Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 2 (1878).djvu/365

Rh having observed each evening that she regularly left the nest at 7.45 p.m. for about a quarter of an hour, I added an egg of the Song Thrush ; she never noticed the addition, but sat on the three until the same time the next evening, when, seeing that she had laid a third egg, I exchanged it for a second egg of a Song Thrush ; this was repeated the next day, and had it not been for a neighbour's cat I do not doubt but she would have laid her last egg the next day, and reared an equal number of Thrushes and Blackbirds. Shortly afterwards, I found a Spotted Flycatcher's nest between the fork at the base of the large branches of a plum-tree, con- taining two eggs ; I exchanged them for those of the Common Linnet, and the bird laid a third egg, which I also took, but gave her nothing in exchange ; to my surprise, she continued to sit, and when I returned from the country, the Linnet's eggs were just ready to hatch out. I also exchanged two eggs of the Greenfinch for those of the Robin, and two more eggs were laid, the second of which was white and spotted much like that of a Greenfinch. — (10, Avington Grove, Penge).

— A singular fact connected with the spring migration of the Bartailed Godwit is that a large number remain about our bay and estuary late into the summer, long after their companions have reached their northern breeding grounds, and are engaged in rearing their young. Another fact, well worth the notice of naturalists, is that although in first-rate condition very few of the birds that remain with us (probably not one in fifty; exhibit the red summer plumage, but are always seen in their grey winter dress. During the months of March and April last Godwits were scarcer than usual in the bay and estuary ; flocks of only twenty or thirty birds were most usually met with. However, considerable additions were afterwards made to their numbers by birds from more southern localities, which as usual made the sands of the bay a resting place on their way to their northern breeding grounds. A considerable number of these birds remained after their com- panions had taken their departure, and lingered on through the months of June, July, and into August. On June 12th I observed about twenty birds on the sands near this place, and all appeared in the grey plumage, none showing any trace of red. On June 19th, being anxious to ascertain whether the Godwits still remained, I went down the river in my punt to a favourite haunt of theirs, near the Island of Bartragh, where I met with a flock of about one hundred and thirty of these birds ; and after examining them through a glass for some time I was only able to distinguish a solitary individual with the red breast of summer; all the rest showing the grey backs and white under parts peculiar to the winter plumage. The flock afterwards broke up into small detached parties : one, of seven or eight birds, accompanied by the redbreasted one, I followed, but was unable to