25 DECEMBER 1926, Page 12

For the first time in the memories of many of

us swallows and martins have still been with us while the later winter visitors were arriving. Both birds were seen in several counties during the second week of December. The hard frosts of the third week put an end to such abnormalities and brought a number of winter visitors, especially fieldfare and snipe, to the Home and Southern Counties ; and yet vaster congregations of starlings to ,East Anglia and to London itself.

W. BEACH THOMAS. .