202 FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 



With regard to the continuous annual observation by the same 

 person, the Redwing, though only recorded 7 times in the 4 years, 

 is noted in each year by (J. C. M. P.) and twice by (S. C). ; the 

 Sandmartin (8 times altogether) is noted 4 times by (J. C. M. P.) 

 and 3 times by (E. R. B.) ; this being a local bird, but very easily 

 observed when it occurs. The Redstart on the contrary being a 

 scarce bird is only noted twice each by (N. M. R.) and (J. M), and 

 is of almost as little use as the Red-backed Shrike for phenological 

 purposes. This last bird has only been observed once, and is either 

 very rare in Dorset or very little known, probably the latter, as in 

 " Birds of Dorset " it is stated that " it breeds here regularly, and 

 may often be seen in our orchards and hedgerows." 



I would suggest that observers should be especially careful with 

 regard to the swallow, cuckoo, and other birds that receive most 

 general attention, and similarly with the plants and insects. 

 With regard to the table on p. 186 of the last volume (XVI.) I ma> 

 mention that the conclusions there come to are fully confirmed by 

 this year's observations, the cuckoo arriving first at Whatcombe, 

 then at Bloxworth and Corfe Castle, and last at Weymouth. 



The dates of the birds are, on the whole, distinctly earlier than 

 in 1894; the cuckoo, however, is four days later, but the record in 

 1894 (March 31st) was very exceptional. The record of a swallow 

 at Bere Regis (G. H.) on March 10th is likewise very exceptional, 

 the next date being April 5th at Corfe Castle and Sherborne. 



Some of the insects, &c., are not of great value for phenological 

 purposes, as they are so little observed, and the dates consequently 

 show alarming discrepancies; e.g. t rose beetle, August 5th, 1894, and 

 May 22nd, 1895, both at Corfe Castle. (E. R. B.) No one else 

 has even noticed the insect at all in the two years, though it is not, 

 as a rule, a rare species. Insects are, however, the most liable of any 

 of the objects in our list to years of great abundance and scarcity, 

 and there are comparatively few which are at all regular in their 

 numbers. The date (March 17th) given by (G, H,) and (S. C.) for 

 the appearances of the Painted Lady Butterfly is a very early one, and 

 the locality, " Fluttering in a church window " (S. C.), so suggestive 



