PRINCIPALLY IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF FELSTEAD. 189
are some which will not readily admit of an explanation. An
opportunity, too, has been afforded for watching the effect of
drought upon springs, and for other observations connected with the
underground circulation of water.
The rainy season closed generally throughout Essex in the end
of February. At Felstead the last rain fell in the early days of
March, and from then till the end of June the rainfall here did not
reach two inches. From observations made at Felstead School
(kindly supplied by the Rev. E. Gepp), the total for this period was
1.98 inches. This prolonged drought, lasting through the spring,
determined in great part the produce of plants for the whole year;
for although the autumnal summer did somewhat to redeem the
losses where the drought acted adversely, in other cases it merely-
accentuated the favourable effect of that early spell of dry weather.
As a consequence of this we have two separate sets of phenomena,
one in which there is a scarcity of produce, and the other in which
the produce is much in excess. The like phenomena are observable
in birds and insects, but to what extent we have no means of judging.
For instance, it was noticed that the cuckoo and nightingale did not
stay for their full season, and moreover the cuckoo, during the
whole length of its sojourn, could scarcely make a clear note. If
shortness of food was the cause, the nightingale most likely par-
ticipated in the scarcity. In both cases the drought undoubtedly
acted adversely.
The contrary seems to be the case with game fowls—partridges,
etc. They are described, generally, as being in excess.
Although it is not possible to go much into detail, yet so many
observations were noted of the peculiar behaviour of birds that we
cannot but think that the effects of the season may have some
temporary effect upon their distribution and numbers. We should,
perhaps, not be far wrong in attributing their peculiar behaviour in
some cases to some misleading phenomena which delayed or
provoked the nesting-time. The case of larks may be cited as an
instance. Nesting with them came late, probably in consequence of
the scarcity of cover, there being but little grass. The larks sang
vigorously in the last days of July, which is an exceptional occurrence.
In other cases the scarcity of provision caused by the drought
may have acted, as the shifts made for food by birds during early
summer attracted much attention. Many species were attracted to
garden produce which do not ordinarily trouble the gardener.