124 The Irish Naturalist. November, 



Yellow-Hammer. — I have dealt with this bird before 

 (supra, vol. xxx., p. 9). Several years' observation gives 

 the following. First song generally near end of February. 

 Normal early clutches laid up in second week of May. 

 Practically no song in May except from unmated birds. 

 A recrudescence early in June. Much song in the rest of 

 June and July and does not end till the middle of August. 



To return to my theories (p. 117). As to (i) and (2) I 

 have already referred to them above and in previous articles. 

 1 shall not labour as to how far they are supported by my 

 notes herein. The Blackbirds are evidently a difficulty. 

 I have also dealt previously with (3) and given many 

 examples. No. (4) will be noticed to emerge clearly from 

 my notes in regard to Chaffinch, Yellow-Hammer, Hedge- 

 Sparrow, Greenfinch, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Grass- 

 hopper Warbler, Willow-Wren, Skylark (?) and perhaps 

 Blackbird. I cannot be clear how far it applies, if at all, 

 to Song Thrush. Its case seems complicated by immigrants. 



As an example of No. 5, Greenfinches, Yellow-Hammers 

 and Ring-Do ves are our latest in breeding here as they are 

 in singing. The regular song period with a number of 

 common species lasts much later in England than here, 

 and they also evidently have more broods than here. So 

 that our song towards its termination seems to be in 

 connection with a potential brood which never comes off. 

 I cannot speak for English nests except roughly from 

 books ; but the Song-Thrush, Missel-Thrush, and Blackbird 

 appear to continue broods fully a month later than here, 

 and the Hedge-Sparrow and Chaffinch a fortnight later. 

 This corresponds wdth what observers in the south half of 

 England show me about song, namely, that the regular 

 song of Blackbird, Hedge-Sparrow, Song-Thrush (and Green- 

 finch) continues at least a month later, and also I think 

 the Missel-Thrush. And the Chaffinch sings, perhaps, a 

 fortnight later. (As to beginning earlier, the Song-Thrush, 

 Missel-Thrush, Blackbird, and Hedge-Sparrow appear by 

 the books to begin broods earlier in England by about 

 three weeks). 



