Coquet Island L.H., September 12th, W. (5).—Hundreds of small Flies all night in lantern.
Outer Dowsing L.V., October 6th.—11 A.M. to 2 P.M., calm and fog. Mr W. Stock writes: "A very large quantity of birds flew over, and a great many flying about the vessel—Starlings, Redwings, Larks, Mountain Sparrows, Golden-Crested Wrens, six Robins, four Redpoles, Chaffinches, and Pewits, about 300 mixed Crows and Rooks—altogether about 600 or more. Birds leaving the vessel appear to go about W. and W.S.W. When the fog cleared and the sun broke through, the Crows were seen passing to W. in three nights from 11 till 11.45 A.M. At noon they came back to the vessel in a body, and remained till 1 P.M. Caught one Redwing Thrush that was struck by a Crow and fell on deck bleeding. Several small birds struck by Crows and fell in water. Two Red-winged Thrushes and one Chaffinch caught on board."
Cockle L.V., September 14th.—11 A.M., calm. Great quantities of small bluish-coloured Flies; left at 1 P.M.
Languard L.V., September.—"The Musquitoes," Mr Owen Boyle writes, "have been very numerous throughout the months of July, August, and September. They have been very troublesome; many people had swelled hands, puffed faces, and even black eyes, from their stings." October 4th.—Lady-birds in large numbers on the breakwater at noon, and up to sunset. At 3 P.M. they were to be seen in thousands.
Swin Middle L.V.—Mr S. Pender, with reference to the migration of the Ringed Plover, writes under date of October 30th: "Concerning the birds which, I think, must be the 'stone-runners,' and their manœuvres, it was very amusing to watch them. The birds were first seen in an eastward direction, and I should think thousands, for when in close contact they had the appearance of a small black cloud; at other times in a long line and half circle, and so on. After they had finished their exercise they separated into two parties, one passing to the westward at no great distance from the vessel, and the other disappeared in the direction where first seen. Sometimes they would rise so high in the air, that they could not be seen without a telescope, at other times apparently touching the water."
Hanois L.H., October 31st, 8 P.M.—A quantity of Silver Gamma Moths; also a few brown ones, but smaller than the Gamma.
Mr Philip W. Munn, writing from Nieder Kaufungen, near Cassel, Germany, under date of March 30th, 1886, says:
"The weather began to break up on Saturday week, and all the snow had disappeared by the following Monday morning. No sooner did the weather begin to break, and even before, than the birds began to rush northwards to their breeding quarters.
"On the 25th of February, quantities of Skylarks flew overhead in small parties in a northerly direction, the wind being S.E. This species stopped here on the 5th of March, and have now taken the place of the Crested Larks, most of which have left.
"On March 12th, I saw a Grey Wagtail; and a Hawfinch arrived and stayed here for a few days, and then departed.