Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 2 (1878).djvu/371

Rh Almost all of the nests I found were undoubtedly of the Sparrowhawk's own make, one or two were in crows' nests, and I never found one in a Magpie's. They generally preferred fir tree, especially Scotch, and, unlike the Kestrel, they do not like building in an open country ; the latter appear indifferent, but Sparrowhawks greatly prefer a fir tree spinney. The eggs vary in number from four to six ; the last nest I found was in a larch tree, and contained the latter number. When the young Kestrels are hatched the parents supply them with rats and mice in large quantities. By the time the young are ready to fly the nest will be found to be quite flat at the top, owing to the accumulation of "pellets," composed of the indigestible parts of their prey, that the birds eject. The number of mice and rats destroyed by a single pair of these birds in one season is perfectly marvellous. I have never found any remains of birds in either the nest or the "castings." Not so, however, with the Sparrowhawk ; the young seem to be fed in a great measure on Missel Thrushes ; and the latter bird, more than any other, serves to satisfy the hunger of the parents. They are also very fond of little rabbits, greenfinches, and sparrows. Both species of birds lay eggs differing very much in size and colour : Sparrowhawk's are just as frequently blotched at the smaller end as they are at the larger ; and Kestrels lay two varieties, one having deep red for the ground colour, the other brown. - (The Avenue, Bedford).

—The Common Waterhen is known to be a species in which combats between individuals (probably males) frequently occur ; but the following description of such a contest noted by an eye-witness, who communicated it to me, may perhaps be worth recording. The occurrence took place in a wood at North repps, Norfolk. on the 31st July. My informant says :— " I saw a regular combat between two Waterhens yesterday. On hearing a noise amongst some elder bushes I went close to where the birds were fighting. They had taken fast hold of each other's wings, near the body, with their feet, and were rolling over and over, pecking each other meanwhile with their bills. After two or three minutes they rested, and then began again, till I separated them, when I found that one appeared to have been injured in the eye by the attack of its opponent."— (Northrepps, Norfolk).

— Having for some time collected Scotch local names of birds, I am much interested in Mr. Little's notes of those used in Cornwall (p. 222). With Scotch names it is very hard to define the district to which many belong, the same being used iu places far apart. In some cases also the same are used in different districts for different species. The origin of many of these names would form a curious study, and would no doubt bring to light much of interest to the philologist as well as to the naturalist. Some of the names given in the Old Statistical