OBSERVATIONS IN HEHTFOEDSHIRE IX 1880. 263 



of the flowering of the whole, of tliesc 38 species in this year 

 with the mean date of the earliest records for the four previous 

 years. The result of a careful analysis shows an extent of forward- 

 ness in 1880 over the mean of 187G-79 of 8-3 days, or, to state 

 the same thing in a different way, each species of phint observed 

 opened its flowers on the average rather more than a week earlier 

 in 1880 than the previous mean date. 



Not one of the insects in the list has been observed in all the 

 five years, and only five of the birds. These are the nightingale, 

 the sky-lark, the rook, the cuckoo, and the swallow, and of every 

 one of these the record was earlier in 1880 than the previous mean 

 date, this year giving a mean for the five species of 8-4 days earlier 

 than the mean of 1876-79. Frog spawn, which has been observed 

 every yeai", was seen 12 days earlier than the previous mean. Thus 

 the whole of the observations give a similar result, and characterise 

 1880 as a forward year in comparison with those of which we 

 have any previous record for our county. 



It was not so, however, for the whole of the year, for the late- 

 ness which eminently characterised 1879 was continued into 1880, 

 and it was not until the middle of March that the mean was attained. 

 Towards the end of March there was a decidedly earlj^ tendency, 

 which increased in April and reached its maximum in May ; 

 receding then towards June, this month and July were about as 

 forward as April. After July only two species were observed, 

 and as these have not been noticed every year, the comparison 

 cannot be continued further. 



It will thus be seen that the severe winter retarded vegetation 

 until the commencement of spring, when warmer weather accele- 

 rated it, having the gi-eatest elfect towards the end of spring, after 

 which, as in every previous year of which we have records, a more 

 normal tendency prevailed. 



The damage to garden shrubs by the winter frosts, the early 

 appearance of insects on the breaking up of the frost, the unusual 

 abundance of wasps, the great scarcity of orchids, and the small 

 number of plants in flower towards the winter months, are notice- 

 able phenological features of the year 1880. 



