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 BIRDS ants. It is not every one who knows how to find them. This bird may be heard singing (it is not every one, either, who knows its note to be that of a bird at ail) from April 9th (my earliest record in the county), but usually a week later ; it builds a very carefully- concealed nest amongst young trees and thick grass, and leaves us early in September. 25. Hedge-Sparrow. Accentor modularis (Linn.). A common resident, but partially migra- tory. Large numbers cross the North Sea annually in autumn and return in spring. Is double-brooded. I have known a pair raise three broods successfully. The male of this pair had a conspicuous mark on him. 26. Dipper. Cinc/us aquatkus, Bechstein. A rare occasional visitor, our still streams not being suited to the requirements of this bird, which loves rapid rocky ' becks ' of clear water. One example has been obtained at Blatherwycke in 1868, and one at Kettering in 1886 ; while an example of the Scandina- vian form {Cinc/us melanogastcr^ Brehm) was shot near Ringstead in 1899, for which see Lilford (i. 87-89). 27. Bearded Reedling. Panurus biarmkus (Linn.). A fen bird, lingering in Norfolk and Cam- bridgeshire. Lord Lilford once observed it near Lilford, the only county record. Peter- borough Museum possesses a specimen ob- tained in the old days at Whittlesea Mere — alas ! long drained. 28. British Long-tailed Tit. Acredula rosea (Blyth). Locally, Bottle-Bit or Pudding-Bag. Common and resident, though rather local. It builds the wonderful nest from which it gains these names in a bush of evergreen, thorn or gorse, sometimes suspended in bram- bles, in April. 29. Great Tit. Parus major, Linn. A common resident, building in holes in walls or trees, sometimes, at all events, double- brooded. A very useful bird in gardens, as its feeding never extends to fruit, which is the bad habit of the blue tit. 30. British Coal-Tit. Parus britannicus, Sharpe and Dresser. A resident, common in woods, nesting in a hole in a tree, or wall, or mouse-hole in the ground ; the nest is nearly always lined with rabbit's or other fur. Eggs laid about April. 3 1 . British Marsh-Tit. Parus dresseri, Stein- eger. The least common and shyest of the tits with us, nesting in similar places to the last, but, as a rule, in damper localities, and it often lines its nest with the down of the willow-catkin. 32. Blue Tit. Parus caruleus, Linn. Locally, Blue-Cap. A common resident, yet numbers cross the North Sea in autumn. Builds in holes in trees and walls, sometimes in the oddest places, in April ; is generally insectivorous, but has a detestable habit of damaging large numbers of nearly-ripe pears by pecking a hole near the stalk. 33. Nuthatch. Sitta casta. Wolf A resident, which cannot be called com- mon, nor rare, as it is sometimes the one and sometimes the other, and I cannot find any reason for this. It may be due to the tem- porary local abundance of some favourite in- sect. Nests in April, usually in a hole in a tree, sometimes in a hole in a wall, filling up the mouth with clay to the size and shape it fancies. 34. Wren. Troglodytes parvulus, Koch. A common resident, but numbers cross the North Sea in autumn. Builds in shrubs, bushes and banks, and all manner of odd places, in early April. It is very fastidious as to the finish of its nest, frequently discontinu- ing operations on a partially finished one which does not promise to be an artistic success, or perhaps seems too obvious to passers-by. Is double-brooded. 35. Tree-Creeper. Certhia familiaris, Linn. A resident, common in well-wooded dis- tricts, placing its nest under loose bark on trees, or in a crack of a tree or building. It is double-brooded. 36. Pied Wagtail. Motacilla luguhris, Tem- minck. Locally, Dish-washer. A common summer visitor, partially resident in mild winters. It is known to cross to and from the continent. Breeds early in April, in a hole in a wall usually, but often selects odd places. Is double-brooded. 37. White Wagtail. Motacilla alba, Linn. A rare summer visitor, several times ob- served by Mr. W. T. Horn at Kingsthorpe Reservoir {Lilford, i. 156), and once, certainly, by myself; but no Northants specimens have been obtained, as far as I know, nor has it 15