Nests in unusual Situations, 481 



different correspondents reporting their personal observations ;" 

 and I submit a fact connected with the redbreast a little at 

 variance with the opinion of S. D. W., given in VIII. 508. ; 

 who there states that " the redbreast flies off to a neigh- 

 bouring bush, where she sits uttering her plaintive note till 

 the prying naturalist is out of sight, when she returns to her 

 nest, and resumes her maternal office." The fact to which I 

 was witness occurred in my garden at Edmonton, many years 

 ago, and is as follows : — A redbreast had built her nest in a 

 hole in an old cherry tree, which obtained where a dead 

 branch had been cut off: the hole might be about 9 in. in 

 depth. I, having discovered the nest, mentioned of it to a 

 friend then visiting me, who, wishing to take a peep, looked 

 into the hole, but was much startled by the bird's dashing 

 out against him ; and, whether the time required by my 

 friend to count the eggs, and satisfy his curiosity, was longer 

 than suited either the convenience or temper of the redbreast, 

 I know not ; but certain it is that she twice darted from a 

 wall, to which she had retreated, and struck him on the head 

 with her beak and wings, before he would remove and allow 

 her to resume her seat. — James G. Tatem. Wycombe, Bucks, 

 April 4. 1836. [The case of the male mistletoe thrush's de- 

 fence of its mate, described by Mr. Waterton (p. 411.), may 

 be cited in relation to this subject; for one of the conditions 

 of that case is, the pair had then a nest. In p. 227. are 

 notices by Mr. Waterton of two conditions of birds' attach- 

 ment to their eggs.] 



Birds' building Nests in unusual Situations (VI. 32 — 37.) : 

 Two distances in the Robin. — We a few weeks since noticed 

 the singular circumstance of a robin having built its nest, and 

 hatched its young, under a corner of the cushion in the clergy- 

 man's reading-desk at the parish of Bosham. Since that, 

 another rtest has been discovered in a similar situation, namely, 

 at the corner of a cushion in the seat of Edward Bennett, Esq. 

 This bird had been sitting on three or four eggs, and the 

 young ones were hatched on Sunday. Much interest has been 

 excited in the parish and neighbourhood by these birds, and 

 many a visit has, in consequence, been made to the church. 

 (Hampshire Advertiser, May 28. 1836) {Communicated to this 

 Magazine by Mr. G. E. Dennes.~\ 



Sixty Grubs, that had been recently taken, were found within 

 a Book that was killed in a field close to Foster's Booth, 

 Hampshire, belonging to the Rev. W. H. Clarke, a short 

 time since. (Dorset Chronicle for May 30. 1831.) — W. B. C\ 



Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris Lin.) feed their young with cock- 

 chafers during the time they are to be found. I believe that 



Vol. IX. — No. 65. nn 



