466 Short Communications : — 



of curiosity, to examine it again, when, to my astonishment, I 

 found the bird had not deserted the hole, she having laid six 

 eggs since : I took these away, and was obliged to keep them, 

 as I was only able to replace the nest by thrusting it up in 

 the inside of the tree as before, which I did. I again visited 

 the spot in the following week, and found that they had still 

 pertinaciously adhered to their domicile, having farther laid 

 four more eggs. I repeated the experiment, but, not having 

 an opportunity of visiting the tree until ten days afterwards, I 

 thought at the time that the nest was abandoned, and was not 

 undeceived until I had again withdrawn the nest, having taken 

 the precaution of endeavouring to frighten the old bird oflfj 

 should she be on the nest, which I found was the case, she 

 suffering me to pull the nest to the bottom of the tree, before 

 she attempted to escape : there were seven eggs, which were 

 slightly sat upon. What appears to me extraordinary is, 

 that the bird should suffer her nest to be disturbed Jive times^ 

 and the eggs (amounting altogether to twenty-two) to be taken 

 away at four different periods within the month, before she 

 finally abandoned the spot she had selected. After this the 

 pair quitted the garden, seeking, I presume, and, I trust, find- 

 ing, some more fortunate spot in which to rear their young. — 

 J. D. Salmon. Stoke Ferry, Norfolk, December 28. 1833. 



[This is the case referred to in p. 338. Mr. Blyth has 

 given, in the Field Naturalisf s Magazine for January, 1834, 

 ii. 50, 51., various facts on the habits of the wryneck. Ac- 

 cording to his experience, " it forms no nest, but lays its eggs 

 on the soft sawdust-like chips at the bottom of the hole."] 



The Habits of the Wheatear (MotacillaCEndnthe.)—'' One 

 most probable reason for the solitary habits of the wheatear is 

 the nature of its food ; for, living, as it seems to do, on the 

 few insects which frequent such places as the little heaps of 

 stones collected from the ridges of a corn field, it would be- 

 impossible for more than a pair of these birds to find subsist- 

 ence near one spot. The gregarious habits, again, of other 

 birds which feed on insects, depend on similar habits in the 

 peculiar insects to which they are partial," The observation 

 here given, I have found quoted from " Timers Telescope^^ for 

 1832 ; of which year the natural history is ascribed [V. 186.] 

 to Professor Rennie ; and it affords a proof of the necessity 

 of more extended enquiries, before we can venture to speak 

 with certainty of the natural habits of even the common birds 

 of our own country. The only specimens of this bird that are 

 ever found in corn fields, in Cornwall, are such as are not our 

 own residents, but which are engaged in travelling, with all 

 haste, to their summer homes. The time of this their spring 



