ORNIXHOLOGICAL AND OXHER NOTES, 805 



rendering the death of the victim as painless, or, at any rate, its sufferings 

 of as short duration as possible. Even here, then, — here in this deed of 

 blood, may the hand of a merciful Providence be traced ; for had not the 

 operator been guided to a vital part in his attack, how prolonged might have 

 been the victim's sufferings. To what horrid mutilation might it not, while 

 still living and conscious, have been subjected. Truly is it said of God — 

 " His mercy is over all his works." 



Birds' nests occurring in August.— 1 never remember having met with such a 

 variety of nests, containing either eggs or young birds, in any previous 

 August as in that particular month in 1853. The following, without being 

 particularly sought after, were observed by me in my rambles in this imme- 

 diate neighbourhood. 



August 1st. Nest with three eggs of the Black-Headed Bunting (Em- 

 beriza schoeniclusj. These eggs, had I not seen the bird sitting upon them, 

 would have puzzled me a good deal in attempting to trace tlieir " pedigree ;" 

 for altliough "a strong family likeness" was plainly discernible among them- 

 selves, there was little or nothing about them to connect them with the 

 family to which they belonged ; there was an entire absence of the beautiful 

 flourishing streaks which characterize the eggs of the Buntings. They were 

 of a dark, dingy, snuffy, brown colour ; with here and tliere a round black 

 spot. 



Kest with five eggs, the fifth laid this morning, of the Tree Spari'ow. 

 (Passer montanus.) This nest was placed in a hole in a decayed limb of an 

 Elm, in which one, and sometimes two broods of these birds have been 

 annually produced for several years past ; and which I trust will continue to 

 be used as a " nursery " for this species for many years to come, in defiance 

 of the efforts of the Sparrow club established here, to annihilate the whole 

 race. 



Nest with young of the Common Bunting. (Emberiza miliaria.) 



Nest of the Land Rail, (Crex pratensis,) from which I saw the old bird and. 

 her newly-hatched young ones run, on accidentally stepping close to it, in 

 my walk across some meadow land near the river Isis. 



August 2nd. Nest with three eggs of the Reed Warbler. (Salicaria arun- 

 dinacea.) Ingeniously attached to, and supported by, the stems of reeds 

 growing in the Isis. 



August 3rd. Nest with five eggs of the Goldfinch. (Carduelis elegans.) 

 This is, the smallest, most compact, and most beautiful nest of this species 

 I have ever seen. Perfect and entu*e as it is, its weight is less the sixth part 

 of an ounce. It might very weU pass for a nest of one of the larger species 

 of Humming-Birds. 



Nest with young, just hatched, of the Meadow Pipit. (Anthus pratensis.) 



August 4th. Nest with fledged young of the Common Whitethroat. (Sylvia 

 cinerea.) On being disturbed, the occupants of the nest all scrambled out 



