Soxes AA'D Call Azotes. i8i 



day when it came down to drink at a favourite 

 pond close by. 



I have seen it stated in popular journals that 

 the Blackbird does not commence to sini^ until 

 after the sun has risen. This law does not certainly 

 hold good with all members of the species, or in 

 all parts of the country, for I have sat up all night 

 on several occasions in order to make notes upon 

 the time birds retire to rest and the time they 

 wake up, and the following figures represent what 

 I heard in Westmorland on the evening of the 7th 

 and morning of the 8th of last June. 



The Sim set about half-past eight o'clock in a 

 calm, cloudy sky, and rose again at about forty 

 minutes past three in a cold, grey haze, and there 

 was no moon visible, although its light on the 

 evening of the 7th no doubt prolonged the sing- 

 ing time of some species. 



At fifteen minutes past eight o'clock Thrushes, 

 Blackbirds, Meadow Pipits, Willow Warblers, Garden 

 Warblers, Common Wrens, Chafiinches and Cuckoos 

 were all in full song. At half-past eight Thrushes, 

 Blackbirds, Connnon AVrens, A\^illow Warblers and 

 Cuckoos only were heard, and fiocks of Starlings 

 and Rooks were hieing away home to roost. By a 

 quarter to nine the Common Wren had dropped 

 out of the feathered concert as a performer. At 

 nine o'clock the following l)irds Avere still all in full 

 voice: Thrush, Blackbird, Willow Warbler, and 

 Cuckoo. But a quarter of an hour later the Willow 



