Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 1 (1897).djvu/458

430 presence of the numerous children—naturally full of young life and fun—who, with bags and nondescript hand-carts, gather the fallen cones for fuel.— (Ringwood, Hants).

Unusual Sites chosen by Birds for their Nests.—The following instances have come under my notice this season:—1. A Chaffinch built her nest early in the summer, and reared her young in an old Swallow's nest which was fixed on a beam in a field shed. 2. A Great Tit laid four eggs in the cup of a Blackbird's nest, apparently of this season, and brought off her young. She lined the larger nest with the usual mass of hair-felt. The Blackbird's nest was in the fork of a yew-bough, some four or five feet from the stem, and about four feet from the ground. The young appeared newly hatched when I saw them on June 16th. Probably the Tits had lost their first nest, and could not find a suitable cavity unoccupied when they went to nest again. But this reason can hardly account for the curious freak of the Chaffinches, who could have had no difficulty in finding plenty of convenient positions.— (Scampston Hall, York).

Birdsnesting in August.—Last year I contributed a note (Zool. p. 303) recording some thirty nests found in the course of a few hours on Aug. 3rd in Cambridgeshire. This year, on Aug. 2nd (Bank Holiday), I was in the same locality, and in about three hours found the following:—Twelve nests of Turtle Dove, ten nests with eggs, two with young; two nests of Ring Dove, both with young; three nests of Yellowhammer, all with eggs; one nest of House Sparrow in a hawthorn-bush only five feet from the ground, with four fresh eggs; one nest of Red-legged Partridge, with three eggs in hatched-out nest; one nest of Meadow Pipit, with four eggs; one nest of Reed Bunting, with three young and one infertile egg; two nests of Linnet, with eggs, one set fresh, the other hard-sat; two nests of Greenfinch, with eggs, both sets fresh. Two years ago I found a Blackbird's nest, with five fresh eggs, in the same neighbourhood, and heard of two Partridges' nests, on which the old birds were still sitting, the first week in August. The Yellowhammer, I should say, sometimes rears three broods in the year, for I have found, even in Scotland, newly-hatched young as early as April 19th. The earliest date I have for the Reed Bunting is a full set of five eggs on April 20th.— (Bedford Park, W.).

Birds seen in the Yukon District of Canada.—The following is extracted from a report of Mr. W. Ogilvie (Dominion Land Surveyor):—"Birds are scarce. A few Ravens were seen along the river [Yukon], and three or four remained in the vicinity of the boundary all the winter. They were generally more active and noisy on stormy days than at other times, and their hoarse croak had a dismal sound amid the roar of the elements.