VOL. X1.] SEVERE WINTER’S EFFECT ON BIRDS. 27 
they turned up again in flocks preparatory to iauene the 
country. 
Underneath Starling roosts the ground was thickly littered 
with corpses, and Rooks in a semi-starved condition eked 
out an existence by drinking the blood of the feeble birds 
they slaughtered. All the Corvidee seemed to win through, 
doubtless by indulging their natural carnivorous tendencies. 
Lapwings even came into stable-yards—those individuals 
that were not starved or frozen. However, Golden Plover 
fared better and did not become the least tame, while I 
noticed little or no diminution of Coots or Waterhens. 
Golden-crested Wrens have almost ceased to exist: I 
have not seen one since mid-winter and I doubt if more 
than one per cent. survives. The Tits obviously suffered, 
especially Long-tailed Tits and Coal-Tits; and Stonechats 
and Grey Wagtails are now quite scarce. The latter birds 
appear to be as delicate as they look and are always most 
susceptible to weather changes. Pied Wagtails, on the 
other hand, seem unaffected by weather, and are now as 
numerous as heretofore. Robins have decreased slightly, 
Wrens more so, and Meadow-Pipits paid a very heavy toll. 
The winter had, of course, no effect on the hardy Crossbill, 
while Buntings and Finches came out of it well, especially 
Chaffinches, which are evidently exceptionally robust, 
and never once looked starved and miserable like almost 
everything else. 
Throughout the whole of Ireland the mortality amongst 
the birds must have been desperately heavy, for even along 
the western seaboard there was no respite from the awful 
frost. I am told of Lapwings which lay dead in bunches in 
Kerry, a county which has often proved the assured refuge 
of the hordes fleeing there to escape the icy grip of winter. 
In general, the spring migrants arrived punctually, the 
Chifichaff being a notable exception. It is usually heard 
here about March 21st, however this season none appeared 
until the end of the first week in April, but, on March 27th, a 
comparatively mild day, I saw an unfortunate Willow-Wren 
feebly “ trying over”’ a bar or two of its song. This bird 
could hardly have survived long, for two days later hail 
and snow began again, and on April 1-2 developed into a 
blizzard which beat all records here for depth and severity. 
Altogether the nesting-season was ushered in amongst 
general chaos. Ravens began up to time, some in fact rather 
earlier than usual, bearing out Mr Walpole Bond’s experience 
that ‘in hard springs Ravens are apt to be forward with 
