36 ARRIVAL OF THE HIRUNDINES^ ETC. 



quite regardless of his cowardly retreat, claims the chief honour and glory 

 of the capture. I leave the blacks to skin him at their leisure, and re- 

 turn to my friends. 



Then we commence fishing, and in a few minutes have caught such a 

 supply of Schnapper, Bream, and Flathead, as would satisfy even the cor- 

 morant propensities of Messieurs Pyke and Pluck. 



(To be continued.) 



ARRIVAL OF THE HIRUNDINES, ETC., AT MINEHEAD, 

 SOMERSET, IN 1855. 



BY MAJOR GIFFORD. 



Sand Martin, {Hirundo riparia,) April 13th. — Swallow, (Hirundo mstica,) 

 April 18th. — Cuckoo, {Cuculus canorus^ April 25th. — Swift, [Gypselus 

 apus,) May 3rd. 



Time of departure in 1855: — The Swift left about the 13th. of August. 

 On the 18th. saw six flying about in the evening, and one on the 28th. 

 22nd. of September, saw at least twenty Swallows. A newspaper account 

 says they all disappeared from the neighbourhood of Shefiield on the 14th.; 

 here they remained till the end of the month. The Martins left about 

 the 8th. of October. 



EXTRACTS FROM MY NOTE-BOOK. 



AfRiL 5th., 1855. The Willow in blossom: last year it came into 

 bloom the latter end of February and beginning of March. My bees 

 were hard at work on the 7th. of March last year, but up to this time, 

 April 5th., they have not been able to collect any pollen. 



April 6th. First Spring morning. 



April 13th. A curious coincidence occurred to-day; I was observing to 

 my daughter that the Swallow tribe would soon make their appearance, 

 as the days were getting long, and the insects coming forth, when on looking 

 out of the window, at that very moment, I saw four or five Sand Martins 

 fly over the house to the westward; most probably to take up their sum- 

 mer quarters in the high cliffs about Lynmouth or Ilfracombe. 



April 17th, Saw the New Moon, when only one day old. 



May 4th. This morning, about 5 a. m., the hills were white with snow. 



May 9th. Pear tree in blossom in the garden opposite; generally, the 

 same tree blossoms in the beginning of March. 



June 28th. Wheat in ear. 



November 10th. My bees at work. Geo: S. J. Gifford. 



Minehead, Somersetshire, Novemher dth., 1855. 



