SUMMARY OF THE WEATHER. 261 



wardness of Spring. For instance, the sloe blossom, often flowering by the 

 end of March, has scarcely yet been seen ; the same may be siaid of the 

 cherry-bloom, often out in the first week in April, and the crab-blossom in 

 the middle, which are not seen in this part at the close. The beautiful 

 crimson catkins of the black poplar, often out on the 1st, were attaining 

 their richest tints on the 30th. The delicate green leaves of the birch are 

 just producing that fine effect of contrast to the darkness and bareness of 

 the surrounding foliage, which is generally exhibited in the early part of 

 April. Of Winter visitants, few birds, except occasional flights of wild geese 

 and ducks, were visible after April commenced, having gone to their nesting 

 haunts. Few Field-fares and Ked-wings were seen after the setting in of the 

 long storm, they, and many resident birds, such as Larks, which previously 

 were so numerous as to be wantonly exterminated by the gross, were sup- 

 posed to have retired towards the more open coasts. The rarest Winter 

 visitants in these parts were the little Auk, or Rotch, taken alive on Nov. 

 11th, exhausted by its long flight during a severe storm. The Tufted-duck, 

 the Scaup-duck, or Pochard, the common Tern, the common Gull, the 

 Brambling, or Mountain-finch, &c. The Summer birds which have already 

 come, have arrived in this order, so far as ascertained. The Chiffchaff", April 

 7th; the Wlieatear, April 11th; the Swallow, April 14th; the Martin, April 

 16th ; the Willow-wren, April 18th; the Redstart, April 18th; the Tree-pipit 

 April 18th ; the Whinchat, April 20th ; the Cuckoo, April 22nd ; the Sand- 

 martin, April 23rd; the Grasshopper-warbler, April 24th; the Blackcap- 

 warbler, April 26th; the Whitethroat, April 28th; the Wood-wren, April 30th. 

 These* arrivals average about ten days later than usual, with the exception of 

 the Swallow and the Cuckoo, of which a few stragglers were allured over by 

 the fine weather in the middle of the month. The Swallows have been 

 noticed for years to come to Round-green on the 16th or 17th, where happily 

 they rear their progeny in safety, both nests and eggs being protected from 

 that violation which threatens, with other means of destruction, to extirpate 

 our rarer birds, whether doomed to the cage or museum, or to be shot down. 

 in mere sport. 



May, 1855. The barometer has ranged high this month, the greatest eleva- 

 tion being 30-20 inches on the 1st and 2nd; the lowest 295 on the 10th and 

 11th: the mean for the whole month was 29-72 inches. The thermometer ex- 

 hibited wider extremes, the same wintry reminiscences experienced in March 

 and April, having chequered this usually blooming and joyous month of May; 

 though we have enjoyed some very bright and warm days, there have been 

 , passing storms of sleet, hail, and snow, as late as the 29th. The highest of 

 the thermometer was 81° on the 26th; the lowest 27° on the 4th and 5th. 

 The mean for the month was 46" 45'. The quantity of rain fallen during tlie 

 month was very limited, until the last day, when it exceeded half an inch. 

 The registered quantity for the month exceeds If inches, falling on twelve 



