The Scottish Naturalist. 83 



a number of feathers in its stomach. I may here mention, that on the same 

 day that the Great Crested Grebe was shot, I received a beautiful adult male 

 Glaucous Gull in full winter plumage, which was shot on the Magdalene 

 Fields, Berwick. Three Little Auks were captured during the winter ; all 

 were very much emaciated, being little more than skin and bone — one of 

 them was found fully fifteen miles from the sea. The various species of Gulls 

 were very fat. Several of them, in the very depth of the winter, were fatter 

 than any birds that I had previously seen. Judging from the contents of their 

 stomachs, it is difficult to say what they had been feeding upon — a few small 

 fish ; but chiefly, I think, the carcases of animals and dead fish which 

 have floated down the river. Any Squirrels that I have had were also fat. 

 The Squirrel by some is supposed to lie dormant during frost, but I am con- 

 vinced that such is not always the case, as I have seen them when it was very 

 hard. The Rabbits, especially in the upland districts, suff"ered very severely ; 

 whilst in some parts, where they had access to the turnips — which were a 

 splendid crop — they fared better. Much damage has been done by them in 

 young plantations by barking the trees. The Field Vole (Arvicola agrestis) 

 has also been very destructive (on one estate, at least, that I have seen) ; 

 but their work is not so apparent, as their operations were confined to bark- 

 ing the young trees just above the surface, where it is hidden by the withered 

 grass and other herbage. 



From the above notes it will be seen that there are many birds which, 

 instead of having been starved with cold and hungei", were the opposite. 

 Their natural instinct came to the aid of those which felt it most, taking 

 them either to the sea-shore or to warmer climates, where suitable food and 

 shelter would be more easily obtained. Now that the winter is past, the 

 small birds, instead of being all but annihilated, as many writers prophesied, 

 are still to be seen in about their usual numbers. 



It is impossible as yet to judge, with any degree of certainty, the effects of 

 the winter on plants ; but, so far as 1 can see, it will not be so destructive as 

 that of 1860-61, when most of the Laurels (both Portugal and Bay) in this 

 district were either killed to the ground or so seriously damaged that they had 

 to be cut over. The little damage they have sustained is chiefly confined to 

 gross young shoots — the result of severe pruning — or to half smothered plants, 

 from which sufficient light and air is excluded. The previous summer and 

 autumn have much to do with the manner in which such plants stand the 

 succeeding winter. If the young growth is well ripened, they can resist a 

 much greater degree of frost than when they make a late ill-ripened growth. 

 If last winter had followed the summer and autumn of 1877, there would have 

 been a different tale to tell. I may mention the effects on a few well-known 

 plants. Araucarias are for the most part unhurt, but some are very brown. 

 The leaves of many Hollies, especially the variegated varieties, are seriously 

 damaged. Rhododendrons (A', ponliciun) and Aucubas are unscathed.^ Lau- 

 restinus is much cut up, the flowers all destroyed. Garrya elliptica, which 

 usually stands the winter well, is very much damaged. I may say the same of 

 Cotoneastcr microphylla. Pentstemons, Antirrhinums, Wallflower, &c. : many 

 killed. Spring flowers are late. I have seen only one Daisy. Snow-drops, 

 Winter Aconites, Christmas Roses, Hepaticas, and Bnlbocodium vcrmii?t, are 



^ I have since seen some plants of Aucuba which were transplanted late in 

 the spring that are much cut up.— A. R. 



