28 BRITISH BIRDS. [vVoL. Xt. 
their domestic affairs, in open seasons backward.” * I should 
think this is attributable to the increased amount of food in 
snowy weather when many more sheep are lost. Certainly 
this spring the mountains were “ humming ”’ with the smell 
of braxy mutton! Hooded Crows were normal, one bird 
sitting on six eggs on March 27th, but it was an unusual 
and somewhat trying experience to wade through snow 
to the foot of their nesting-trees and then climb up with 
cold numb hands. Magpies, however, were thrown into 
utter confusion. Instead of having complete clutches by 
April 19th, a capital date for them here, they were then 
only lining their nests and eggs were not general until May. 
The waders were mostly late, but Woodcocks in sheltered 
places were not affected and the ducks—Mallards, Teal and 
Shovelers—laid somewhat earlier than usual, which is 
surprising, but several young died soon after they emerged. 
Dippers which, by the way, withstood the winter 
successfully, were almost a fortnight behind time in laying, 
and of other normally early breeders Crossbills maintained 
their reputation, while Herons were somewhat late. On the 
whole, Peregrines, whose food supply was, if anything, 
more abundant than usual, were very backward. This 
must have been due to the cold or in some instances, 
perhaps, to the eyries being surrounded, or even filled in, 
with snow. 
Other coastal birds—including Choughs—were seemingly 
unaffected, and in two cases Shags, which breed in favoured 
nooks, had “ chipping’ eggs and newly-hatched young 
on April 17th. 
Robins, Thrushes and Blackbirds were greatly delayed 
in their nesting operations, and some of the last-named 
birds sat on two eggs only. 
Now, in May, the scarcity of grass, and the dried feathery 
remains which drift about wherever one goes, testify to the 
hardest winter in living memory. 
+ Field Studies of Rarer Birds, p. 96. 
