APPENDIX H 135 



the Grouse eggs hatched, and the Pheasant eggs were all split. The Pheasant laid other 

 three eggs after the frost, which she hatched out along with the three Grouse eggs." 



District 6. Scotland, West — Argyll, Bute and Akran, Stirling, Dumbarton, 

 Eenfrew, Ayr, Lanark, Wigtown, Kirkcudbright, Dumfries. 



3.3 Reports. 



The frost in this district was far less severe than towards the north and east. 

 With one doubtful exception there were no readings lower than 13°, 14°, 1.5°, and 18". 

 In Argyllshire the lowest recorded temperature was 17', yet even in this county we find 

 that much damage from frost has been observed, while throughout the whole district 

 fifteen out of twenty-five reporters speak to eggs being destroyed by frost, thirteen out 

 of twenty-one report that they found eggs split, and sixteen out of twenty - seven state 

 that a few unfertile eggs were left in the nests. The nests were fairly well filled and, 

 except for the eggs which were believed to have been frosted, the clutches hatched out 

 well, yet out of an average of 7"4 eggs in each nest only 3"7 young birds came to maturity 

 — a result which cannot be altogether accounted for by the relatively few unfertile eggs 

 left in the nests. 



Hcmarks.— -There seems to be definite evidence that the frost did cause some damage ; 

 but the extent of the damage was probably exaggerated owing to the necessity of finding 

 some reason to account for the shortage of young birds in August. This shortage seems 

 to have been due to losses after hatching rather than to damage to the eggs. 



District 2. England North-East — Northumberland, Durham, 

 and Yorkshire (N. Eiding). 



10 Reports. 



The frost was generally more severe than in the two last-mentioned districts — the readings 

 being 7°, 7", 9\ 10°, 11°, 13°, 16°, yet the majority of the reporters state that the eggs suffered 

 no damage, and only one states that he found an egg split by frost. The eggs hatched out 

 well, only a few being left in the nests, and many of these contained young chicks, thus 

 showing that their failure was not due to the frost in April. There were few barren birds, 

 and the coveys contained a fair average number of young birds. 



Remarks. — The same puzzling results are again observed. Though the frost is more 

 Severe the losses seem to be less instead of greater. 



Districts 7a and 4a. England, North-West and North Wales — Cumberland, 

 Westmoreland, Lancashire, Cheshire, Wales, Midland Counties — Yorkshire 

 West Eiding, Derbyshire. 



16 Reports. 



The reports from the north-west of England are complicated by the fact that the 

 frost was accompanied by heavy snow, and any damage that was reported might have been. 



