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wet, with frequent cold rains and some white frosts. May 12th, a 
white frost, and also squalls of snow, hail, and rain : 14th, white 
frost ; Swift, A. : 25th, the nights have been cold, and vegetation 
backward. The end of May was dry and cold. 
The beginning of June cold rains. June 17th, I saw a fine 
male Bustard in the open fields, between Burnham and Choseley ; 
he suffered me to approach him to the distance of about 100 yards, 
he then walked a few paces, and took wing. He moved his wings 
like a Heron. The weather has been so cold that many Martins 
have perished with cold and hunger, and been found dead on the 
ground. Two were found dead in a nest over the nurseiy window, 
they had not laid any eggs ; and two were caught by our Cat, as 
they flew near the ground, in a cold rain. The season has been 
particularly unfavourable for hatching of ] 3 oultry ; many of the 
farmers’ wives complain that their hens, after having sat some 
time, have left their nests. I suspect the wild birds have not been 
successful in rearing their young, as many of them continue to 
sing. 
This spring, I believe in May, there were a good many Dottrel 
about Choseley, several of which were shot by Mr. Eodwell. 
Eev. H. North told me that his servant found an old Pigeon, 
dead and partly devoured by a Jackdaw, which had laid an egg 
8th May, eight; lOlh May, three; 11th May, one; 12th May, a pair; 13th 
May, many pairs, and thenceforward in usual numbers. 
“ 1851. 3rd May, one ; 9th May, several pairs ; 10th to 13th Ma}^, one pair 
each day ; 15th May, many pairs, and so on. 
“ 1852. 23rd April, one ; 27th April, many (at Barton Mills) ; 28th to 30th, 
one pair each day ; 4th and 5th May, one pair each day ; 6th May, several ; 
7th May, several i^airs ; 8th May, many pairs, and so on. 
" 1853. 17th May, one pair ; 24th, many pairs (at Icklingham) ; 25th, 
many pairs (at Cavenham) ; 29th May, one pair ; 30th May, several pairs (at 
Wangford) ; 31st May, one pair ; 1st to 4th June, one pair each day. 
“ 1854. 5th May, one (at Pakenhara) ; 15th May, several pairs ; 16th and 
17th, one pair ; 18th, several pairs, and afterwards regularly. 
“ 1865. Had not appeared at Elveden up to 18th May, after which no 
register was kept for the rest of the month.” 
Thus it was quite e.xceptional to see a Martin at Elveden before May, and, 
though it had already arrived in the neighbouring parishes, it hardly ever 
took up its abode until the middle of that month. 
The entries for succeeding years in Mr. Whitcar’s ‘Calendar’ show that 
the case must have been very similar in his vicinity. 
