THE RETROSPECT. 165 



Occurrence of the King Buch, (Somatcria spcctabilis,) on the Suffolk Coast. — I received, of 

 the 7th. of Januarj', of the present j^ear, a female specimen of this bird which had been procured 

 from the beach at Lowestoff. — Idem. 



The three last specimens were prepared by me as natural skeletons for J. E. "Warwick, Natu- 

 ralist, 23, New Street, Kennington Road, London.— Idem. 



I observed Sand Martins, (IT. riparia,) flj'ing over sand-pits near this city, April 14th., 1854. 

 Wind, S. E. And, on the following day, saw a solitary Swallow, (H, rustica,) near the same 

 locality. — Idem. 



Occurrence of the Dipper, (Cinclus aquaticus,) in Norfolk — Mr. Knight, Taxidermist, of 

 this city, received for preservation, on the 26th. of April, 1854, a fine specimen of this bird, 

 which had, the day before, been shot at Lingwood. — Idem. 



Observations on the weather for January. — There w^as rain or snow' on nineteen days, but in 

 general in small quantities, except on the 4th, 7th, and 8th,— first heavy snow, averaging from 

 ten to thirteen inches, and in some places drifted by the high winds to such a depth, as to 

 make some of the lanes and roads impassable; then sleet, changing to rain. The quantity 

 fallen on the whole month was three inches — probably much more, as some of the snow flakes 

 would be blown off the weather guage unmelted. The highest point of the barometer was 30 

 on the 26th, the lowest was 28 deg. 30 min. on the 8th. The highest point attained by the 

 thermometer in the town was 52 deg., in the shade, on the 30th; in the country the same day 

 it was 48 deg. The lowest registered in the town was 12 deg., on the morning of the 3rd; 

 and in the country 9 deg., on the 2nd. and 3rd. — probably lower in the night. The winds have 

 been from N. N. E. to S. S. E., S. W. and "W., the last few days in great force. The severity 

 of the frost during the limited pei'iod of its existence, was more intense than has been remem- 

 bered by any one here. The pools, canal, and even the river Derne were speedily frozen, to the 

 satisfaction of thousands of sliders "and skaters. The ice was from seven to ten inches thick. It 

 has been a hard time for the feathered race. Hunger has made strange companionship, and hard 

 and soft-billed birds have flocked round the haunts of man, too often to their destruction, as a 

 greater number of pitiless gunners have been at work than we suspected we had amongst us. Our 

 winter visitants have been more than usually numerous. The Common and Jack Snipe, Red- 

 wings, Fieldfares, "VVild-Ducks, Wild-Geese, Bramblings, and Siskins have abounded. The 

 Little Grebe, and Dun Diver, (the female of the Mergus,) have occurred in the Derne valley. 

 "Woodcocks have been a little more plentiful than of late years. One was aroused up in 

 Cockerham gardens, Longman row, close to the town; and a "^'^ater Hen, was taken in the 

 town, which is yet kept alive. The more scarce Water-Rail has been shot, as also the ash- 

 colourcd Shrike or Butcher Bird.— T. Lister, Barnsley, February 1854. 



€\i lUtrnsprtt. 



The reader will see that my explanation has not been proved unsatisfactory. Mr. S. seems 

 not to comprehend it. One evening, John Newton' could not light his candle — the extinguisher 

 teas on. According to Mr. S., excavation always implies boring. liens excavate holes in 

 gardens, etc.; do they bore? No! Neither do Starlings! His attack was unnecessary, as well 

 as frivolous in the extreme. Let him leave such work to those whose Lilliputian intellects 

 are fitted for it, lest he be ranked with them. Let errors be pointed out, and they shall 

 be readily corrected. The subject is unworthy of farther notice. ~J. Longmuir, Jun., June, 

 1854. 



We trust this controversy, which can benefit no one, may now be allowed to drop. — B. R. M. 



In volume iii., page 85, of "The Naturalist," is a communication by W. Macdufi', in answer 

 to which I now quote a piece from "De Gcer." "In the month of July I found a caterpillar 

 of the Puss Moth, (Cerura Vinula,) resting upon a small twig, which I cut in order to enable 

 me to examine it more attentively. As I was scrutinizing its appearance, I happened, accidentally, 

 to touch its body, instantly there shot out, from a spot near the head, two streams of a clear 



