192 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Effect of Recent Late Snow on Bird-Life——The phenomenal snow 
of April 23rd and 24th will have caused many speculations as to its 
effects on bird-life. With us in Mid-Suffolk it began at about 5 p.m. 
on the 23rd, and continued so far as we know without intermission 
till about 9.30 a.m. on the next day. At that time there were quite 
four inches on the level, and probably more earlier in the day. The 
most pathetic figures in the wintry scene were some young Thrushes 
not long out of the nest, which seemed quite helpless and hopeless, 
and one brood of young Blackbirds a few days old was found cold 
and dead under the snow. We had two broods of Robins in old 
kettles, and both survived, though in one case only a single member 
of the family remains. I have made several inquiries as to birds 
being found dead, but could hear of none; a Land-Rail, however, was 
brought to Mr. Travis at Bury, evidently starved, being literally 
nothing but feathers and bones. A pair of Pied Wagtails and an odd 
bird (intermediate between the Pied and White Wagtails) disappeared 
for some days, but have since returned. Nightingales appeared to 
have deferred their migration, as none were seen or heard till May Ist. 
This was a brilliant day, with hot sun, and they were in evidence 
everywhere ; early in the afternoon three were singing at the same 
time near this house. Swallows and Martins at the present date 
(May 4th) seem fairly numerous. The rapid melting of the snow 
flooded many meadows in this district, and numerous nests of Snipe 
and Ducks must have been destroyed. The Snipe would soon lay 
again, but for the Ducks with full clutches, hard sat on, the loss 
would be more serious. We had a visit from about ten Redshanks, 
which stayed for two days on the floods; this is the first record of 
the species in this parish.— Junian G. Tuck (Tostock Rectory, Bury 
St. Edmunds). 
Notes from Lakeland, Cumberland and Westmorland.—lIt is with 
some surprise that we note in the last issue of ‘The Zoologist’ (ante, 
p. 144) an article by T. C. Parker, entitled “Notes from Lakeland, 
Cumberland and Westmorland.” The opening paragraph states that 
the notes are “‘ largely’ derived from our Records, but that some are 
from other sources (which he does not name, but they are evidently 
taken from Mr. H. Britten’s ‘Notes from a Naturalist’s Diary,” pub- 
lished in the ‘ Penrith Observer’). Now, Mr. T. C. Parker has never 
seen the Carlisle Museum Record Bureau’s Notes, but merely that 
part of them which has been published in the “local newspapers” ; 
he does not know personally those individuals who have contributed 
to the Records, therefore he cannot vouch for their reliability, nor for 
