il6 Correspondence. 



Masked Cirassfinches, Zebra Finches, etc. 



Mr. Bright also reports the following' interesting matings, 

 viz : 



Red X Yellow African Sparrow. 



English X Indian Red-headed Bullfinch. 



Red-headed Bunting x English Greenfinch. 



Our Illustrations : The two photo-reproductions in 

 this issue have rather a melancholy interest. They were taken 

 by the late Rev. J. M. Paterson last summer on the Anchar Lake 

 near Srinagar, India. We hope to give further notes re same 

 in a later issue. 



Increase of Subscription : This will take effect, aa 

 stated in the notice included in our last issue, at once, and a 

 notice will be attached to the next issue of Bird .notes, asking 

 members to remit the balance of this year's subscription on or 

 about June 30th next- -some have already remitted — Quite a 

 number of members have written expressing the reasonableness, 

 necessity, and justice of the step taken, and that it ought to 

 have been taken earlier. There has been no protest. All the 

 Council have now voted on the matter. The decision has been 

 almost unanimous, only two voting against this enforced 

 change. 



^4-f<^ 



Correspondence. 



SPRING MIGRANTS IN ESSEX. 



SiK, — Owing- to the unseasonable weather prevailing here (and 

 elsewhere) this spring I have no early dates to record this year. The 

 Wryneck arrived at Darbury on .April 8th, and the Cuckoo at Maldon on the 

 if)th. The Chiff-chaff, decidedly late, turned up here (at Hazeleigh) nexr 

 day. In warm weather, at eleven in the morning, a Tree Pipit was merrily 

 singing his aerial song. At 8 p.m. on the 23rd I heard the enchanting 

 strains of Philomel in a distant copse, and a pair of swallows were flying about 

 my house at 3 o'clock on the afternoon of the 25th. Next day I observed 

 them flying in and out of an outhouse where they generally nest. They 

 then disappeared for a couple of days during the Arctic weather of Sunday 

 and Monday, 27th and 28th. My rain gauge registered 1.30 ins. of rain, 

 sleet and snow during the twenty-four hours ending at 9 a.m. on the Monday, 

 which day was also thereafter cold but not wet ; I quite thought the swallows 



