APRIL. 



87 



Mr. Tom Sansom, watercress-grower, informs me he saw some 

 Swallows in the neighbourhood on the llth inst. 



Peas and Radishes through in the garden. 



A beautiful starlight night. No wind. Many birds calling over- 

 head at 11 p.m. Very high up, and apparently Migrants coming from 

 a Southern direction. Their callings in the stillness of the night very 

 weird and attractive. 



Mr. E. D. Henderson, Thornfield, Erdington, Birmingham, writes 

 me as follows: "You may be interested to hear that on April 14th 

 I saw and heard a Nightjar near Birmingham. Gilbert White gives 

 May 1st for its first appearance, Markwick May 26th, and Bewick end 

 of May." 



21st. Charming 

 Summer day. Brilliant 

 sunshine. I have never 

 known a season to advance 

 so rapidly as this Spring ; 

 since the 17th it has been 

 glorious growing weather, 

 and quite a transformation 

 scene has taken place by 

 the country side. 



Dandelion, Coltsfoot, 

 and Cowslip one mass of 

 golden on the railway 

 banks. 



The Starlings have 

 been singing for all they 

 were worth this last few 



REED BUNTING. 



My brother heard the 

 Cuckoo in the Verulam Woods on the 16th inst. 



Mr. Henry Lewis saw and heard the Tree Pipit on the 18th inst.; 

 a Grass Snake was found in the Hatfield Road on the 19th inst; and 

 the Wryneck was seen on the 13th inst. 



Small White Butterfly flying about in the garden; also saw to-day 

 a good many Small Tortoiseshells, and a few Brimstone Butterflies. 



