32 



The Curlew appeared on its breeding grounds near Alston on 

 March 26th; and the first clutch of eggs was found on a low moss 

 near AUonby exactly a month later. 



The month of May will long be remembered for the enormous 

 mortality of HirundiniDiE, coinciding with a sudden resumption of 

 severe weather and east winds about May 12th. On that day, at 

 Alston, " Snow fell during the entire day, and some drifts were 

 six feet deep. In the field beside our house, there were Starlings, 

 Whinchats, Wheatears, Meadow Pipits, Skylarks, Common Bun- 

 tings, Sparrows, and Wagtails, all fraternising together. A great 

 many nests were destroyed. Scores of Grouse nests were lost. 

 After the snow thawed, some Grouse returned to their nests ; of 

 these, some brooded for a long time, but to no purpose, while 

 others hatched out a portion of their sittings." (J. Walton in litt.) 



As regards the Hirundinidae, their decimation is reported on all 

 hands, and numbers of dead birds, all perfectly empty, came under 

 the notice of Mr. W. Duckworth. 



" In one case, remarks Mr. Tremble, "twenty Swallows were 

 found dead on the window ledge of a small clay cottage; in 

 another, the exhausted birds invaded a smithy in search of warmth 

 and food." 



Subsequent to this disaster, the nesting season was favourable, 

 and the Stockdove and Spotted Flycatcher bred in greater pro- 

 fusion than in any previous year. 



The one satisfactory result of the summer of 1886 is identical 

 with the discovery of the nest and eggs of the Shoveller. 



Note. — The Raven ( Corviis corax) would appear to have 

 deserted Sandwith as a nesting station since 1884, but odd birds 

 occasionally visit the old haunt of the species. A solitary Raven 

 was observed by Mr. Nott, in the neighbou'hood of the lighthouse, 

 on October 15th, 1886. An interesting reference to two white 

 Ravens, taken from one nest, in Cumberland, about the year 1548, 

 exists in the De rariorum a?iimalium et avium stirpibus of Dr, 

 Caius, the court physician, 



