Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 4 (1900).djvu/462

428 appears to be too obvious a feature in the economy of the species to be even incidentally noted by any of the so-called popular writers on the birds of these islands!

Before concluding, I must explain one little matter. I have spoken of the hundreds of Sparrow-Hawks' eggs that I have taken, but it must be remembered that the species is notoriously baneful to shooting interests, and that gamekeepers wage a war of extermination against it at all seasons. On many and many an occasion my plundering of a nest has sufficed to save the bird's life; whereas, had I not been present to plead for mercy and climb to the nest, the brooding bird would have been ruthlessly shot on the spot, and the beautiful eggs left to their fate. Such interposition profited the owners of the various nests equally with myself, seeing that they were allowed to escape with their lives, and subsequently laid eggs elsewhere for my appropriation. It may appear strange, but it is none the less absolutely true, that the old female Sparrow-Hawk, from whose nest I abstracted the fifteen eggs, got to know me, through my repeated visits to her home in a Scotch-fir, so well that at the last she never troubled to leave the nest until my head was on a level with it. It was only on the occasion of my final "call" that she evinced real indignation, however, and for a moment the situation was not pleasant when she faced round and unfolded her wings at the distance of a few inches only. What a wicked eye she turned on me, too, but that was the full extent of her hostility.— (Melton Mowbray).

Quail in Cheshire.—Several times during the latter half of July I heard the liquid trisyllabic note of the Quail (Coturnix communis) near Wilmslow. On one evening four or five birds were calling on Lindow Moss, and in the surrounding fields.— (Alderley Edge).

Quail in Hertfordshire.—A Quail (Coturnix communis) was picked up dead outside the post-office here in May, 1899, by one of the city police, it evidently having come in contact with the telegraph-wires.— (5, Glenferrie Road, St. Albans, Herts).

Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa belgica) in Hants.—On Aug. 20th, whilst out in my punt in the harbour, I shot three Black-tailed Godwits; they were feeding on some very soft and rotten mud. One bird which I weighed scaled 8¾ oz.— (Portchester).

Rough Notes on Derbyshire Ornithology, 1899–1900.—Although the winter of 1898-1899 was so mild, large flocks of Bramblings were reported from different parts of the county. A single shot fired out of curiosity into a large flock not far from Derby, on Jan. 26th, 1898, brought down no fewer than fourteen. On Jan. 27th I saw a nicely set-up Slavonian Grebe at Hutchinson's shop, which had been killed at Allestree towards the