Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 6 (1902).djvu/91

Rh in great numbers, even right out on the open beach. July 20th. Found a nest with two eggs in it, and was told of one being found the previous week containing eight eggs.

(Caprimulgus europæus).—May 14th. Disturbed one from under the shelter of a stack of brushwood close under the sea-wall. It flew a short distance, and then settled in the grass. When I flushed it a second time it flew away out of sight.

(Ardea cinerea).—There are nearly always some of these birds feeding along the sands at low tide.

(Anas boscas).—Breeds in numbers along the dykes and sewers, and also out on the beach among the stunted sloe and broom bushes. July 16th–21st. Considerable numbers of young birds on some of the inland patches of water.

(Columba palumbus).—Often a few Wood-Pigeons feeding out on the patches of grass-land scattered about the beach.

(C. œnas).—Always a few of these birds about the beach feeding on the green places. May 14th. I noticed one of these birds fly up from a rabbit's burrow. Upon investigating I found its rough nest and two young birds down the burrow.

(Perdix cinerea).—A good many about on the beach.

(Caccabis rufa).—May 13th. Found a nest of this species built on the bank of one of the big sewers which drain the marsh-land. Also saw several of the birds out on the beach.

(Gallinula chloropus).—Moor-hens' nests are very numerous in the dykes and pools of water on the marsh-land. In no cases were the eggs in any of the nests that I found covered over with leaves.

(Fulica atra).—May 13th. Found two nests in the reeds surrounding a pool of water on the marsh; two eggs in one, and eight eggs in the other. In both instances the eggs were quite fresh.

(Œdicnemus scolopax).—Local name, "Night-Hawk." Several pairs of these birds still breed on the beach, but they are by no means common, and all the coastguards' and fishermen's sons know that the two eggs have a marketable value. May 14th. I saw one of the birds fly up from the beach, and, on looking along the ridge from about which it flew, I found its two eggs lying on the shingle. The apology of a nest in which they lay was simply a hollow scratched out in the shingle, measuring about 7 in. in diameter and ¾ in. deep. The two eggs were laid fully two inches apart, and end to end. I was told by a fisherman that they are never laid close together. Surrounding the hollow were several pieces of broom, which had the appearance of having been put there by the bird. One egg was rather larger than