THE ZOOLOGIST 



No. 862.— April 15th. 1913. 



NATURAL HISTORY BUREAU RECORDS, 1912. 



(Corporation Museum, Tullie House, Carlisle.) 



By Linnjeus E. Hope & D. Losh Thorpe. 



The early days of 1912 were characterized by mild unseason- 

 able weather. There was a short exception early in February, 

 when 27° Fahr. was registered at Carlisle. This spell of frost 

 brought quantities of wildfowl on to the Solway, and was respon- 

 sible for the records of Smew on the Eden, and of Little Auk and 

 Great Northern Diver on the Solway. The spring and summer 

 which followed could scarcely be dignified by those terms ; the 

 rainfall was the greatest and the sunshine the least within 

 living memory. 



There did not, however, appear to be much noticeable dimi- 

 nution in the numbers of our avian summer visitors, except 

 perhaps the Swallow and House-Martin, which species are per- 

 haps more readily noticed than those birds which frequent more 

 rural areas. 



We should like observers to pay particular attention to the 

 approximate numbers of any particular species in their district, 

 and record the numbers as near as possible. Such records may 

 have great scientific value. 



We are glad to be able to record the first definitely authenti- 

 cated instance of the breeding of the Turtle-Dove in Cumber- 

 land, near Carlisle, in June, 1912. On June 20th the nest con- 

 tained one young bird and one addled egg. After the nestling 

 Zonl. ith ser. vol. XVII., April, 1913. L 



