408 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



ments in this bridge : " In some of these dark and unexplored 

 recesses it is not improbable that one or more species of the 

 Swallow tribe find a winter retreat, and live in a torpid state till 

 the return of spring. This is certain, that they have been 

 noticed skimming the lake as early as any have been discovered 

 on the sea coasts. [Probably Sand-Martins.] One season a 

 white Swallow was seen for a considerable time." 



This author, describing the freezing rain on the night of 

 November 29th, 1797, which by encrusting vegetation with ice 

 brought down nearly one thousand loads of wood in Blenheim, 

 says, " The very Eooks had their wings frozen, and fell from their 

 perches." 



July 1st. — The drought is getting severe. There is very 

 little evening Thrush song now, and many birds have already 

 left the garden. The nesting of these birds and Blackbirds has 

 ended early. 



2nd. — Some thin misty rain at night, and moths came out 

 in swarms. 



5th. — A Blackbird's nest in the garden contained only two 

 young ; short clutches, generally, are frequent this year. 



6th. — The Flycatcher perches high and hawks for flies high 

 up as the evening cools ; just as Swifts go up high in the even- 

 ings of warm days. 



18th. — A pair of Stonechats, noticed on the 16th on the 

 hedge of a clover field on the hill here, had young out to-day. 

 There is a lot of gorse on the hill, but the birds have not been 

 seen in it, and must have reared this late brood in the second 

 crop of clover. I feel sure they were not on the hill in the 

 spring. Although this gorse is almost connected by scattered 

 patches with Milcomb bushes and Wiggington Heath, where the 

 Stonechat used to breed regularly and does now occasionally, this 

 is the first time I have seen the bird in this parish in summer. 



19th. — We have had Otters in the parish all the summer, 

 and to-day the hounds killed one. Eight Wild Ducks at Wickham 

 Bridge, and others lower down, could fly well. 



21st. —Heard Whimbrel passing over about 6 p.m. Perhaps 

 only one, and certainly very few, but the sound was very high 

 up and the sky cloudy. The date is very early. 



23rd. — A cold July, although so dry. Only 55° at noon to-day. 



