Retrospective Criticism. 465 



when upon the wing. I am inclined to think with Dr. Fleming (Brithh 

 Animalsy No. xcv.), that this peculiar noise is most frequent in the breeding 

 season, and that it proceeds from the male bird ; more especially, perhaps, 

 during the period of incubation by the female. I never succeeded in dis- 

 covering two of these birds together ; but I suspect that they generally lie 

 very close upon the ground, concealed by long grass and rushes, and that 

 on any sudden alarm, or the approach of danger, they crouch into their 

 retreat, rather than, in the first instance, seek escape by flight. 



Dr. Fleming also observes that " this bird has disappeared from many^ 

 districts where it formerly abounded, and is daily becoming scarcer." This 

 is undoubtedly the case in Norfolk, and it may probably be attributed to 

 the draining and improvement of the marshes, which have deprived the 

 birds of their accustomed shelter and food. The name by which it is known 

 amongst the common people is " bottle bump." I am, Sir, yours, &c. — 

 Michael Bland. Montague Place y Russell Square y July 5. 1831. 



The Robin's forsaking its Eggs after thet/ have been touched, has been seve- 

 ral times touched upon and controverted in your Magazine. In a hawthorn 

 bush known to me, a robin's nest was built, and young robins annually 

 hatched for at least fifteen successive years. For the last five of these 

 years, the garden in which this hawthorn stood was occupied, with the 

 house adjoining, by my father ; and, as I at this time was " in childhood's 

 happier days," it was no rare sight to see me mounted on a short ladder, 

 handing down the eggs for the inspection of my playmates, and replacing 

 them afterwards : I have often even lifted the hen off the nest, to get at 

 the eggs. Notwithstanding all these molestations, the pair continued the 

 use of their old family nursery, until a cat killed both them and their 

 young. The male bird had the rare and permanent peculiarity of three or 

 four white feathers in his breast, which gave him a curious motley appear-, 

 ance. — Henri/ Turner. Botanic Garde7iy Bury St. Edmund'' s, April 10. 183 1 . 



The Nuthatch {Sitta europce^a). — Sir, In reply to the remarks (p. 275.) 

 of your valuable correspondent and that able naturalist the Rev.W.T. Bree, 

 relative to this little interesting bird, I beg leave to say that it is not only 

 a very scarce bird here, but, so far as I have been able to observe it, I 

 believe it to be migratory, as I have never seen it during the winter 

 season. It is also very irregular in its appearance j as last year it appeared 

 on the 24th of March, and this year, it was first seen on the 14th of 

 April, not by myself, but by a gentleman who shoots migratory birds on 

 their arrival, for the purpose of stuffing them for his museum. I have 

 endeavoured, during the last three years, to meet with its nest, but I 

 have hitherto been unsuccessful. This disappointment I very much regret, 

 as I am making a collection of the nests and eggs of every bird that builds 

 within a circumference of five miles of Bedford. I will now avail myself of 

 the present opportunity of enquiring, through the medium of your Maga- 

 zine, M'hether the nuthatch can fairly be classed among the mason birds. 

 I ask this question, because I once found its nest in Derbyshire, in the 

 deserted hole of a woodpecker, the entrance of which had been diminished 

 by a wall of clay, so as just to admit the parent bird. In my attempt to 

 extract the nest, I injured the mud-walled entrance, and retired unsuccess- 

 fiil. The next day, I visited the nest, for the purpose of securing it, when 

 I saw the male bird actively engaged in repairing the breach I had made on 

 my first visit, the female being in the act of incubation at the time. This 

 interesting sight had such an effect upon me (although I was then in the 

 prime of my birdnesting days), that I desisted from my cruel attempt, and 

 suffered them to bring up their young brood, consisting of four, without 

 further molestation. I have since seen its nest, but I could not perceive 

 any masonry employed in its construction. It is, therefore, from having 

 witnessed the masonry of this bird in cases of necessity y and not in the con- 



Vol. IV. — No 21. hh 



