4<56 Short Communications : — 



the business of incubation was going forward, the farmer's 

 sheep-shearing was accomplished, and the usual supper given 

 to the labourers in the kitchen ; but, notwithstanding the 

 confusion and smoke, the constant opening and closing the 

 door, the parent bird never moved from her nest. The hay- 

 making feast arrived when the young birds were hatched; 

 and again, amid the noise and confusion, the old swallows 

 unremittingly waited upon their offspring. The nestlings 

 took flight; but, until the period arrived for migration, they 

 constantly returned to the passage for the night. At the 

 beginning of the evening they perched on the edge of the 

 nest; and, as the night advanced, as if for additional warmth, 

 they sunk down into its interior. As the season advanced, 

 and they became full-feathered, they deserted the nest alto- 

 gether, and roosted on the bell wire. Here they perched 

 during the conviviality of the harvest supper, perfectly re- 

 gardless of the uproar ; and here I saw them perched for their 

 night's repose, when visiting Crux Easton, on an evening in 

 the middle of September. — A Friend of C. P.'s. Surrey, 

 March 6. 1833. 



By what harmless Means can Martins and Swallows be in- 

 duced to cease building and breeding in the Places in which 

 they have been long allowed to build and breed? — Sir, Lo- 

 cality appears to be so strong in the swallow, that you can 

 scarcely drive them away from an old establishment. Chi- 

 cherleyHall, Bucks, having, for several years, been neglected, 

 free opportunity has been given the birds to stick up some 

 hundreds of nests in a season under the cornice of the man- 

 sion. Last year I tried to scare them away by nets, feathers, 

 gas tar, destroying their nests, &c. ; and all to no purpose. 

 As I do not wish to kill the little creatures, yourself or some 

 of your readers would confer an obligation by informing me 

 how I am to drive them away. I am, Sir, yours, &c. — William 

 Whiddon, Gardener. Chicherley Hall, Bucks, Feb, 28. 1833. 



This query was contributed to the Gardener's Magazine, to 

 which work we hope some lover of swallows will enable us 

 to transfer a brief prescription for Mr. Whiddon's practising. 

 The swallows spoken of are, doubtless, of the window species, 

 that is, martins ; and the above remarks couple themselves 

 with those of R. Y., in p. 153., on the "pertinacious per- 

 severance of the martin in renewing its nest in one place." — 

 J.D. 



Amphibious Animals. — A Place chosen by Frogs for Shel- 

 ter through the Winter. — I found, last winter, several frogs 

 lying in holes in a bank by the roadside. They were buried 

 about 6 in. below the surface, and 3 ft. or 4 ft. from the level 



