174 Natural History in the English Counties, 
Birds, has given some account of the nest of this species, the time and period of their incubation, 
and the numbers of their eggs, but does not describe them. Under these circumstances, we trust 
the following description, although now written upwards of forty-four years ago, will not be 
altogether uninteresting to our ornithological readers : — 
** Some time last summer a nest of the dottrel was found on Skiddaw ; the old one was killed, 
and the eggs brought away, which were three or four in number, I saw three of them ; they are 
somewhat larger than a magpie’s egg, the ground is a dirty clay colour marked with large irregular 
black spots. February 14, 1785.’ * 
Common Tern. This species does not visit Solway Frith in any great numbers, and for some 
years past has been much less numerous than usual. It is there called by the fishermen and 
others jerky, pickmaw, &c. The lesser tern (S. minita) rarely visits the Frith, and Allonby is 
the nearest place we have lately received it from. 
The spring of the present year was one of the most backward that has occurred in this neigh- 
bourhood for very many years. 
During the whole of April and the beginning of May the thermometer was frequently below 
the freezing point, the surrounding mountains more or less covered with snow, and the weather 
in general gloomy, wet, and extremely cold. 
It was not until the 6th of May that the whitethorn (Crate‘gus Oxyacantha) in the hedges 
began to exhibit any very evident symptoms of verdure, and the woods were almost entirely desti- 
tute of their foliage for some time after; in short, the winter might be said to have been 
protracted, with little or no exaggeration, until nearly the middle ef May. 
We have been led to make these remarks from its being generally admitted that the early or 
late appearance of the summer birds of passage depends entirely upon the state and temperature 
of the weather, &c. ; yet it will be perceived that the swallow and grasshopper warbler arrived 
unusually early, and, with the exception of the goatsucker, whinchat, and wood wren, all the 
others about the time they have arrived for the last two years. + A violent storm from the north- 
east, which commenced on the 28th of April, and which continued, although somewhat abated, 
for several successive days, will account in some measure for the delay in the appearance of these 
three species, it having begun about the time they commonly made their appearance in this 
vicinity. Much might be said upon this very interesting subject, and it is probable we may recur 
to it at some future opportunity. — C_ Carlisle, October 26. 1829. 
Ichthyology. — Doree (Zéus Faber Lin.). Two small specimens of this species were taken in 
Solway Frith during the Jate summer ; the first on the 19th of May, the second on the 12th of 
June. The former weighed only eighteen ounces, and was 142 in. long; the latter exceeded 
17 in. in length, and was upwards of thirty-two ounces in weight. I have been induced to 
notice this occurrence, as I am not aware that the doree has been met with so far north before. 
—Tld. 
Pyrola sécunda, — Withering gives one English locality for this plant, in 
Yorkshire; Smith only mentions Scottish habitats. It is found thickly, 
though limited to the space of two or three yards, close by a waterfall some 
distance up a hill on the right-hand side of the road leading from Ambleside 
to Keswick, and opposite that end of Leatheswater nearer to the latter. — 
Hewett Cottrell Watson, Edinburgh, Oct. 1829. 
SoMERSETSHIRE. 
Rare Plants found in the Neighbourhood of Yeovil. — Sir, Next to a spread 
of vital religion, there is nothing better fitted to enlighten the mind or 
enlarge the heart than the study of the works of creation. It is therefore 
with much pleasure I have to inform you that your Magazine has kindled 
a taste for natural history amongst us, which [ trust will increase more and 
more ; and I am commissioned by the botanists of this place to send you 
a list of the rarer plants found in our neighbourhood; desiring you, at the 
same time, to erase from it the names of those you may consider too 
common for insertion. We have taken Smith for our guide; and where 
he has not recorded the plant as of frequent occurrence, we have ventured 
to give it a place in the catalogue. Iam, Sir, &c.—W.H., R.N. Yeovil, 
Jan. 13. 1830. 
Festica loliacea, Célchicum autumniale. Tbéris amara. 
sylvatica. Chlodra perfoliata. A’retium Lappa. y 
Triticum caninum. Polygonum Bistérta. Hypéricum Androse*‘mum. 
Anchisa sempervirens. Ranitinculus arvensis. Erigeron acris. 
Primula elatior. Lamium incisum. Cnicus acailis. 
Campanula Rapinculus. amplexicatle. Senécio sylvaticus, 
Erythre‘a pulchélla. RAdsa arvensis. Inula Heleniwm ; a Jarge bed, 
Viola hirta. Thymus Calamintha. 20ft square; certainly wild. 
Vinca major. Galedbdolon liteum. Centauréa Calcitrapa. 
Galanthus nivalis. Erddium moschatum. O'rchis bifdlia. 
A‘llium vineale. Pelargdnium licidum, pyramidalis. 
Beérberis vulgaris ; perhaps not columbinum. O*phrys apifera. 
wild. Lathyrus sylvéstris. Phallus impudicus Withering. 
* Dr. Heysham’s MSS. 
f ae the Magazine of Natural History, yol. i. p. 290. ; and the Philosophical Magazine, vol. v. 
p. 196. 
