296 Retrospective Criticism. 



The wind blew from the east and north-east on 9 d^s, from the north-west 

 on 3 days, and from the west and south-west on 16 days. Rain or snow 

 fell on 11 days ; 17 days were fair. There were loud gales of wind on the 

 19th from the north; on the 21st from the north-west, accompanied with 

 drifted snow; and on the 26th and 27th from the west, accompanied with 

 rain. 



The coldest day in March was the 5th : mean temperature of that day 

 36*5° ; wind east ; extreme cold 30°. The wannest day was the 28th : 

 mean temperature of that day 34°; wind west; extreme heat 63^. There 

 were only 5 days of brilliant, and 9 of partial, sunshine; 17 days were 

 cloudy. Rain and snow fell on 1 1 days ; 20 days were fair. The wind 

 blew from the east on 9 days, from the north on 2 days, from the north- 

 west on 3 days, and from the west on 17 days. There were loud gales of 

 wind from the north on the 11th; and from the west on the 12th, 14th, 

 18th, 19th, 20th, and 29th. 



The mean temperature for the month of February being as low as 37*1°, 

 vegetation made very little progress. The winter aconite (i/elleborus 

 hyemalis) was in flower on the 12th ; snowdrops appeared above ground 

 on the 13th, and flowered on the 20th. The field lark was first heard to 

 sing on the morning of the 15th. Wood pigeons cooing and partridges 

 pairing on the evening of the 16th. The mavis and blackbird commenced 

 whistling on the morning of the 24th, when the temperature was 44°. At 

 the beginning of March, vegetation was about 10 days later than on an ave- 

 rage of years; and the temperature continued low during the first 10 days. 

 The Crocus vernus, which, in ordinary seasons, blows about the last week 

 in February, did not this year come in flower before the 9th of March ; from 

 that period the temperature became unusually high, as will be seen by the 

 diagram; the consequence was a sudden appearance of spring flowers, 

 which had been retarded by the preceding protracted low temperature. 

 Revet wheat, that was sown on the 26th of January, only appeared above 

 ground on the 14th of March, a period of 47 days ; mean temperature of that 

 period 38*3° The *S'axifraga oppositifolia flowered on the 14th, 6 days 

 earlier than last season, and 10 days later than in 1828. The Z)raba «izo- 

 ides flowered on the 16th ; apricot trees on south walls were in full blow 

 by the 23d ; iVarcissus minor on the 24th ; Erythronium Dens canis on the 

 25th ; gooseberries were in leaf by the 26th ; the Pulmonaria paniculata 

 was in flower on the 27th ; larch trees were coming in flower by the 28th, 

 on which day the mercury in the thermometer rose to 63°, and fell to 25° 

 on the last hour of the month. — A. G. April 1. 1830. 



Art. IV. Retrospective Criticism. 



The Goatsucker's Foot-comb. — It frequently happens that the most ingenious 

 and apparently incontrovertible reasoning in natural history is overturned or confirmed by facts 

 accidentally observed. I was, I confess, disposed to think Mr. Dillon's account of the goat- 

 sucker (p. Sl.^l more plausible than true, and to agree with White and the learned arguments of 

 S. "W., till I met with the following passage in Wilson's American Ornithology^ vol. vi. p. 97., 

 respecting his Caprimulgus carolin^nsis : — " Their mouths," he says, " are capable of prodigious 

 expansion, to seize with more certainty, and furnished with long hairs, or bristles, serving as 

 palisades to secure what comes between them. Reposing much during the heats of the day, they 

 are much infested with vermin [Nirmi ? Ornithomy'ije ?], particularly about the head, and are 

 provided with a comb on the inner edge of the middle claw, with which they are often employed 

 in ridding themselves of these pests, at least when in a state of captivity." This, I think, will set 

 the question at rest. It will only remain for S. W. to show that the Australian group, which 

 wantthecombed claw, are not infested with Nirmi, &c.,and that the Herons either are so, or thai 

 their comb is used for some other purpose. — J. Rennie. Lee, Kent, April 5. 



