Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 1 (1843).djvu/380

352 were boiled and others not, they invariably broke the boiled ones and threw them out of the nest.—M. Saul; Fort Green Cottage, Garstang, August, 1843.

Anecdote of a Male Blackbird building three Nests. Last year a male blackbird resided in my orchard, and, as it appeared, failed in finding a mate. As early as February he began building a nest under some long leaves by the side of a fenny place in the orchard, having first scratched away a little earth, in order to make a level place for the nest to stand on. When the nest was finished, it was completely concealed from the sight and protected from rain, by the long leaves bending over it; so close was one of the leaves, that the bird had to lift it up every time he went in or out, a feat I frequently watched him perform. About two weeks after this nest was completely finished, the same bird built a second in another part of the orchard; and in this second nest I often saw him sitting later in the season, and when the leaves were on the trees, he built a third nest in a thorn -bush. During the time he was engaged in these three nests, he would continually perch in one of the highest trees in the orchard, and send forth his rich and melodious song, as if to invite a partner to join in his family cares, but always without success.—Id.

Note on the Wryneck. The wryneck, or cuckoo's mate as it is often called, from its appearing about the same period of the spring as that bird, is not unfrequent in this neighbourhood. I have one stuffed, which I caught near Compton. The most singular part of this beautiful bird is its long slender tongue, which, being covered with a glutinous substance, is employed to catch ants and other insects. I have seen the wryneck standing on an ant-hill, and thrusting its long tongue into the mould to procure their eggs, which are its favourite food.—''Wm. Hewett.''

Note on the occurrence of a young Cuckoo in a Reed-warbler's Nest. Being in company with a friend on the 1 2th of June last, we had shown to us the nest of a reedwarbler containing a young cuckoo but recently hatched. This juvenile parasite was alone in the nest when we saw it, and had, without doubt, forcibly ejected the eggs of its foster-parent from the nest, as, on the preceding morning, it contained five eggs, in addition to the one from which the cuckoo was hatched; some of these eggs we discovered lying amongst the coarse herbage beneath the nest.—S. Willoughby; Bratoft, near Spilsby, Lincolnshire, August 17, 1843.

Note on the Bunting. Mr. White seemed doubtful whether the bunting left England in the winter, which it certainly does not, for in these parts they are seen throughout the year. They breed here in summer, and in winter congregate in immense flocks, when they do great mischief by feeding on oat-ricks, and pulling out the straws, at which hundreds are annually shot by our rustic sportsmen.—''Wm. Hewett.''

Note on the Snow Bunting. From my own observation, and from the information I have obtained from attentive observers of Nature, I am led to believe that the snow bunting {Emberiza nivalis) may be considered a regular winter visitant to the shores of this neighbourhood. In proof I may mention that considerable numbers have arrived on the Skegness coast every winter for the last four years.—S. Willoughby.

Note on the Shrike. The red-backed butcher-bird or shrike is not uncommon in this neighbourhood. Wherever I have seen them there have been meadows, and green hedges, or bushes. During the summer months they feed on butterflies, and I have often seen them sitting on the topmost twig of some hawthorn hedge, watching for these insects, which, when they have caught, they return again to the same spot, and this they repeat many successive times.—''Wm. Hewett.''