194 MR. A. W. PRESTON ON THE GREAT FROST OF 1890 — 91. 
striking feature of this table is that the late frost outstrips all the 
previous ones (even that of 1814) in the number of days’ duration. 
It may be mentioned, however, that the frost of 1814, although it 
only lasted forty-two days, was succeeded by a second severe frost 
(ten days after the break-up of the first), which lasted thirty-three 
days, whereas the late frost has been succeeded by comparatively 
mild weather. Therefore in 1814 the frost may be said to have 
lasted from December 26th to March 20th, with the exception of 
ten mild days in the early part of February. 
With regard to the effect of the recent frost upon vegetation it 
is as yet too early in the season to express any opinion. It is 
stated that in many parts of the county evergreens have been 
destroyed and rose trees seriously damaged ; but with the return 
of spring it may be found, it is to be hoped, that the injury has 
not been so great as supposed. Within a week of the break-up of 
the frost Winter Aconites and Snowdrops were showing their 
blooms but little later than their usual time, and by the middle of 
February there were more flowers in blossom than at the same 
date in 1887 and 1888. 
The season was a very trying one for the birds, many dying 
from sheer starvation. Some were so tame that they could almost 
be caught by hand, and a handful of crumbs thrown on the 
hard garden paths would be immediately devoured by quite an 
army of poor starved outcasts. I am indebted to Mr. T. Southwell, 
F.Z.S., for the following notes on the effect of the winter on our 
feathered songsters. Ho says : — “ The resident birds suffered much 
and perished in great numbers ; Kingfishers, Herons, and Bitterns, 
from all the inland waters being frozen, fell victims to starvation 
and the gun ; but, strange to say, Otters seemed to take good care of 
themselves and very few were killed. The Coots probably went 
down to the open water in the estuaries of the great rivers or to 
the sea beach. Amongst the Thrushes the mortality was very 
great ; but there was almost a total absence here of Redwings and 
Fieldfares, probably they had all gone south. Swans and Bean- 
geese, as also Brent-geese, on the marshes were numerous ; but the 
cold weather produced singularly few rarities, with the exception 
of a most unusual number of Smews, some of them in very 
fine adult plumage. So severely did the Gulls suffer that many 
Common and Black-headed Gulls were taken in clap-nets on the 
