MB SELBY ON THE WINTER OF 1838. 193 



The same was observed to prevail in the south of England, as in a 

 communication from Mr Yarrell, he mentions that the paucity of 

 summer visitants had been generally remarked by those Avho interest 

 themselves in ornithology and observations connected with it. The 

 cause of this deficiency I attribute to the very cold and ungenial 

 weather which prevailed not only throughout Britain, but over a great 

 portion of the European Continent, at the time these birds usually 

 undertake their periodical flights, and which, I imagine, stopped 

 many on their com-se, and prevented that extended movement which, 

 in ordinary years, permits their reaching our own and even higher 

 latitudes. That their lessened numbers arose from causes which 

 affected them during their winter sojourn can scarcely be supposed, as 

 that portion of the year, it is now well ascertained, is passed by most 

 of them in the warm region of the African Continent or in those parts 

 of Southern Europe, where frost is scarcely known. Some few may 

 undoubtedly have perished on the way, or from having advanced at 

 too early a period into the north of Eiu-ope, where, in consequence of 

 the chilling cold that prevailed, no approj)riate food could be found, 

 and thus died of hunger ; but the more probable reason is, I think, 

 that ah-eady assigned, viz. that they were stopped on their advance by 

 the peculiarity of the season, and were compelled to remain and nidi- 

 ficate in lower latitudes than they are generally accustomed to do. Of 

 the few which did arrive, it was observed that their first appearance 

 was nearly a fortnight later than has generally been the case, upon an 

 average taken from a register of some twenty years past. Thus I find 

 that the Willoio Wren (Sylvia trochilus), instead of the 16th or 18th of 

 April, was not seen or heard before the 3rd of May ; the same in 

 regard to the Blackcap (Curruca atricapilla), the Tree Pipit (Anthus 

 arboreus), the Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) ; and the 13th of May had 

 arrived before an individual of the Fly-catcher (Muscicapa grisola) was 

 observed. Of the species just enumerated, a deficiency, such as I have 

 already mentioned, was remarked ; but I think it was even more 

 striking in others, among which I may particvdarize the Sedge-warhhr 

 (Salicaria phragmitis). Greater Petty-chaps (Curruca montana), Tlliite- 

 throat (Curruca cinerea). To this cold and long-retarded spring, 

 succeeded a short and, with the exception of a few days in July, a 

 moist and chilly summer, circumstances which affected not only the 

 increase of animal life, but produced the more serious calamity of a 

 deficient harvest. Fruits also did not ripen at all, or very imperfectly, 

 and were devoid of their proper taste and flavour. In conclusion, I 

 may add, that a great deficiency of the insect tribes was generally re- 

 marked, and, from having given a considerable degree of attention to 

 the entomology of this district for some years past, I can confidently 

 say, that in most of its great families or divisions the remark is correct, 

 more particularly as it applies to the Coleopterous and Lepidopterous 

 insects, upon a comparison with what was observed in 1835 and 1836, 

 as well as years previous to that date. 



