SPRING ARRIVALS. 91 



Remarks. — The 6th. and 7th. of May, I80O, were two very wet and cold 

 days, wind east and by north: the Martins took refuge under the sheltered 

 ends of houses. Six were found dead the next day; and in the neighbourhood 

 of Bristol, great numbers perished from the severity of the weather. As late 

 as November 25th., 1850, I saw three Martins flying over a field in front of 

 my house, catching flies in the usual manner. 



May Uth., 1851. 



Earli/ Incubation of the Cuckoo. — A lad, living in the hamlet of Lakenhara, 

 obtained from the nest of a Hedge Accentor, the egg of a Cuckoo, on 

 Saturday, April 5th. — S. O.Harper, Norwich, April 12th., 1851. 



Early arrival of the Hirundinidts. — April 5th., a solitary Martin, (H. 

 urhica,) was seen by a friend of mine, a naturalist, skimming the river at 

 Heigham, near this city. According to my journal, this family arrived, 

 (except the Swift,) in 1848, April 13th.; 1849, April 19th.; 1850, April 18th. 

 — Idem. 



Cuckoo on April Wth., in Devon. — I was walking on Friday last, (11th. 

 inst.,) on the road leading to the old Barracks, about half-a-mile from the 

 town, and my attention was arrested by hearing a fluttering in a tree over- 

 hanging the road. On getting nearer, a bird flew out, which I recognised at 

 once as a Cuckoo, (Cuculus canorus.) But, to make sure, I followed, and 

 with the aid of a pocket glass, saw it very distinctly several times. I was 

 pleased, after waiting some time, to hear it utter its usual weak cry at this 

 early season; which was scarcely more than 'kook, kook,' as I felt more con- 

 vinced on the matter. I hear that another was seen on Saturday, about two 

 miles from the place that I mention. The neighbourhood is very sheltered, 

 and much wooded, and about five miles from the sea. The wind for the last 

 week has been east and north-east. Yesterday, I saw a male Black-cap, 

 {Cuiruca atricapilla,) near Dartington, Devon. — S. Hannaford, Jun., Totnes, 

 Devon, April 14:fh., 1851. 



Arrival of Swallows in Wiltshire. — I have much pleasure in acquainting 

 you with the first arrival, in this neighbourhood, this season, of those inter- 

 esting little harbingers of spring, the Swallows, (Hirundo rustica.) On the 

 13th. instant I was walking near a wood which crowns one of the hills, about half- 

 a-mile from this town, about six o'clock in the evening, when one of them 

 passed over me. Having requested several persons about here to let me know 

 when they had seen the first Swallow, I find, on inquiry, this has been the 

 first in this neighbourhood : the same day a friend of mine, living three miles from 

 me, also saw one. On the 1 4th., I saw three more, which fully confirmed the 

 above fact. These, I believe to be the first instances of their being seen about 

 here. This town is pleasantly situated in a hollow, about three miles on the 

 Marlborough side of the Wiltshire Downs: the country is hilly, and in some 

 parts well wooded. The soil, chalk; the Kennet and Avon Canal skirts this 



