on the Weather and oitr Summer Birds. 249


state. On examining the birds I found the young were in very

poor condition from want of food and had died from star¬

vation.


A few of the nests contained young of about four or five

days old, but most of those found dead were young just showing

their feather, this is easily accounted for. While the nestlings

were very small, they did not require such a large quantity of

food, but as they struggled on to the stage of feathering, the

demand for food was greater and as this could not be found in¬

sufficient quantity the young had to go under.


I also picked up several adult birds, Lesser Whitethroats,.

and Willow Wrens, which I had no difficulty in catching, as they

were in a weak state, and on examination found them in a

very poor and ill-nourished condition.


Young Wrynecks in two instances I found drowned in the

holes of trees where they had been hatched, these being well-

feathered. So much for 1907.


In January, February and March, 1908, we had the same

dull dreary weather with a few days on which the sun shone, and

when it has shone, the air has generally been cold and clear

on those days.


I looked about at the end of March in vain for the Wheat-

ear, which I have found on several occasions by the 2Stli of

February ; we reached April, but the old-fashioned true April

shower was missing, the April shower formerly consisted of a

heavy shower, with sometimes a clap of thunder and the next

minute the sun was shining bright and warm, the trees sparkling

with drops of water on leaves and twigs, with probably a rainbow

in the sky, now it was replaced by a sopping wet day, and the

sun if it did condescend to shine, had little warmth.


On the 3rd of April I heard in this district of Reading,

Berks, the first Chiff-Chaff, a fortnight late in its arrival. On

the 6th I heard and saw three Blackcap Warblers, this species

being a week earlier than usual. On the 10th I went to a certain

place where I have never failed to hear and see the Nightingale for

the past 15 years, but up to the time of writing this article I have

not heard or seen it, although I was informed by a farm labourer

that he heard one 011 the 21st iust. On the 10th I heard a few



