232 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



and freezing hard all day. One Swallow and two Sand-Martins 

 beating up and down stream in the cold N.W. wind, but hawking 

 on the lee-side of willow trees and haystacks, which shelter the 

 stream somewhat from the blast ; birds quite close to the water, 

 scarcely ever leaving the stream. Query : Why do these birds 

 linger on ? They are sure to perish ! 



In order to show how very keen the weather was at this 

 time, and to what straits the birds were put to obtain food, I may 

 mention that along the margins of the stream over which the 

 Swallow and Martins were flying I observed the following species 

 of birds which were seen fossicking for food at the same time 

 (3.30 p.m.), viz. : — Stonechat, Meadow-Pipit, Wren, Grey Wag- 

 tail (see note re this bird for 1903), Kobin, Starling, Song-Thrush, 

 Blackbird, Sparrows. 



10th. — Fine bright day. Wind N.W. ; six degrees of frost 

 last night. All three birds on the wing — the Sand-Martins won- 

 derfully strong on the wing, and apparently unaffected by the 

 cold weather ; the Swallow seemingly very feeble, but still keep- 

 ing on the feed, resting occasionally on a wire-fence. As I stood 

 on the margin of the stream, I could easily have caught the 

 Swallow in a butterfly-net, or have touched it with my stick, so 

 tame or heedless of my presence did it appear. As it rested its 

 wings drooped languidly downwards, showing a distinct patch of 

 whitish feathers in the middle of the back. It was this patch 

 which served to identify the bird as the same which had remained 

 on from Nov. 25th. It hardly seems possible for this bird to 

 survive through another night of keen frost. 



11th. — Wind N.W. Thawing to-day ; thick fog; heavy rain 

 in evening ; seven degrees of frost last night. To my great 

 surprise, both Swallow and Martins on the wing, the latter 

 fairly strong in flight, but the Swallow very feeble, taking short 

 flights, resting a minute or so on the wire-fence, then back- 

 wards and forwards along the stream, occasionally sweeping the 

 surface, and picking off an insect with evident effort — a magni- 

 ficent struggle of animated nature against great odds. Which 

 will win, bird or weather ? Alas for the bird ! 



12th. — Wind W. ; cold, piercing, strong wind. As I antici- 

 pated, Martins only in evidence to-day. The poor Swallow has 

 evidently perished. I searched the ground below the wire-fence 



