NOTES OF BIRDS. 95 



The atmosphere at the time was calm, and the air 

 mild, but extremely damp. 



I have occasionally had the curiosity to note down 

 the exact time at which the different species of birds 

 are first heard on a fine summer's morning.* One of 

 these instances was the 17th of July, 1826, the 

 weather at the time being remarkably fine and set- 

 tled. 



The following is a list of all the species whose 

 notes reached my ear, arranged in the order in which 

 they struck up : 



A. M. 



Sky-lark (Alauda arvensis) commenced singing 2 hrs. 



Cock (Gallus domesticus) crowing . . . 40 min. 



Thrush ( Turdus musicus) first in song . . \ 



Yellow-hammer (Emberiza citrinella) ditto . h 3 hrs. 



Swallow (Hirundo rustica) ditto . . . ' 



Blackbird ( Turdus merula) ditto . . . 10 min. 



Duck (Anas bosc/tas domest.) quacking . . }) 15 min, 



Petty chaps (Curruca hortensis) singing . . ,,25 min. 

 Ring-dove (Columba palumbus) cooing . 



T i / /- /--IN- rs> mm. 



Rooks (Corvus Jrugilegus) cawing 



Linnet (Linota cannabina) singing 



Bunting (Emberiza miliaria) ditto 



House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) chirping . ^-4 hrs. 



Turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo) gobbling 



Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) crowing 



After four o'clock, from the fineness of the morning, 

 the concert became so general in every direction, that 

 it was useless making any further observations. 



* This subject has been slightly touched upon in the Journal of 

 a Naturalist (3rd Edit. p. 234), but not in detail, or with any at- 

 tempt at exactness. 



