Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 2 (1878).djvu/364

340 but in another tree. My friend told roe that he and his sons had watched the building of the new nest with great interest, expecting to get some more eggs again this year. Accordingly, when the nest was finished, and sufficient time had elapsed for the eggs to be deposited, one of the sons climbed up to the nest, but found no eggs ; so they waited a few more days, and the son again climbed the tree, but was again unsuccessful in finding any eggs, though the birds were very noisy, and dashed at him several times, as they always do when a nest contains eggs, more especially if the female is sitting. After this second unsuccessful visit to the nest, a consultation was held between the father and sons as to what was to be done. They felt certain from the time that had elapsed since the nest was finished, as well as from the manner of the birds, that eggs had been laid and incubation commenced, yet there were no eggs in the new nest ; so, after a little conversation, they agreed to try the old nest. The son accordingly climbed the tree to the old nest, and there he found three eggs partially incubated. This seems to have been rather a curious proceeding on the part of the Buzzards. Had they built the new nest aud intentionally forsaken it as soon as built, and returned to the old one with the intention of misleading the egg-searchers ? or had they deserted it, after seeing the first unsuccessful attempt on the new nest, and returned to the old nest, which had not been attacked this year ? However this might have been, the ruse was nearly successful, the eggs being considerably incubated when taken. But, whatever might have been their reason, there can be no doubt that the Buzzards built the new nest, made no use of it, and returned to their old quarters. I have known Wrens build a nest, and apparently for no particular reason desert it and build another, not return to an old one ; and I think Mr. Gurney, jun., has made some observations on this subject in 'The Zoologist,' though I cannot now find them, but I do not remember that he said anything about this being a peculiarity of the Buzzard also, nor have I known or heard of this peculiarity in that bird before. — (Lydeard House, Bishop's Lydeard).

— This year I came across a nest of the Blackbird, in which I found two misshapen three-cornered flint stones (evidently picked out of the road), upon which, in addition to an egg laid that morning, the hen was complacently sitting. A week or two later I found a nest of the Spotted Flycatcher, containing three eggs, which I exchanged for three hazel-nuts, completely filling up the bottom of the nest ; upon returning a day or two later, I found one of the nuts ejected, and a fourth egg laid in its place : the bird was sitting when I went up to it. Since birds evidently do not distinguish either stones or nuts from their eggs, it is easy to exchange the egg of one bird for that of another. A blackbird having built in a plum-tree in the garden, and laid two eggs,