BIRDS instance, the gull-billed tern {Sterna anglicd) shot at Cofton reservoir and the curlew sandpiper (T'ringa subarquatd) shot at the same place, have both been added to the Worcestershire list by means of the common gunner and the bird stuffer. A noteworthy feature in respect of the bird population of the county is the conversion into garden land of a large area in the southern district. The great and recent extension of the gardening industry around Evesham and Pershore, including many of the surrounding villages, and amounting to thousands of acres, has effected a consider- able change among the bird inhabitants. With the exception of a few finches and starlings at all seasons, and of warblers in the spring and at the period of ripe fruit, very few birds frequent these gardens. The pretty and lively chaffinch has, however, a way of putting in an appearance on the beds of early radishes, and the linnet is sure to be seen when the various kinds of Cruciferce are ripening their seeds, while the bullfinch fails not, if permitted, to pay his respects to the buds of the plum trees and gooseberry bushes all through the winter. Against such birds, and indeed all birds, the gardeners wage incessant war with the gun, so that few birds remain in the gardening district. The Severn valley is one of the great lines of bird migration across England, the course of the Avon is another ; on two occasions the birds have been seen passing over the county in the last-named line in actual migration : once in the town of Evesham and once in the village of South Littleton. Unfortunately there is no record of the dates, but on the first occasion, the night being very still and dark, the birds were seen in countless numbers passing over Evesham in a north-easterly direction, only just clearing the chimneys, their white belHes being strongly illu- minated by the street lamps. They were quite within gunshot, and were witnessed by many townspeople, who came out of doors to see what was a very remarkable sight. On the other occasion the night was very bright and moonlight, and some very small bodies, mere specks, were observed passing in front of the moon, which proved to be birds at a great height, also travelling, so far as could be determined, in a north- easterly direction. Birds doubtless on migration have many times been heard though not seen passing over in the night. Mr. T. E, Doeg of Evesham, a good ornithologist, fixes a date in the following communication to the Evesham Journal of October 6th, 1899 : ' Probably some of your readers who, hke myself, are often awake during the midnight hours, may have been interested during the past month in noticing the great number of migratory birds that have been passing over our district on passage from their breeding haunts in the far north to the more genial cHmate of the southern countries, where they spend the winter. They were particularly numerous on the very dark night of September 6th, when, from a little before twelve until after two o'clock, there was almost a constant stream of them passing over the town.' None of the birds were visible on the night mentioned. 141
