292 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
partial thaws, severe frosts, and snowstorms, the thaws not 
lasting longer than a few hours, nor long enough to clear the 
ground of snow. In order to give some idea of the frequent 
changes of weather alluded to, and of the effects of the long- 
continued cold on the birds in this neighbourhood, I venture 
to give a few extracts from my note-book, which I think may 
prove of interest to naturalists and sportsmen. 
The weather throughout October was unusually stormy, and 
exceedingly cold towards the end of the month, there being 
only one day calm enough for punt-shooting between the 2nd and 
24th. On the 26th a northerly wind set in, accompanied by 
hail-showers, and this gale continued with occasional lulls until 
the 1lth November, when it came on with renewed violence, 
bringing with it cutting showers of snow and hail and a heavy 
fall of snow. This, however, melted next day, but the gale held 
on with sleet and hail until the 14th, which was a calm bright 
day. During the stormy weather in October and early in 
November many flocks of Wild Geese were seen flying about 
with loud cries, apparently unacquainted with the country, and 
not knowing where to alight. There must have been an unusually 
large migration of Geese, for I never before remarked so 
many detached flocks passing, nor do I ever remember to have 
seen them wandering about for such a length of time without 
settling down. 
The fine bright weather lasted from the 14th of November 
until the 25th, upon which night a hard frost set in, with snow on 
the two following days; the 27th was so calm and bright that 
I was tempted lo launch my punt, and paddled down the river to 
Bartragh, where I fell in with some very large flocks of Widgeon, 
eight or nine Sheldrakes, and some Great Northern and Red- 
throated Divers, the latter birds more numerous than they have 
been for some years past. The Widgeon were very wild, not 
allowing me to come within shot of the main flock; but, after 
a good deal of manceuvring, I got a shot at a small bunch of them, 
knocking down fourteen birds, two cripples escaping. 
On the 29th the nightly frosts ceased, and from that date 
until the 8th of December, the weather was mild, but on that day 
a sharp north wind set in with hail and hard frosts, whitening the 
ground, and the frost continued with such severity that on 
the morning of the 11th the tidal parts of the river were covered 
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