Birds. 183 



clog, on the Denes, was brought me alive, on the 27th of that month. 

 I have not seen a single specimen this year. 



I trust that the rarity of some of the species here enumerated, will 

 be sufficient apology for the length of this communication. 



William R. Fisher. 

 Great Yarmouth, April 27, 1843. 



Note on the effect of the late mild tmnter on the occurrence of Birds 

 near Kendal. By Thomas Gough, Esq. 



I HAVE this week, for the first time, seen the four numbers of your 

 * Zoologist,' in which it is pleasant to observe much of the same kind 

 of communications that gave such a charm to the early volumes of 

 Loudon's * Magazine of Natural History.' 



Your invitation upon the wrapper of No. 1, to be supplied with 

 contributions from all parts of the kingdom, and my own love of 

 " Nature's works," induce me to court your acquaintance, and, as an 

 introduction to you, I have enclosed a few remarks on the past winter 

 and present spring. 



The autumn of 1842 was remarkable for its continued dryness, the 

 quantity of rain and number of rainy days in September, October 

 and November, being unusually small. About the middle of October 

 we experienced a severe fit of frost ; indeed some of the nights and 

 early mornings were fully as cold as they are in the depth of winter : 

 nor was this low degree of temperature a mere matter of sensation, 

 for on the mornings of the 20th and 21st a self-registering thermo- 

 meter stood at 20". This early appearance of frost promised well for 

 the ornithologist ; our lakes and inland tarns were visited by a num- 

 ber of ducks, — such as wigeons, golden eyes, tufted ducks and teals, 

 — which generally arrive in flocks a month or six weeks later in the 

 season. 



The solitary snipe, an occasional winter visitor, was also more 

 plentiful than I ever recollect previously, four or five specimens 

 having been procured in the immediate neighbourhood of Kendal. 

 This unexpected severe weather was, however, of short duration ; the 

 mildness which succeeded it, and continued, with one or two excep- 

 tions, through the season, prevented us having our accustomed influx 

 of northern wanderers. The red-headed goosander has for many 

 winters been a constant and plentiful visitor, birds both in mature 

 and immature plumage being generally met with on fresh water ; only 



