NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 
171 
Botanic Garden, and much assistance will also be given by the Rev. 
W. W. Newbould, M.A., Rev. A. Robertson, M.A., of Hatfield Hall ; 
T. Beesley, Esq., of Banbury; Bolton King, Esq., of Balliol; F. T. 
Richards, Esq., M.A., Trinity ; H. M. Ridley, Esq., British Museum; 
the Lord Selborne, Rev. W. Marshall, Rev. F. W. Bennett, H. E. 
Garnsey, M.A., Magdalen College; H. Boswell Esq., Rev. E. Fox, &c. 
Ornithological Notes. —The cold east winds that prevailed during 
the month of April seem to have retarded the arrival of many of our 
migratory birds, but some of the later ones were true to their time. 
On the 29tli March I noticed both the Chiffchaff and the Willow Wren 
about the hedges. The local paper announced the arrival of the Sand 
Martin at Shrewsbury as early as April 2nd, but time prevented me 
going as far to see them ; however, I kept a bright look-out in the 
neighbourhood, but failed to see anything of them. Rooks were still 
building and fighting on the 6tli. On the 13tli I went down to 
Folkestone for a fortnight, and during the whole time I was there the 
wind was in the east, and it "was not warm. On the 16th I found a 
Hedge Sparrow’s nest and a Blackbird’s nest, each containing three 
eggs; I also saw a few Plovers’ eggs in the market. On the 19tli I 
went for a ramble over Romney Marshes, and on my way I saw, for 
the first time, large numbers of Sand Martins and Swallows flying 
about the military canal. On the marshes I saw a pair of grey 
Wagtails, a Heron, a Kestrel, and a large flock of Gulls ; principally 
lesser Blackbacks, but a few Herring Gulls and Ivittiwakes. At 
Saltwood Castle, on the 20tli, I observed a pair of Wrynecks, and on 
my way home I heard the Cuckoo at last. The peculiar double cry of 
the Cuckoo was once a subject of discussion in an early volume of this 
magazine. It is very common, and scarcely a day passes without my 
hearing it. Two years ago I heard a Cuckoo stop short in the middle 
of its note, and begin again after a slight pause (cuckoo-cuck-cuckoo, 
&c.) On one occasion I heard this seventeen times in quick succession. 
I could find no cause for it, and now I can’t find a bird that does not 
do it. It is far more frequent than the ordinary double cry. On May 
19tli, this year, I heard a bird double the last syllable of its note five 
times (cuckoo-koo). This is a variety I have never heard, either before 
or since. On May 11th and 17th I heard the Cuckoo’s note not only 
doubled but quadrupled. At the end of April the weather became much 
warmer, and on the 28th I returned to this part of the country. On the 
29th I first saw the House Martin, but it must have arrived some time 
previously. I also saw a number of Wliitethroats, and late in the evening 
I heard the Corncrake frequently. May 3rd was Saturday, and so I had 
my usual long walk in the country. I saw a few Lesser Wliitethroats and 
the Garden and Sedge Warblers. On the 4tli I saw two or three Swifts 
flying about, and on the 6th there were numbers of them to be seen. 
I heard young Rooks cawing in the rookery near the town. On the 
10th I saw a pair of Sandpipers on the banks of the canal. On May 
lltli I saw a Turtle Dove, and on the main road I saw three Wagtails 
together, and noticed that they all varied in colour—black, dark, and 
light-grey on the back. On the 13th a friend of mine told me there 
were some Nightingales to be heard in a coppice, known as Loam Hole, 
at Coalbrookdale, about six miles from here. He also told me that 
they were at the same place last year. The next Saturday (17 th) I 
went my usual walk with the intention of getting to Coalbrookdale at 
10 p.m. The bird was singing, or, rather, calling to its mate when I 
arrived, and I sat on a gate and listened to it for an hour and a half. 
AVlien I went away I still doubted that it really was a Nightingale, and 
determined to come again in the daytime and see it. Accordingly I went 
