THIS ECCENTRIC YEAR.
it is and has been an eccentric year in many regards as no one has more definitely realized than the keeper of a nature diary. How Gilbert White and those yet more thorough diarists, the Markhams, would have rejoiced in this list of exceptions ! Their entries would have certainly contained a number .of references to the buntings, a group of birds which have rather different ideas about spring than most other birds. They habitually nest late in the year, but have considerably exaggerated their tendency this summer. The yellow hammer is, for once in a way, quite as late as the corn bunting, which has the reputation of being the last of all the nesters. In my neighbourhood two pairs of which I have heard did not hatch their latest clutch till September, a very late date ; and a linnet's nest with eggs was found late in August. As for the swallows, scores of pairs are still feeding very callow young ; and intensive cramming will be necessary if the babies are to be strong enough for the imminent migrating.
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