or W.N.W.; Oct. 13th and 15th, in shoals throughout night; 13th to 22nd, "great rush." At the Gull-stream, Oct. 16th to 22nd, "great rush," flocks two hundred yards apart, passing westward. At the East-side, Oct. 9th to Dec. 12th, on seven days, E. to W.; on Sept. 23rd, going N. to S., with a N.E. wind blowing. At the South-sand Head, Oct. 12th, 3 a.m., dense fog, "great rush," thousands of Larks and other birds, many killed; Dec. 1st, 3 p.m., dense fog and snow, "final rush," Larks, Starlings, and fifty Curlews; twelve Starlings caught on board, but no Larks. Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., writing from Lowestoft, says, "On Wednesday (Oct. 22nd), the arrival of Larks here was regular throughout the day." On Oct. 29th, at Spurn Point, Mr. W. Eagle Clarke, of Leeds, says, "Sky Larks arriving and passing south in thousands the whole day." Immense numbers also arrived on the Lincolnshire coast in the last fortnight of October. (At Heligoland, Oct. 29th, S.E., and E., "Alauda arboreus, many.")
[9] Birds passing this station were all passing to E. or E.S.E. or S.E. in October. On Nov. 24th great numbers of Larks and Starlings were observed passing to N.N.E. See general remarks at end of report.—J. C.
Snow Bunting, Plectrophanes nivalis.—None at stations south of the Humber. At the Longstone, Sept. 5th, 8.30 a.m., wind S., one was seen on the rocks; my correspondent remarks, "Earliest date I have ever seen a Snow Bunting on these islands (Farn Isles)." At the Farn Islands, Oct. 3rd, 11.30 a.m., three Snow Buntings flying N.W.; Oct. 25th, afternoon, in flocks flying W. At Teesmouth, Nov. 7th to Dec. 20th, several flocks between these dates flying N.W. At Spurn, Snow Buntings were first seen on the 28th. October; and large flocks of from 400 to 500 in the Lincolnshire marshes during the first week in November. At Heligoland on Oct. 30th, N.N.E., "Emberiza nivalis, a great many," and on the 31st, S.E., calm, overcast, "Snow Buntings and Finches." Leaving out the Farn Island date as exceptional,[10] we find the regular migration of this species to have commenced on Oct. 25th and finished Dec. 20th—fifty-seven days.
[10] In a note to Yarrell's 'British Birds' (vol. ii., p. 6, 4th ed.), Prof. Newton cites, on my authority, the occurrence of a Snow Bunting on the Lincolnshire coast on Sept. 16th, 1875, as perhaps the earliest date for England. The Farn Island bird must now take precedence by eleven days.—J. C.
Chaffinch, Fringilla cœlebs.—Has occurred at several stations, and both north and south of the Humber. At the Longstone, Sept. 28th and Oct. 1st, 6 a.m. till noon, S. strong, rain and mist, flocks of Finches and other birds going W. At the Outer Dowsing, Oct. 18th, at noon, going E. to W.; Oct. 24th, 7 p.m., overcast, rain, thirty round lantern, two killed. At the Leman and Owers, Oct. 7th, N.N.E., gloomy, mixed flocks of Larks, Chaffinches and Starlings during day and night. At the Newarp, Sept. 26th to Oct. 23rd, on several days. At the Cockle, odd birds, on three days, strike lantern or come on board. At the Kentish Knock, Oct. 23rd and Dec. 1st (see [Sky Lark]). At the Goodwin, Sept. 17th, 9 to 11 p.m., overcast, hazy, flying round lantern. Migration extending from Sept. 17th to Dec. 1st—seventy-six days.
Linnet, Linota cannabina.—None registered north of the Shipwash, off the Essex coast, where from Oct. 9th to 16th flocks passed daily, all hours, going E. to W. At the Nore, Oct. 14th to Nov. 12th, invariably mixed with Larks. At the Gull-stream, Oct. 15th to 22nd, many flocks.