The hill above Danton Pinch is geologically interesting, and it is 

 possible to get some fossil casts in the old lime pit. Botanically, too, 

 there is much that is worth while. The Cotton Thistle and some Orchids 

 may be found on the hillside, together with Felwort, Century, the sweetly 

 scented Marjoram and wild Thyme. 



Bird life to be seen on such a walk in early April will depend largely 

 upon the weather conditions which have prevailed over the Straits of 

 Dover for the past ten days or so. Migration will have started but 

 whether it will be apparent by the different birds seen along this route 

 is uncertain. One could only reasonably hope to note perhaps the 

 arrival of Wheatears and Whitethroats and maybe an increase of Stone- 

 chats over their winter numbers. Resident birds will provide the main 

 interest of the walk. The Jackdaw, Magpie, Rook and Carrion Crow 

 will all be busy. The Great Tit and Blue Tit may also be seen. A 

 Kestrel will probably hang in the sky between the road and the sea. 

 Herring Gulls may be numerous, but the Black-headed Gulls will have 

 left the locality. Towards the western end of the walk a Heron or two 

 may well be seen and so also the Green and the Greater Spotted Wood- 

 peckers. If the weather is kind our local resident Thrushes may be 

 both seen and heard, and the brilliant spring plumage of the Yellow 

 Hammer will, if the sun is shining, almost certainly be noticed. If the 

 weather is dull, bird life may well be apparently non-existent. Never- 

 theless, by looking carefully at the tops of the bushes there may be seen 

 a rather large hawk-like bird crouching untidily on one of them — the 

 cuckoo — with a promise of the spring to come. 



Except in a very forward season not many Butterflies or day-flying 

 Moths are to be seen on the Downs in April. Favourable weather will, 

 of course, bring out of hibernation Brimstones, Tortoiseshells and 

 Peacocks, and the three whites not infrequently make their first appearance 

 in this month, but the Green Hairstreak flies later here than in many 

 places and is more likely to be found in May. Except in woods the 

 numerous species of spring moths are rarely to be seen in the day time, 

 but there are a good many kinds of hibernating caterpillars which are 

 now busily making up for the winter's abstinence. More than one sort 

 of Woolly Bear and, very occasionally, a Fox Moth caterpillar may be 

 found in season sunning themselves, while careful search will often 

 reveal night-feeders hiding among low plants such as Bedstraw and 

 Dead Nettle. 



M.W. 



A.M. 



G.H. 



J.R. 



14 



