Anas boschas, Wild Duck.—Spring: Outer Dowsing L.V., March 9th, 9 to 3 p.m., Wild Ducks continuous, from N.W. to S.E. Autumn: Redcar, October 3rd to December 6th., large numbers in various directions, also at most coast stations. Heligoland, Querquedula crecca, Teal, Sept. 1st, great many, also 2nd and 3rd.
Harelda glacialis, Long-tailed Duck.—Farn L.H., Jan. 12th, 1885, several swimming all day near island.
Somateria mollissima, Eider Duck.—Spring: Coquet L.H., April 28th, twenty, of which four were males off island. May 8th, many Ducks and Drakes, and at the same station in December many off island. Farn L.H., Jan. 11th and 12th, 1885, hundreds swimming in lee of island. The first young were seen on June 13th. The King Eider, Somateria spectabilis, was seen at the Farn Islands on April 9th, and at the Longstone on May 4th. This bird, which has now regularly appeared in the locality for several years, was unfortunately shot at on June 12th, and was not seen afterwards.
Œdemia nigra, Common Scoter.—Gull L.V., April 27th, 8 a.m. to noon, continuous to N. Autumn: Great numbers at several stations, moving in various directions.
Mergus merganser, Goosander.—Redcar, Oct. 6th, one to N.W.; Nov. 19th, flock; Dec. 8th, two. M. serrator, Merganser, a few observed off Redcar at sea between Oct. 12th and 25th.
Columba palumbus, Ring Dove.—Orfordness, Sept. 27th, 9 p.m., one struck, killed. Languard, 29th, 8 a.m., eight flying very quick W. to N.E. Between 21st of October and the end of November there was an immense immigration covering the East Coast between Berwick and Yarmouth; rushes Oct. 21st to 25th, Nov. 2nd and 20th to 28th, continuous for nine days. Mr. T. H. Nelson says "there was an enormous arrival of these birds in the Redcar neighbourhood about the middle of November. I have not noted all down in the schedule, as I did not see them all myself, but am told that from the 20th to end of month there was a continuous migration; a friend shot about fifty in three days between Redcar and Marske; there was also a considerable influx into the Bishop Auckland district about the same time." In Northumberland the numbers were so large as to attract general attention. In Lincolnshire the arrival was immense, also on the Norfolk coast. Hundreds were shot on their first arrival, their crops and stomachs containing no food, invariably the case with all newly arrived migrants. Heligoland, Oct. 3rd, flight of sixty; 12th, some; 25th, great many, twenty to thirty in a flight.
C. ænas, Stockdove.—Great numbers crossed in the autumn with the ring doves, mixed or in separate flocks. In November I saw one flock of four or five hundred in the Great Cotes marshes, an enormous flight considering the limited number bred in the district. From the beginning of December to the end of February large flights have daily resorted to fields of young clover, or those recently laid down with permanent grasses.
Turtur communis, Turtle Dove.—Thanet, Oct. 4th, last seen.
Rallidæ, Rallus aquaticus, Water Rail.—There appears to have been a very considerable immigration between the third week in September and at intervals to the end of November, and through the autumn they were exceedingly plentiful in all likely localities on the East Coast. Heligoland, Oct. 25th, some; 30th, two or three. Porzana maruetta, Spotted Crake. Redcar, Sept. 2nd, one. Heligoland, Oct. 23rd, one. Crex pratensis, Corn Crake. Spring: Whitby, May 2nd, W.S.W., 3 a.m., first heard. Autumn: Great Cotes, Sept. 4th; and last near Spurn, Oct. 27th and 28th, one each day. Gallinula chloropus, Moorhen, Great Cotes, Nov. 18th, N. strong, sleet and rain, great numbers on the streams, drains, and "blowwell" ponds, also in gardens and localities where I have rarely seen them; probably altogether ten to one in excess of normal numbers; very few observed after this date. Heligoland, Oct. 23rd, some.
Charadrius pluvialis, Golden Plover.—Spring: Longstone L.H., March 14th, S., with Lapwings round lantern. Farn L.H., July 27th, first flock. Tees L.V., Aug. 25th, large flock to N.W.[31] Great Cotes, the great flight of old birds on 25th and 26th Nov. Heligoland, Aug. 1st to 3rd, N.N.W., numerous; 5th to 25th, daily, some young; 31st, 11 p.m., many; Sept. 23rd, still many; Oct. 12th, some; Nov. 30th, old birds.