INTRODUCTION TO NATURALIST'S CALENDAR. 317 showing the influence, climate or the seasons may have in the distribution of animal life. On the coast, it is also curious to mark the habits of the different sea-fowl previous to, or after the occurrence of a storm, or any marked change in the weather. Independent of regular migration, by which we mean the arrival of some birds (not at other seasons found in our islands) in spring, for the purpose of incubation, and then remaining with us during the summer months; or the arrival of some birds in late autumn from another county, and remaining during the winter months, apparently to enjoy a larger supply of food and a milder climate, not afforded by their more northern summer quarters; there are large accessions made to the numbers of some permanently resident birds, either altogether from another country, or by a partial migration from one locality to another temporarily more suitable. In many districts, a large addition is received in autumn to the stock of our common thrush and blackbird. So is there also of the common snipe, in many places where it breeds and is permanently resident. They arrive before or about the usual migratory period, and are, probably, supplied both from abroad and from the more exposed districts of this country. Many of the hawks disappear altogether during spring and summer, seeking the wilder and more unfrequented grounds to breed and rear their young. They reappear again in their usual haunts about the middle or end of September. Along our shores and sea marshes, vast numbers of the plovers, sandpipers, curlews, &c., spend the winter, many of which have merely returned with their young from a more inland breeding resort. The numerous congregations of the young, in autumn, assembling in large flocks together, show another kind of migration, being very marked in the black and white wagtail, chaffinch, titmice, lapwing and other plovers, &c. A few species, again, which spend the whole season of incubation in other parts, are seen once or twice yearly for a short period only. The short-eared owl, which in some parts of England is met with regularly about the commencement of the winter migratory period, is in great part only on return from the more northern parts of this country, where it is known to breed. The ring ousel breeds in the alpine districts of England and Scotland, but it is only seen upon the English downs, and so often recorded by White, and among the mountain ash and cottage gardens in Scotland only for a few days, in going and returning to and from their breeding quarters. So it is with the common dotterel upon our lower moors, and large numbers of our sandpipers, &c., are also only seen for a day or two, in similar circumstances. The periodical change of colour in the plumage of birds is often very marked; it is incidental in great measure to the season of incubation, previous to which it gradually approaches completion; and, as that important time arrives, it, along with the voice, obtains its fullest vigour, clearness and brilliancy, and the latter sometimes puts on changes of great contrast with the full and usually chaste winter garb. These changes are most characteristic and distinct in the waders, water fowl, and gallinaceous birds, and among these are almost general; in other families, although a greater brilliancy always occurs, it is only in some that the changes are very marked. In some species these changes take place by a loss of some parts of a feather, thereby bringing into view some other portion, and so producing a different tint; in others, the colour of the feather entirely changes. These variations take place more or less rapidly with the seasons; but in some instances, the change is effected in a day or two, as in many of the plovers and sandpipers, some ducks, and the head of the black-headed gull, &c., so that exactness in the registration of these changes should be observed. Some of our summer visitants assume their breeding dress after arrival here, while others are partially changed, as if the operation had commenced, and was going on at the same time with the instinctive desire to migrate. And again, on the cessation of the duties of the male, does the brilliancy begin to fade, and the dark or rich contrasted tints to blend into a plumage broken and worn, and now commencing to be renovated by a new moult-all these mutations are worthy to be noted, and can be easily done at the same time that other facts are registered. It is during this same important period that a great change periodically takes place in the song and voice of birds. Many species sit and utter their call from some selected spot, which is frequented day after day; but others practise peculiar modes of flight, calling as they fly. The pleasing song of our warblers and thrushes, the call of the pigeons and cuckoo, are familiar examples of the first. The towering flight of the greenfinch, and the rise and fall of the pipits singing as they fly; the drone and flight of the "snipe, and the shrill whistle of the curlew, are examples of the combined exercise; but in every species there is a change more or less marked, which will be easily seen and noted by a practised or willing observer. There is yet another point worthy of attention, that is, the change in the general zoology of a district or locality which has taken place within a limited period, by an alteration of its physical character; by improvement, cultivation, draining; by planting and the increase of wood; by the rooting out and destruction of copse or natural wood; by the introduction of some particular trees or brushwood. All these matters have a much greater influence on animal life than is at first imagined; and in the space of twenty or thirty years, we have seen the character of a locality almost changed, by the forsaking of some species, and the coming in of others. These changes go gradually on, but are at last complete, being naturally incidental to the artificial causes above-mentioned. A COMPARATIVE VIEW OF WHITE'S AND MARKWICK'S. CALENDARS. Of the abbreviations used, fl. signifies flowering; 1. leafing; and ap. the first Missel thrush (turdus viscivorus) sings. Red dead-nettle (lamium purpureum) fl. Hedge-sparrow (sylvia modularis) sings Greater titmouse (parus major) sings Thrush (turdus musicus) sings Insects swarm under sunny hedges Gnats play about Chaffinches, male and female (fringilla cœlebs) seen in equal numbers Emberiza alba (bunting) in great flocks Jan. 2-11 Jan. 24, Mar. 26. Feb. 19, Apr. 14. Jan. 1, May 10. Feb. 17, Mar. 17. Jan. 15, Apr. 4. Jan. 3, Mar. 22. Dec. 2, Feb. 3. WHITE. MARKWICK. Partridges (perdix cinerea) pair Peas (pisum sativum) sown House-pigeon (columba domestica) has Feb. 20, Mar. 30. Feb. 22, Mar. 26 Feb. 23, Apr. 1. Feb. 24. Feb. 24, Apr. 7. Feb. 26, Mar. 31. Feb. 27, Apr. 5. Feb. 28, Mar. 24 Mar. 1, Apr. 2 Mar. 2, Apr. 17 March 3-29 Feb. 16, Mar. 20. Feb. 8, Mar. 31. Feb. 8. Jan. 25, March 26. seen Oct. 28. April 27, June 17. Feb. 26, Apr. 18. June 17. Feb. 16, Apr. 10. Mar. 4, Apr. 29. Jan. 2, Apr. 16. Mar. 1, May 22. Mar. 4, Apr. 16. Mar. 2, May 19. Mar. 4. Mar. 4. Mar. 5-16. Wryneck (jynx torquilla) ap. Goose (anas anser) sits on its eggs Field beans (vicia faba) planted Golden-crowned wren (sylvia regulus) sings Asp (populus tremula) fl. Common elder (sambucus nigra) 1. Laurel (prunus laurocerasus) fl. Black ants (formica nigra) ap. Ephemera bisetæ, ap. Gooseberry (ribes grossularia) 1. Common stitchwort (stellaria holostea) fl. Wood anemone (anemone nemorosa) fl. Blackbird (turdus merula) lays. Raven (corvus corax) sits Wheatear (sylvia œnanthe) ap. |