124 Effects of the Winter of 1878-9, by James Hardy. 



extended in one continuous sheet to the sea-side, except where washed by the 

 tide. There was a keen frost. Fieldfares in want of insects and worms 

 were greatly distressed, and from their dishevelled feathers appeared to be 

 pinched with the frosty air. Many of them kept in the folds all the day, 

 hollowing out with their bills turnips that had been broken by the sheep ; or 

 fluttering about weakly ; or fighting with each other, for the fragments 

 picked out. Others were turning up the soil, which the sun had thawed on 

 warm inland banks, or on the coast. In these last resorts the redwings were 

 mixed with them, reduced to a still more pitiable condition, tamed by starva- 

 tion so as to allow any one to approach them ; either hopping just to get out 

 of the way of the observer, or flying a short distance, and alighting with de- 

 pendent wings, when they appear like two birds instead of one, among the 

 snow. The fieldfares were still able to maintain a bold flight. Two birds in 

 beautiful feather and fair condition were picked up dead, although this was 

 . only the fifth day of the storm. The thrushes were still procuring shell- 

 snails by wall-sides. The grey linnets had left in a body at the setting in of 

 the frost. Redbreasts came to the windows to be fed, and entered houses. 

 The green finches attacked the heads of burdocks in neglected places, and 

 dismembered them for the seeds. Hundreds of wood- pigeons crowded to the 

 fields of Swedish turnips, and stripped them of their leaves. Dec. 16th, 

 more dead fieldfares; several mountain-finches came to the stack-yard. 

 Dec. 17th, frost still severe. Fieldfares were following wood-pigeons in the 

 turnip fields, to profit by the morsels they left, when picking holes in turnips. 

 They were in great extremity, hopping before me, and tumbling over, with 

 low dragging wings. Sometimes they would in flyiug, dash themselves 

 down before me, as if supplicating relief. Passing a woodside, their mutilated 

 remains, as well as those of the redwing, were strewn wherever a sunny bank 

 had tempted them with an offer of support. The carrion-crows, dark 

 messengers of fate, were flying about silently over the white frozen surface 

 of the snow on the outlook for falling birds. Few were left undevoured ; I 

 even saw a thrush picking the bones of a fieldfare ; but thrushes still con- 

 trived to procure snail-shells at the wall-sides and under furze. Three or 

 four thrushes, however, had become victims to the cold, at a hollow on the 

 sea-banks where sheep had rested at evening, having sought shelter among 

 the flock, but in vain. Elsewhere other thrushes had succumbed, and had 

 been eaten by the carrion-crows. Two blackbirds had perished. No missel- 

 thrushes were seen here during the storm. To-day I witnessed a most busy 

 scene on some of the sea-banks facing the south, where the sun's rays had 

 suflicient efi&cacy to penetrate the frozen soil ; hundreds of dusky birds, 

 mostly redwings, were labouring away for the dear life ; their little heads 

 bobbing up and down, when assiduously digging for worms ; or having ex- 

 hausted one spot, they took short flights to break up untried ground, uttering 

 as they rose a feeble call-note. This scene was presented for about half-a- 

 mile along the sea-banks. There was considerable slaughter of redwings at 

 a sandy beach, called Greenheugh shore, their carcases being piled up among 

 the sea-weed landed by the tide. Starlings were associated with the red- 

 wings and fieldfares in excavating the banks for food ; but for the most part 

 they were taking advantage of the sea's retreat from o£E the kelp -weed 



