LOCAL OBSERVATION 19 



three smews on our river, near the house last week, and 

 a waxwing female, shot at Brington on 21st inst." * 



''April 2Sth, 1895. 



" We had not much snow here, but the glass went 

 down to below zero on several nights. I did not hear 

 of many dead birds found here, except starlings and a 

 few fieldfares. 



" We seldom have many song thrushes after the 

 beginning of November, but two came constantly to be fed. 

 There is no doubt that this species has suffered more than 

 any of our common birds. I have only once heard its 

 song, and I only hear of some half-dozen nests about our 

 pleasure grounds, as against a usual average of twenty- 

 five to thirty. 



" I do not perceive or hear about any noticeable 

 diminution amongst our blackbirds, but starlings and 

 robins are remarkable for their comparative scarcity just 

 now. 



" We had a great many fowl about the middle of 

 the frost — mallard, wigeon, pochard, ten tufted ducks, a 

 few teal, pintail, and three smews ; only one small lot of 

 pinkfooted (.'') geese. The most remarkable ornithological 

 occurrences were those of a great northern diver that 

 was killed near Northampton in December, and is now in 

 my possession ; eight whoopers * that remained here for 



^ To John Cordeaux, Esq. 



* The Whooper Swan {Cyg/ius ferus), a winter visitor which breeds 

 in Iceland. 



