NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS FROM ROYSTON. 
65 
rather late in arriving, and early in departing ; the Royston or 
Hooded Crow arrived to the day. I believe I said in my former 
note : “ these birds were at one time very common here, but for 
the past few years they appear to have abandoned their visits,’’ 
I intended to have said : they are not so numerous as formerly. 
Some years ago when sheep were not of so much value as they 
are now, and many thousands of acres of land were open field, 
the carcasses of the sheep that died were left to be devoured 
by any birds or beasts having a taste for such food, so the Royston 
Crows which are particularly fond of it would soon make clean 
bones of a dead animal. 
October 18th. Although we are about thirty miles from the 
sea—nearest point—in a bee line, a Puffin, a bird of the season, 
was brought to me alive, to-day, having been picked up about six 
miles south of this place, and quite out of the way of all 
telegraph wires, which cause the death and capture of so many 
birds. I have seen specimens of the Grey Plover, Ringed 
Plover, Knot, Spotted Rail, Coot, Moor Hen, Snipe, Jack 
Snipe, Woodcock, Swift, and all our local birds which have been 
either? killed or disabled by coming in contact with the wires 
in this locality. On October 23rd, I was shown some young 
White Owls which had only been hatched a few days, I have 
never known them so late in the season. Wood Pigeons are 
late breeders, I once shot a pair of young ones, fresh from the 
nest, in the middle of December. 
October 28th. The Fieldfares have just arrived. If I 
recollect correctly it was about ten years ago, when the weather 
suddenly became very severe, killing these birds by hundreds, 
the ground in some places being literally strewn with their 
dead bodies. 
October 29th. A Short-eared Owl—commonly called the 
Woodcock Owl—was brought in alive. This is the first I have 
seen. 
November 6th. A flock of Wild Geese passed over the 
town, going west, also flocks of Wild Ducks have passed over. 
I fail to understand why they came across this part of the 
country, as it is many years since any number have been seen. 
November 8th. A litter of nine )X)ung rats were brought in 
this morning. This family consists of six males and three 
females. How is it that the rat and the mole always provide 
such a large proportion of male offspring ? I believe the 
average is always two to one. I have often wondered what 
becomes of the surplus gentlemen rats and moles. It is true 
the rats may emigrate, by going on board our ships, but I have 
never heard of a mole ever attempting a sea vo)^age. 
November 9th. The Mountain Finches [Frin gill a monti- 
fringilla) have arrived. These birds scarcely ever make their 
appearance with us so early, unless the weather is very severe. 
