MIGKATION. 
875 
as we are informed by Count Wodzicki, one of our closest 
observers—was the case in the spring of 1855 :— 
“ The heavy and continuous autumnal rains produced 
a flood like the deluge of old, laying all the lowlands 
completely under water. Winter followed, and a terribly 
severe one, too; for from the 15th of November to the 
1st of April snow fell in great quantities; and in February, 
in Galicia, we had 24° of frost. On the 27th of that 
month a few Peewits appeared, the thermometer showing 
24° of cold : they flew round and round such sheets of ice 
as were not covered with snow for several days, but 
showed no signs of retracing their steps; until at length 
they all died of hunger. I have noticed that these 
pioneers rarely offer to return, and seem condemned, 
as it were, to die of want. On the 8th of March large 
flocks of these birds were to be seen, though the thermo¬ 
meter stood at 8°, and fresh snow had fallen. Many of 
these either withdrew again altogether, or dispersed in 
the neighbourhood; some few pairs remained till the 
20th of March, on which day the main body arrived. It 
is to me incomprehensible upon what these birds fed, or 
where they sought refuge from the frost, for the snow laid 
till the 29th of March, and the temperature varied from 
12° to 4° of frost.” 
I have still a lively recollection of the sad spring of 
1887, when we were visited in my home, on the night of 
the 7th and 8th of April, with a heavy fall of snow, which 
laid on the ground for ten days. Many of our pretty 
insect-feeding birds had already arrived, and were thus 
deprived of nourishment. These poor little creatures 
perished by dozens ; their corpses lying in every direction. 
This was a cruel time both for birds and human beings, 
causing us, in these few days, a loss of warblers, which 
