58 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



known of in Lilford for many years, was destroyed before it was 

 quite finished, by the trampling of the Otter hounds on our 

 Bridge Island in May. The Hobby was very seldom seen or 

 heard of. Our other vernal migrants were, I think, in about 

 their usual numbers, but there was a marked diminution in our 

 breeding Starlings, Blackbirds, Throstles, and Mistletoe Thrushes. 



I regret that, owing to my negligence about writing to Mr. 

 H. H. Slater, I did not receive his notes from Thornhaugh till I 

 had sent in my own for 1895 ; I therefore add them here. As 

 will be seen, they have the merit of being personal observations, 

 whilst mine, alas ! are for the most part, of necessity, second- 

 hand reports. 



Jan. 5th. Snow and frost; many birds are availing them- 

 selves of the shelter of my garden. Four Hawfinches feeding 

 on the ground under a yew-tree (which had borne a very 

 abundant crop of berries) upon the hard seeds which the other 

 birds had dropped. A flock of Redpolls in the grass-field by 

 the brook. Turdiclce strongly in evidence ; enormous numbers 

 of Fieldfares ; many Blackbirds and common Thrushes ; Red- 

 wings apparently not numerous. A Dormouse brought to me 

 from the Bedford Purlieus. 



8 th. Bedford Purlieus. Still wintry. I counted nineteen 

 Squirrels in about an hour, all on larches, feeding upon the 

 cones, which I think they prefer to anything. I find that they 

 are very fond of the green bark of spindle-tree {Euonymus), and 

 peel the twigs entirely. I thought that Rabbits and Mice must 

 have assisted them, but the height above ground excluded the 

 former, and the teeth-marks the latter. The woodmen here tell 

 me that this is a usual occurrence. 



22nd. A Little Auk caught alive on Wansford Bridge by 

 F. Percival. I begged it, and sent it to Lilford. 



23rd. One Woodcock yesterday, and four to-day, while 

 shooting the Purlieus ; presumably on their north-eastward 

 journey. 



Feb. 5th to 13th. Astonishing temperatures, registered in my 

 garden, in an open sheltered place, three feet above ground. 



