NOTES AND QUERIES. 225 



Heavy Death-rate of Lapwings. — The month of March, 1899, has 

 been notable for having — at least here — the most severe snowstorm which 

 has been experienced for well over half a century. The result is that 

 considerable disturbance has been caused in the ordinary habits of our 

 birds. The occasion has been conspicuously brought to notice by the 

 many Lapwings (Vanellus vulgaris) which have been starved to death. 

 Twenty were seen dead here within a few yards of each other. Of course 

 they rushed towards marshes and water sides for food and shelter ; but 

 they seem to have succumbed to the severity of the frosts, as they could 

 have easily obtained sufficient food to keep them alive, the ground being 

 quite fresh about the damp places where they find food in cases of ordinary 

 " Lapwing storms," as they are locally called — i. e. storms occurring after the 

 arrival of the Lapwings. Others could be seen in a very feeble condition, 

 being apparently only capable of flying with great exertion. These birds 

 were being threatened with extermination by the prevalence of assiduous 

 egg collecting, until measures were adopted to terminate it by a certain 

 date of the year. There is no doubt that these birds have increased in 

 numbers since, but this arctic visitation has clearly done much in limiting 

 that increase. Lapwings seem to have little notion of impending storms, 

 if we judge from the certainty by which a few bright days in early spring 

 bring them to their summer resorts. But I may observe that before 

 an ordinary spring snowfall they are in the habit of collecting in flocks, 

 and apart from being led to any place where available food has a common 

 attraction. There is no doubt that such a severe and protracted storm at 

 the date mentioned must affect many birds seriously, and the question of 

 the particular situation of our various migratory birds must be of value in 

 comparing their instinctive powers to keep in their winter quarters until 

 that season, in the strict sense, has passed away. The exact date of the 

 equivalent here to the present stormy March is 1837, and before that a 

 short April storm in 1813. A similar March storm occurred in 1812. — 

 Wm. Wilson (Alford, Aberdeen, N.B.). 



Nesting of the Common Snipe (Gallinago ccelestis) near London.— 

 It may perhaps interest some of your readers to know that a nest of the 

 above species, containing four eggs, was discovered on Epsom Common on 

 the 17th of April. I have not heard of the nest of the Snipe from this 

 locality for the last five years, and believed that it had deserted this spot, 

 which was formerly somewhat favoured by it both in winter and occa- 

 sionally in the nesting season. — John A. Bucknill (Hylands House, 

 Epsom, Surrey). 



Songs of Birds affected by Weather {vide Zool. ante, p. 183).— No 

 birds have sung here since I came up on the 8th of April, except one Wren, 

 Zool. 4th ser. vol. III., May, 1S99. q 



