GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 3O3 



Mayo, and on the following day at Glasnevin, 

 Dublin, and at Bray, in the county of Wicklow. 

 The temperature then at Bray was 53°, and the 

 wind S.W. In these localities and dates there 

 is nothing to indicate anything like a precise 

 line of immigration ; on the contrary, the birds 

 first appeared where they were least expected. 

 The prevalence of gales, however, at that par- 

 ticular season doubtless operated to retard their 

 progress, and induced them to linger about 

 sheltered localities where food could be ob- 

 tained. Mr. Wm. Jeffery, who is well situated 

 for observation on the Sussex coast, between 

 the downs and the sea, remarked that most of 

 the spring migrants were several days later than 

 usual in their arrival, and the Swallow in par- 

 ticular not only came later, but lingered longer 

 than is its wont in his neighbourhood. A single 

 bird of this species was seen by him, flying 

 round a steam threshing-machine, on the loth 

 of December. "Whether it had been dis- 

 turbed," he says, " from hybernation in the oat- 

 rick which was being threshed, or only attracted 



