NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 137 



a prolonged frost since the memorable winter of 1838. During 

 the last eighteen years efforts have been made to replace the many 

 fine trees and shrubs destroyed in I860, and now wide-spread 

 destruction has come again." 



After an interlude of spring, which lasted during the first few 

 days of March, a great snow-storm again covered the earth in a 

 white mantle. Flocks of Finches had reappeared on the scene, 

 and Rooks had got so far advanced with their building operations. 

 High gales, however, had interfered with their work. In Banff- 

 shire, wreaths of snow lay from 3 to 5 feet deep, and from 4 to 7 

 inches in the open; and generally over Scotland winter again 

 reigned. Trains were blocked up. From Orkney along all the 

 east coast, frost and snow. Passengers from Aberdeen to Wick 

 by steamer had to be landed at Thurso on the north coast, owing 

 to blinding snow-drift on the east coast. 



Five inches of snow fell in Stirlingshire on the 12th March. 

 General fall over the whole country. Reports from Burntisland, 

 Dunfermline, Leven, Alloa, Auchterarder, Denny, Stow, Galashiels, 

 Earlston, Kelso. Heavy snow and intense frost on nights of 13th 

 and 14th. Country roads blocked up. Inhabitants of Strath 

 Braan, Perthshire, and Amulree, and Glen Quoich, were shut out 

 from rest of the world by snow-drifts. [A useful summary of the 

 weather up to 14th appeared in the Scotsman of March 14th.] 

 Snow storm continued till 17th. Icebergs are reported in the 

 papers off Gothenburg, and vessels damaged by collision with them. 



On 19th, rain and thaw, which continued; but all through 

 April cold east winds, occasional falls of snow, and bitterly incle- 

 ment weather. Snow fell heavily and whitened the ground on 

 the 12th — the clay on which Swallows usually arrive in Stirling- 

 shire. In Lincolnshire no spring migrants had arrived on the 

 20th, and everything points to a late spring. On the morning of 

 3rd May \ inch of ice formed in Stirlingshire, and keen frosts, 

 succeeded by hot sun and dry east winds, prevailed. Scarcely any 

 growth of grass is observable in Argyllshire inland, and very little 

 in Stirlingshire. Grass grew nearly an inch on the night and 

 morning of 26th-27th April when we had a shower of rain, but 

 little difference since then up to May. Buds upon variegated 

 planes — before mentioned — only showing green, 2nd of May, on 

 the western exposure, but not yet showing green on the eastern 

 exposure (in Stirlingshire). Thus these trees which began to bnd 



