100 Queries and Answers. 



our migratory birds arrive earlier, and remain about London for some time 

 before they disperse themselves into the interior of the kingdom ; but do 

 not commence singing till they have chosen their nestling place. 



Insects are daily issuing forth from their hybernacula, or bursting from 

 their chrysalises. On a frosty morning not an insect is to be seen in the 

 air; but should this be succeeded by a warm, sunshiny afternoon, the air 

 swarms with them, a general hum is heard on all sides, and, on the return 

 of evening, except the night-flying beetles and moths, they are all fled to 

 repose on the rugged bark of trees, into the sheltering hedge or bush, or 

 into cavities in the ground. The brimstone-coloured butterfly is one of 

 the most conspicuous indices of the naturalist; its first appearance is 

 generally memorandumed. 



Weather. In this changeable climate we have very few certain data, 

 enabling us to foretell what kind of weather may be expected. That what 

 is to come depends on that which is just past, is one of our old rules of 

 prognostication, and, in the case of alternations of much rain or drought, 

 the rule holds good, and so often, that proverbs in conversation, and maxims 

 in morality, are founded on the circumstance, viz. " long wet, long dry,'* 

 " after a storm a calm," &c.; but when a past course of weather is of no 

 decided character, neither very wet nor very dry, the rule is of no value. 

 Within the next month, however, we shall very probably experience what 

 is equally dreaded by seamen and travellers in these latitudes, namely, hard 

 blowing weather between the 18th and 24th of the month. — J. M. Chelsea, 



Art. VIII. Queries and Ansxioers. 



The sound or call of some kind of Bird (Vol. I. p. 297.). — Your cor- 

 respondent, J. N., wishes to know what birds he heard on his way, by moon- 

 light, through part of Galloway. From the description of the sound, I 

 should be inclined to think it was the snipe, as the noise they make is 

 exactly like that of a goat, and they are called, in the north, heather- 

 bleaters. The note of the whimbrel is a plaintive whistle, or occasionally 

 a low tremulous shake. — William Henri/ Hill. Newland, Gloucestershire, 

 Sept. 10. 



The Pied Flycatcher. — Sir, I was pleased to see in your Magazine of 

 Natural History (Vol.1, p. 331.), an account of the Pied Flycatcher, by J. 

 Blackwall, Esq., who states it to be abundant in the woods near UUswater, 

 and in that vicinity. 1 have never seen this species alive myself; and as I 

 am desirous of obtaining living specimens of all the migratory British 

 warblers, I should also be much pleased with a male bird of this species, or 

 a nest of young ones, which would arrive quite safe if sent by a careful 

 person, and fed on the road with a little raw lean meat, moistened with 

 water. Should Mr. Blackwall, or any of your correspondents, be kind 

 enough to procure and send me a bird or nest, I should feel much obliged, 

 and should be happy to return the favour in any way in my power. Per- 

 haps a nest of eggs that have not been sat on would be more convenient : 

 those could be packed tight in a little box in wool, and would arrive safe ; 

 and I could get them hatched and bred up by some nearly related bird in. 

 this neighbourhood. 



The Dartford Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler I also wish for par- 

 ticularly, to add to my collection. The former is said to be plentiful on 

 the commons in Devonshire and Cornwall, and is sometimes, but rarely, 

 found on those in the neighbourhood of London ; but I have never yet 

 been fortunate enough to obtain one. 



