43 
1 792 shows upon the Summary as a late spring ; such, however, 
was not the case. February was a seasonable month, March had 
all weathers, April was pleasant and fine, and May charming. 
The two phenomena entered unusually late are the nightingale on 
19th of May, and fern owl on 26th of June. There is nothing 
exceptional about the other records ; I therefore conclude these 
birds were overlooked upon their first arrival. 
1795. January and February very cold, with frost and snow. 
March , on the 7th “the ice remained at Stratton which began on 
y e 18th of December, viz. 79 days, (the same as in 1740,) we were 
told ... by Gunton the snow laid 120 days.” April and May 
fine. 1799 was a late spring; the diary ceases in 1797, but 
Whistlocraft’s “ Climate of England ” mentions a remarkable fall 
of snow in February, and a continued frost, the coldest day of 
which was February 9th. The years 1755, 1756, 1761, 1767, 
1742, 1803, and 1807 were also later than the average. 1745 was 
a remarkable spring ; it opened with the coldest January the 
writer ever remembered, followed by sharp frosts and frequent 
snow till the 18th of February, when much snow fell till the end 
of the month, with intense frost. March commenced with a con- 
tinuation of the same weather till the 4th, when the wind changed 
to the south; the birds commenced singing, and by the 7th most 
of the snow was gone, the sudden melting causing great floods ; 
by the 20th it was as mild as mid-May, the fine weather continuing 
till the end of the month. April and May were equally favourable. 
The year 1754 is also worth noting. Mr. Marsham calls it the 
“ three winter year.” “ This was a terrible severe winter, and very 
long ; snow began on the last of October, and ice on the next day, 
and on the 26th of November the snow laid on the plains 9 and 
10 inches deep, and y e cold continued to y' 12th of December, and 
on 26th of December y e second winter began, tho’ y* snow begun 
y* next day, and this may be reckoned to y e 9 th of February, and 
on y 9 9th of March y* third winter began, (although y* intermediate 
month was mostly cold and unpleasant,) which lasted to y* end of 
April inclusive, when, as I said, y e snow continued till y* 10th. 
Many cattle, horses, and cows, &c., and birds of most sorts perished 
for want" 
I have given these extracts at sonic length, as independent of 
their value as records of remarkable seasons, the table of “Jndica- 
