12 LOCAL OBSERVATION 



yet his letters were always promptly answered, unless he 

 were absolutely ill in bed. It is wonderful now to look 

 back on this, and having even a very sinall fragment of 

 his correspondence before one, to reflect on the resolution 

 such work, so minutely and conscientiously done, must 

 have entailed. As was but natural, his most regular 

 correspondents were those who, like himself, were keepers 

 of birds, or naturalists travelling in his old haunts. 



''July itth, 1888. 

 " Birds of all kinds are numerous here this year, but 

 at least two-thirds of a wonderful hatch of partridges are 

 drowned. We have at least three times our usual — very 

 small — number of swifts, and the small waders, lesser white- 

 throats, willow wrens, chifFchafFs, sedge and reed warblers 

 are in very great force. The meadows are swarming with 

 landrails." ^ 



"July T,ist, 1888. 



" The finest hatch of partridges on record in these parts 

 is virtually extinct, and a fiir hay crop has gone the 

 same way. 



" Waders are passing over every night, and if the rain 

 goes on for another week we shall have many snipes, 

 spotted rails, whimbrels, and possibly a rufF or two. Black 

 tern and green sandpiper have already appeared."" 



' To E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. 

 * To the same. 



