Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/178

154 a neighbouring dwelling. At two or three stores I have lately been shown rows of empty jam-jars, as clean-licked as if legitimately emptied and washed, the thin covering being no protection.— (Ibis House, Great Yarmouth).

Robin in Shetland.—I find that the Robin I recorded (ante, p. 106) was not picked up dead, but flew into a fish-curing establishment during a north-west gale, with snow, and died after being kept in a cage for two days. My informant adds that a pair of Redbreasts nested in a garden at Scalloway four years ago, and that he saw the birds and eggs; the latter appeared to be a little larger and whiter in ground colour than Twite's eggs.— (Bloxham, Oxon).

I note that a specimen of the Redbreast (Erithacus rubecula) was picked up on Mainland, Shetland (ante, p. 106). Though by no means common, this little favourite may be seen here every winter, perhaps tempted by the plantation close to the house to remain, in spite of our inhospitable climate.— (Halligarth, Unst, Shetland).

Variety of Pied Wagtail (Motacilla lugubris).—At the end of last August a peculiar variety of this pretty species was obtained not far from Ringwood, on the Dorset border. At a casual glance it appears to be of a uniform dirty creamy white, but on closer inspection it is seen that the upper parts are darkest, especially the crown of the head; belly dirty white, with an indistinct yellowish patch on breast. All the larger feathers both of wings and tail have white shafts, rendered more conspicuous by the adjoining filaments being darker, shading almost to white on the edges. Outer tail-feathers pure white as usual. Legs and beak pale brown, eyes normal.— (Ringwood, Hants).

Nesting of the Jackdaw.—Mr. Steele-Elliott (ante, p. 70) calls attention to an instance of Corvus monedula building open nests in spruce-firs. In this district, strange to say, the exception just quoted is not by any means uncommon, and a large number of the local birds repair yearly to the spruce-plantations for the purpose of breeding. Many of these "rookeries" are of considerable size, and contain, some of them, from forty to eighty pairs of birds. The nests—for the most part compact and strongly built—are placed about three-quarter-way up the tree, and, as a pair will use the same nest for many consecutive seasons, the accumulation of sticks and rubbish is often enormous—sufficient, in many instances, to fill a large wheelbarrow. In the case of these larger nests, the hollow in which the eggs are laid is of great depth, but is comparatively shallow if the nest happens to be of recent construction. In the early spring