1847. 

 J A N U A E Y. 



January 14^, 1847. Neither wigeon nor teal are yet in 

 full plumage. Occasionally I kill a drake wigeon in full 

 feather, but the generality of them are still much mottled with 

 brown. There is a very great difference in the size of the drake 

 and duck wigeon. 



A great number of the bird called the little auk are found, 

 being dead along the shore. 



The wood-pigeons now feed entirely on the turnip leaves. 

 Sometimes they dig at a root that has been commenced on by a 

 rabbit or hare, but I do not think that they are the first to 

 break the skin of a turnip. 



I see a great number of the nests of the garden spider, full of 

 eggs, about old railings, the garden walls, etc., and the tit-mice 

 seem to feed much on them. 



The greenfinches are in immense nocks, and begin to sing 

 when collected on the trees. The corn-bunting and the yellow- 

 hammer collect in nocks on the tops of the trees and sing their 

 shrill, but not unpleasant note. 



A weasel had eaten a great many of the mice caught in the 



