636 Birds in the Vicinity of Tooting, Surrey, 



season. Not very many breed about this place. The raven 

 may be omitted altogether. 



The Hooded Crow has, I believe, been shot on Mitcham 

 Common. 



The Rook is very plentiful indeed. 



The Red-legged Chough has been once killed on Mitcham 

 Common. This species makes its appearance inland rather 

 oftener than is generally supposed. On Salisbury Plain, they 

 are occasionally met with in the winter months, particularly 

 walking about the high roads. 



The Green Woodpecker is very rare in this part of Surrey, 

 but becomes common as we recede from London. Its rarity 

 is chiefly attributable to the gunners. 



The Pied Woodpecker is equally uncommon. In the fir 

 woods beyond Croydon, it is more numerous, as is, also, the 

 preceding species. 



The little Barred Woodpecker is the commonest of the 

 three in these parts ; still it is by no means very abundant. 

 It comes not unfrequently into gardens, close by human 

 abodes. 



The Wryneck is a very plentiful species. It is first heard, 

 generally, early in April ; but is occasionally shot several 

 weeks previously. For the beauty of its plumage, it is much 

 sought after by bird-stufFers from London, who decoy it to its 

 destruction by means of a mouth-whistle. Great numbers 

 are thus destroyed every season. It frequently selects for 

 the purpose of incubation the nest of a redstart of the pre- 

 ceding year; but occasionally lays on the bare sawdust-like 

 fragments of wood, at the bottom of a hole, in a stump of 

 willow. But few of the nests are found, considering the 

 abundance of the species, ^ 



The Cuckoo is moderately plentiful, and would be more so 

 were it not so much harassed by gunners. A little further 

 into the county, where it is comparatively unmolested, this 

 species is very common. It often arrives in the country 

 several weeks before its well-known cry is heard. Both its 

 notes are common to the two sexes. The egg is found in 

 a great variety of nests, both of granivorous and insectivorous 

 birds ; but, in the enclosed districts, it is most frequent in that 

 of the hedge dunnock, and not rare in the field-lark's; whilst, 

 on the open commons, the meadow pipit's and wagtail's nests 

 most usually receive it, and not unfrequently that of the 

 whitchat. Having spared no pains to investigate the economy 

 of this interesting bird, I am now enabled to speak with con- 

 fidence on most points on which I formerly was doubtful. 

 The species both arrives and departs in flocks ; though some 



