22 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Thrushes, and Robins punishing the raspberries and red 

 currants. 



18th. —A young Robin caught to-day was half through its 

 moult, and had a good patch of red on its breast. I saw another 

 showing this a few days earlier. The heaviest hay crop for 

 twenty-nine years ; and "got well." 



20th. — Saw a female Red-backed Shrike on the Lessor Farm, 

 Milcomb. 



22nd. — Chiffchaif still sings. 



30th. — A good many Willow Wrens about the trees, plants, 

 and pea rows in the garden, taking small flies, &c, during the 

 last few days. 



31st. — Several Robins singing. All those that I can see well 

 are young birds over the moult. Spotted young are still to be 

 seen. Great numbers have been reared this year, and I have 

 liberated as many as three from the Sparrow-trap in a morning. 

 Most of them will leave us in autumn. Pied Wagtail on the 

 roof of an outbuilding with food in its mouth, and probably 

 feeding a second brood, as there were big young on the lawn 

 some time ago. . 



August 3rd. — A young Cuckoo about the garden lately. Was 

 this the progeny of the old Cuckoo which sang so late in the 

 season close to the garden ? And was the old bird hanging 

 about until the young one was safely launched ? I did not find 

 a Cuckoo's egg in the garden this year, but I have no doubt this 

 young one (which had evidently only just left the nest) was 

 hatched with us. 



13th. — Many Swifts, high up and noisy, in evening. Two 

 Red-backed Shrikes on the telegraph wires on the Lessor Farm. 



14th. — No Swifts to be seen. 



15th. — The drought is very severe ; apples and plums falling 

 unripe from the trees. 



September 1st. — Chiffchaff singing again. The hottest 

 September I ever knew. A bad season for Partridges here, 

 taking into consideration the large stock left at the end of last 

 season. Barren birds numerous, but what coveys there are being 

 good on the average. A dry season is usually good for the birds, 

 but apparently it can be too dry, and I believe that this year 

 many young birds died from want of water. It is on the dry 



