DURING THB YBAR 1846. 207 



fiiderable damage in the districts where they fell, and the 

 temperature, which had reached 70° and 80° in the shade, was 

 for a time considerably reduced, but again reached a high 

 grade during part of July and the two following montha I 

 may here observe that the arrival of some of our summer 

 birds of passage in Northumberland was a few days earlier 

 than usual, but 1 remarked in this district, as well as in Kent 

 and other counties visited during the summer, that even of the 

 common or more abundant species, the numbers as compared 

 with other years were comparatively few ; and this I found 

 to be the opinion of other observers in different parts of the 

 kingdom. Of some species, indeed, I saw scarcely an indivi- 

 dual, though I sought for them in localities adapted to their 

 habits ; such was the case with the Sedge and Reed War- 

 blers, Whin-chat, &c. The Swallows, as well as the Swift, 

 were also observed to be in greatly reduced numbers. The 

 cause of such a deficiency, after so mild a winter, with the 

 exception of the week in March, and a summer of unwon- 

 ted warmth, must remain a matter of mere conjecture. It 

 might possibly have arisen from the effects of tempestuous 

 weather during their migratory flight, or, what is perhaps 

 more probable, from a deficient brood of the previous year, 

 the result of a season memorable for its low temperature and 

 weeping character, alike unpropitious to the increase 

 of the feathered race. Of Insects, also, there appeared 

 to be a great deficiency during the earlier part of the year, 

 particularly of the common species of diurnal Lepidaptera, 

 This, it is reasonable to suppose, may be traced to the cold 

 and ungenial character of the previous summer and autumn, 

 and perhaps in some degree to the unwonted mildness of the 

 winter which succeeded, for it has been remarked that severe 

 winters, during which the earth is bound up in long continued 

 frost and snow, are not so injurious to the larvsB and pupas 

 of insects, as those of a moist and mild character. As the 

 season advanced, lepidopterous insects became more abun- 

 dant, and in August we were visited by some rare, and as 

 northern, unwonted species. Sphinx Cotivolvuliy one of the 

 largest of the family of the Sphingidae, and generally consi- 

 dered an insect of some rarity, suddenly appeared in consi- 



