APRIL. 79 



latter are in full voice now; how they crouch, until one can almost 

 step on them. How rural to see the young Lambs suckling 1 Saw a 

 few pairs of Jackdaws round some old trees. Nice lot of White 

 Violets blooming. Came across many newly-made Mole heaps and 

 runs. Found a dead Redbreast, and the wing of a Thrush. Yellow 

 Bunting "chitting." The withered foliage of the Hornbeam is very 

 prominent now; it is one of those trees which retains its Summer 

 dress the Winter through. In the woods it is one mass of brown. 

 We examine a few, and see that for every dead leaf a new one is 

 rapidly developing. A similar remark applies to some of the Birch 

 trees. I saw at a friend's house to-day a male Goldfinch over ten 

 years old at least. He was in lovely fettle, the scarlet and golden, 

 the white and liver on the breast very pronounced. 1 also saw the 

 result of planting a Date stone ; it had been in a pot about twelve months, 

 was about a foot high, and similar to a large blade of grass. I am 

 told that the stone is forced to the surface when the seed commences 

 to germinate. Still no Migrants to be seen or heard, although I 

 listened and looked at every turn. 



9th. Misty early, giving place later to brilliant sunshine. Wren, 

 Skylark, and Hedge Sparrow singing. Many of my Currant bushes 

 quite green now. Plum blossom opening. A correspondent writes 

 me that he found yesterday in the Southend district a Blackbird's 

 nest, containing three eggs; several Song Thrushes sitting, with four 

 eggs each; two Hedge Sparrows, ready for eggs. It seems to me 

 that the early Song Thrushes' nests do not contain more than four 

 eggs. 



10th.- A correspondent records in the April issue of " Nature 

 Notes "the occurrence of a Hoopoe on March oth, and one or two 

 following days, in South Devon. This beautiful bird is a regular 

 Spring Migrant to our Country. I wish that it escaped the gunner, and 

 was allowed to breed amongst us, but it is such an attractive-looking 

 bird. Foliage of Michaelmas Daisies nicely out in the garden to-day. 

 A day of brillant sunshine, with nice gentle breezes. Skylark singing ; 

 Chaffinch "pinking" in the garden; House Sparrows building. Gnats 

 seen in the garden at 7.15 p.m. 



llth. April showers. Hedge Sparrow singing. Saw Ptarmigan, 

 Partridge, and Red Grouse in London poulterer's to-day. Where do 

 these birds come from? If from our own Country, is it not the close 

 season? Rained heavily towards evening, but Skylark soaring, and 

 singing, at 6.30 p.m. 



