98 MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 



field one mass of golden yellow from the abundance of Charlock in bloom, 

 many specimens of Hawkweed, Violets, Daisies, Dandelions, Wild Straw- 

 berries, and a flower, the name of which I do not recollect. Should the 

 present mild weather continue a short time longer, we shall have the 

 spring flowers making their appearance before the flowers of last summer 

 have left us — an occurrence, I believe, never before remembered. — Stephen 

 Clogg, Looe, January 2nd., 1858. 



A statement has appeared in some of the north- country papers, to 

 the effect that the notes of the Cuckoo were heard in a field near the village 

 of Cleadon, in the county of Durham, on Thursday last, the 11th. February. 

 As this is a remarkable circumstance, and appears to be authentic, I desire 

 to bring it to your notice. Perhaps some of your correspondents may be 

 aware of the early appearance of this migratory bird in former years. If so, 

 I should be glad to be informed when and where, and whether it was fol- 

 lowed by an early and warm summer. Gilbert White's and Hardwick's 

 calendars both return a later date for the appearance of this bird in the 

 south of England. I may add that the past winter has been a mild and 

 dry one, and at the present time, on a bright afternoon, the trout may be 

 seen to rise at the natural fly in the River Derwent — a further proof of 

 the mildness of the season. — R. Barrington Cooke, Scarborough, February 

 16th., 1858. 



[Mr. Cooke will see other similar instances, re the Cuckoo, in my account 

 of this species in my "British Birds." Be the trout, I saw one rising last 

 week. It is a regular thing all the winter through in suitable weather. — 

 F. O. M.] 



On the last day of the Old Year the Yellow Jasmine was in blossom 

 in the Rectory garden at Sutton-upon-Derwent, near York; and walking 

 home from there, over Allerthorpe Common, the Gorse was in bloom, all 

 the way more or less, for a mile or two — that beautiful blossom which, it 

 is said, Linnaeus, on first seeing in this country, fell down on his knees 

 and thanked God for the sight of. — F. 0. Morris, Nunburnholme Rectory, 

 March 4th., 1858. 



Eggs of the Nuthatch. — In the last December number of this journal, in an 

 account of the habits, etc. of the Nuthatch, the eggs are described as 

 being "like the Wryneck's, white," which I think must be an error, as 

 all that I have obtained, agree with the description by Yarrell, vol. ii., 

 page 176, which is, "the eggs are very much like those of the Great Tit, 

 but the spots are generally less numerous and rather larger." But, although 

 the eggs of these two species are similar, there is a marked difference 

 between them when compared together. Possibly by some means the eggs 



