PREFACE. XI 



of birds, especially on the thinly inhabited coast of Scotland, escaped 

 observation ; secondly, that the majority of observations escaped 

 record ; and thirdly, that a great many of the records have escaped 

 my inquiries : keeping these three conditions in view, the following 

 summary of recorded instances of specimens killed, gives an idea of 

 great numbers having arrived. 



Food : hawthorn and holly berries, and the fruit of the dog-rose. 



Weather : during January, March and April the thermometer was 

 unusually low, the wind boisterous, and chiefly from the north and 

 east. Notwithstanding the extraordinary cold weather of March there 

 was no increase of numbers. 



In Reptiles, the Green Lizard (Lacerta viridis) recorded by Dr. 

 Bromfield (Zool. 2707) as having been found at Heme Bay is a no- 

 table addition. In this instance there is no doubt as to the species, 

 some of the specimens having passed the ordeal of an examination 

 by Mr. Bell; neither do I see any great climatal objection to extend- 

 ing the geographical range of a common Guernsey reptile into the 

 southern counties of England : but on the other hand we must not lose 

 sight of the fact that hundreds of these pretty lizards are annually im- 

 ported from the Channel Islands, that many of them are intentionally 

 liberated and others contrive to escape : when once at large they 

 would experience little difficulty in procuring a sufficiency of their 

 natural food, and thus apparently make good their footing as denizens. 



In Fishes, the occurrence and capture of the Short Sun- fish (Or- 

 thagoriscus Mold) in a great number of places on the southern coast 

 seems deserving of notice : a few records will be found in the ' Zoolo- 

 gist ;' others I have obtained from local papers. A comparison of the 

 dates and longitudes of the captures would lead to a supposition that 

 the course taken by these strange fishes was from west to east, and at 

 a very slow rate : the earliest recorded appearance I have met with 

 was on the Cornish coast, on the 9th of June, and the latest at Dover, 

 on the 8th of September ; they were observed at a number of inter- 

 mediate stations on intermediate days. 



