518 Short Communications : — 



dry weather the windows of some of the upper rooms in his 

 house were seldom closed. A robin took advantage of this 

 circumstance to pry into one of the apartments, one which 

 was seldom used, and, finding no opposition here, she began 

 to build her nest in a festoon of the bed. It happened that, 

 during the time of sitting, the gentleman's son came from 

 school on a visit, and the bed was wanted ; but this did not in 

 the slightest degree disconcert the robin ; she seemed not in 

 the least afraid, kept possession of her nest, and successfully 

 reared her brood. The family, of course, felt interested in the 

 bird's fate, and therefore as little disturbance as possible was 

 given ; but one would have imagined that the mere fact of a 

 person bringing a candle into the room, dressing and un- 

 dressing, would have been sufficient to have effectually driven 

 the creature away. — William Fowler, 49. Poland Street, 

 May! 5, 18S4. 



The Mountain Sparrow (Pyrgita montdna) has been re- 

 peatedly shot here this winter. — J, G. Leocden, near Col- 

 chester, Essex, 1834. 



A Pair of the Greater Titmouse [Pdrus major) has built in 

 a Pump (VI. 34. notes * and f ) ; exhibited seeming Foresight 

 there (V. 660, 661.) ; and has had, there, a Nest of Young and 

 a Nest of Eggs at the same Time. — A pair of this species occu- 

 pied, last summer (1833), for the purpose of incubation, a 

 pump standing in my yard. Their nests were placed between 

 the barrel and the outside casing, and, as the pump was not 

 in use during the summer, the birds were very rarely disturbed. 

 The edges of the nests being on a level with the rim of the 

 barrel of the pump, these little birds exhibited a degree of 

 foresight equivalent to that which is related of a pair of this 

 species in V. 660, 661., by filling the barrel with a mixture of 

 moss, hair, &c., to prevent, no doubt, their young from pre- 

 cipitating themselves into it. Some time previous to the first 

 brood being able to fly, in fact, only a few days after they were 

 hatched, the old birds commenced building a second nest on 

 the opposite side ; in which, in due time, were deposited nine 

 beautiful eggs, on which the female began to sit a day or two 

 previous to the other brood leaving their domicile. From 

 daily observation, I found that there was always an additional 

 egg deposited early each morning, and although I often visited 

 the old bird during the period of incubation, still she never 

 offered to leave her nest, but merely puffed herself out, and 

 exhibited every appearance of great irritation. This is the 

 first instance of a pair of birds having a brood of young 

 ones, and a nest of eggs at the same time, which has come 

 under my observation, except the instances of this in the do- 



