( 301 ) 

 BIRD-LIFE IN A SPRING SNOWSTORM. 



BY 



The Rev. A. ELLISON, m.a., b.d., m.b.o.u. 



The series of snowstorms which visited nearly all parts 

 of the British Islands in the fourth Aveek of April, 1908, 

 was probably unprecedented for so late a date in the 

 spring. Coming at the very height of the spring migra- 

 tion, and at a time when nearly all our resident birds 

 were breeding, the result must have been, for the time 

 at least, extremely disastrous ; and it furnished a good 

 illustration both of the calamities to which wild creatures 

 may be exposed, and also of Nature's wonderful recuper- 

 ative powers. 



In mid-Hertfordshire the season, though cold and 

 changeable, was not on the whole unfavourable to bird- 

 life up to April 18th. The spring, however, was distinctly 

 backward. Chiff chaffs had appeared in their usual 

 numbers by April 1st. Willow- War biers and Swallows 

 were first observed on the 15th, but only one or two ; 

 the majority had not come; while the great body of 

 April migrants still held back, waiting for kinder condi- 

 tions. But resident birds were, perhaps, a week late on 

 the average in breeding, not more. An early Robin had 

 young well advanced on April 15th. Several others had 

 hatched out by the 22nd. I knew of a good number 

 of Lapwings' nests with incubated eggs between those 

 two dates ; one had been hatched off on the 22nd, while 

 every hedge or plantation was full of nests of Thrush or 

 Blackbird with eggs or callow young. 



Heavy snow showers had occurred, sufficient to whiten 

 the country, on the 19th and 20th, with sharp frosts 

 at night ; but not enough to cause any serious danger 

 to bird-life. However, early in the afternoon of the 

 23rd a cold rain gave place to snow, which increased to 

 a blizzard, and lasted without cessation for sixteen hours. 

 On the morning of the 24th the country was covered 

 with snow to an average of eight inches in depth, while 



