362 AUTUMNAL AND BRUMAL SONGSTERS. 
particularly inclement, the end of March brought 
us snow and ice, and song which had occurred 
during certain bright intervals, now ceased. In the 
following month, the fact of this said alternation of 
severe weather and ordinary spring weather with 
the corresponding cessations of song, was well seen. 
A day or two before April 2nd, we had song, . but 
snow now descending and the weather being gloomy, 
it ceased. On the 8th, 9th, and 10th, the weather 
induced a return of song, but on the 11th it stopped 
owing to a fresh descent. These alternations con- 
tinued till May had fairly set in. In the autumn 
Blackbirds began singing in the end of September 
and continued on to October 3rd, they sang also at 
intervals till the 20th, but their notes were not full 
nor so melodious as in spring. That peculiar scream 
of the Greenfinch which we hear first in April, was 
resumed for a short time during the first week in 
August, and I have known it continued through the 
month, and to occur on fine days in warm sheltered 
spots both in September and October. In the fine 
weather of the middle of October, Skylarks sang 
beautifully, together with some other of the com- 
moner kinds of songsters. Chaffinches on fine 
days in this month, often utter an imperfect ex- 
ecution of their cheering song. I have often 
noticed Skylarks in good song in November, January 
and February, dependent on sudden returns of fine 
and mild weather. At periods during the end of 
November and through December Blackbirds broke 
forth into short and desultory song, the weather 
being then unusually fine and spring-like. During 
the whole of January, 1838, the weather being 
extremely severe we heard no more of their melody, 
even the Missel Thrush was discouraged from song 
till February 23rd, when he began his loud clear 
whistle, the Thermometer standing at 44° Faht.; 
