PRINCirAF-LV I\ THF. NKIOHUOURHOOll OK KK.I.S I'EAD. I 8q 



are some which will not readily admit of an explanation. An 

 opportunity, too, has been afforded for watching the effect of 

 drought upon springs, and for other ohservations ronnertcd with the 

 undergroimd circulation of water. 



The rainy season closed generally throughout Essex in the end 

 of February. At Felstead the last rain fell in the early days of 

 March, and from then till the end of June the rainfall here did not 

 reach two inches. From observations made at Felstead School 

 (iiindly supplied by the Rev. K. Cicpp), the total for this period was 

 rgS inches. This prolonged drought, lasting through the spring, 

 determined in great part the produce of plants for the whole year ; 

 for although the autumnal summer did somewhat to redeem the 

 losses where the drought acted adversely, in other cases it merely 

 accentuated the favourable effect of that early spell of dry weather. 

 As a consequence of this we have two separate sets of phenomena, 

 one ill which there is a scarcity of produce, and the other in which 

 the produce is much in excess. The like phenomena are observable 

 in birds and insects, but to what extent we have no means of judging. 

 For instance, it was noticed that the cuckoo and nightingale did not 

 stay for their full season, and moreover the cuckoo, during the 

 whole length of its sojourn, could scarcely make a clear note. If 

 shortness of food was the cause, the nightingale most likely par- 

 ticipated in the scarcity. In both cases the drought undoul)tedly 

 acted adversely. 



The contrary seems to be the case with game fowls — partridge?, 

 etc. They are described, generally, as being in excess. 



Although it is not possible to go much into detail, yet so many 

 observations were noted of the peculiar behaviour of birds that we 

 cannot but think that the effects of the season may have some 

 temporary effect upon their distribution and numbers. We should, 

 perhaps, not be far wrong in attributing their peculiar behaviour in 

 some cases to some misleading phenomena which delayed or 

 provoked the nesting-time. The case of larks may be cited as an 

 instance. Nesting with them came late, probably in consequence of 

 the scarcity of cover, there being but little grass. The larks sang 

 vigorously in the last days of July, which is an exceptional occurrence. 



In other cases the scarcity of provision caused by the drought 

 may have acted, as the shifts made for food by birds during early 

 summer attracted much attention. Many species were attracted to 

 garden produce which do not ordinarily trouble the gardener. 



