CORRESPONDENCE. 119 



Notes from Oscott College. — The cold of the last fortnight has 

 somewhat checked the opening buds, and it will be some time before the 

 trees are fully out. The Larch, Chestnut, and Lime show signs of 

 returning summer ; but the Beech, Oak, and Ash are very backward, and 

 it will be some weeks before they are fully out. The following are the 

 notes recorded for the month : — March 21st, Thrush's nest with eggs, 

 Humble Bee seen, Daffodil and Jonquil in flower ; 23rd, Honey and 

 Sand Bees seen, Willow and Furze in flower ; 26th, Shepherd's Purse in 

 flower, Vanessa urticce seen; 29th, Dandelion, Strawberry-leaved Cinque- 

 foil, White and Purple Dead-Nettie, Musk Ivy, Lesser Celandine, Marsh 

 Marigold, Whitlow Grass, Golden Saxifrage, Ivy-leaved Veronica and 

 Osier in flower, Chiff-chaff singing ; 30th, several Vanessa, common 

 White, and Brimstone Butterflies seen ; April 5th, Pansy and Lady's 

 Mantle in flower, Swallow first seen ; 8th, two Swifts seen ; 18th, Sand 

 Martins seen ; 20th, Garden Warbler seen and heard singing, House 

 Martin seen, Cuckoo heard ; 24th, Ccrastium arveiise and Primus avium 

 in flower. — J. Caswell. 



Phenological and General Observations, taken in the vicinity of 

 Farley, near Cheadle, Staffordshire, during March, 1880 : — Fringilla 

 Calebs in full song early in month. 11th, Cry of Vanellus cristatus heard; 

 bird evidently seeking nesting-ground. 13th, Daisy in bloom ; wild 

 rose, elder, and wild gooseberry bursting into young leaf. 17th, Nest of 

 Turdus musicus found ready for eggs. 18th, Corvus frugilegus building. 

 20th, Nest of Turdus musicus, above referred to, contained three eggs, first 

 found this season, as far as I know. 2nd, First lambs seen. 19th, 

 Strix aluco on nest, but no eggs ; eggs taken from this same nest March 

 20th last year ; Currant fruit tree bursting into young leaf. 21st, 

 Narcissus pseudonarcissus in full bud, and Lilac bursting into young leaf ; 

 PotentiUa fragariastrwm now in flower ; Corylus Avellana bursting ; and 

 Ranunculus Ficaria first seen in flower on bank facing south; Mercurialis 

 perennis only just and slightly in bloom ; plants of fine growth and 

 leafage, but flowering considered very backward. 23rd, Ribes Grossularia 

 in full young leaf. 24th, Tussilago Farfara now in flower generally ; 

 said to have been seen first 7th inst. 25th, Turdus musictis just com- 

 menced to sit; Luzula pilosa in bud in Churnet valley. 26th, Cardamine 

 liirsuta in flower; also Veronica polita on wall facing S.S.W., and open 

 position. 28th, Ribes Grossularia, in flower; also Adoxa moschatellina; and 

 Narcissus (under cultivation.) 29th, Examples of fertile Salix caprea 

 in full flower. 30th, Horse Chestnut and Larch in full young leaf. 

 Catkins of Corylus Avellana said to have been seen first 15th inst. 31st, 

 Flowers of Oxalis acetosella first seen. — Clemt. L. Wragge, F.R.G.S., 

 F.M.S. 



Chiff-chaff. — Mr. J. S. Hedderley, of Bulcote, near Nottingham, 

 one of our best ornithologists, informs us that he heard the Chiff- 

 chaff so early as the 13th of March this year. — L. Lee, Nottingham. 



Ornithological Notes from Leicestershire. — A rough-legged 

 Buzzard was shot in this county near Ashby-de-la-Zouch in February. 

 On March 10th, I saw a male Goosander on Saddington Reservoir. The 

 bird remained for several days. On March 19th, the ever-welcome note 

 of the Chiffchaff, first arrival of summer migrants, was heard. This is 

 the earliest record of the arrival of this bird that I have, the average 

 date of its appearance being 25th, but, as the bird was seen as well as 

 heard, there can be no doubt about it. On 25th March, I noticed the 

 Wheatear ; this also is the earliest record I have. On 30th, I heard the 

 Blackcap, of all our warblers pre-eminently the sweetest. April 6th, the 

 Willow Wren appeared. April 13th, the Wryneck's note was heard. On 



