36 Alexander Goodman More. [i853 



The Indian summer was now over. During the short 

 stay at Lymington several spots of interest in the New 

 Forest had been visited, and a little botanizing done at 

 Brockenhurst on December gth, and at Beaulieu* on De- 

 cember loth. But the drive to Beaulieu was " in the face 

 of a piercing north-easter that really seemed to sting like 

 needles through the thickest coat" ; and "indeed (he 

 writes a few days later) ever since we left Brighstone we 

 appear to have been gradually approaching an Arctic tem- 

 perature/' Really severe weather set in with snow and 

 frost on December 2yth ; from this date were experienced 

 three weeks of bitter cold, the thermometer at St. Cathe- 

 rine's standing one day (January 3rd, 1854) as low as 10 

 degrees Fahr. The poor birds were, of course, in dire dis- 

 tress. " I saw two Rooks or Crows (he writes one day) 

 chasing some small bird, Robin or Hedge-sparroiv pro- 

 bably, right across the park ; they seemed to act in con- 

 cert, and, no doubt, intended to make a meal of the poor 

 little bird, which in this hard weather was almost excusable; 

 their quarry was lucky enough to escape into the firs in 

 the plantation." " Moorhens driven from the frozen ponds 

 I have seen perched high in trees ; another was seen 

 trotting over the snow, and seems to have been exploring 

 the region of pig-sties in search of snails, &c." " Snipes 

 are become very emaciated, and scarce worth shot. I have 

 seen covies of Partridge feeding on the snow in many 

 places; how do they subsist now I wonder." "I picked 

 up a Blackbird quite starved to death ; this is the first time 

 I have met with a dead bird that I can recollect. The 

 rabbits have done great damage to the trees, the hollies 

 especially, many of which are completely barked so as to 

 be in a hopeless state ; they have also learned to jump 

 clean over the wire-netting and so get at the shrubs in the 

 avenue." The wire-nettings referred to were in full view 

 of the windows, and he took great interest in watching the 

 rabbits as they "cleared the hurdles." On January ijih 

 a rapid thaw flooded the country, but ended the hardships 

 of the feathered creatures. On the 22nd " Eranthis hye- 

 malis (Winter Aconite) and Galanthus (snowdrop) are in 



* Pronounced Bewley. 



