250 The Irish Naturalist. October, 



Curious Nesting Site of Starlings. 



We have a number of Starlings {Siurnus vulgaris) nesting with us every 



year. As far as I have noted, up to this season they always chose the 



holes at the corners of the eaves to make their nests, which, according to 



Mr. Dresser in his " Pal tea re tic Birds" is a usual place, along with 



hollow trees, holes in walls, chimneys, clefts of rocks, or holes in the 



ground. But this year we omitted to cut the ivy on the house in the 



spring, and in consequence it grew very thickly; last summer I 



noticed a Starling bringing food into a clump above one of the windows 



but could not reach this nest. A week or two later another nest was 



discovered in a more accessible part of the wall, containing four fully 



fledged young birds. It was built on the ivy branches close to the 



wall, being composed of hay and a few leaves; it was not deep like that 



of a Thrush or Blackbird, and I should say measured about 10 inches 



across— it was in fact more of the style of a platform than a nest proper. 



We may here have the beginning of a nest-building instinct showing 



itself in a species which has of late years become so numerous with us, 



that its breeding members must find great difficulty in getting nesting 



accommodation in holes in walls and hollow trees. That birds adapt 



themselves to circumstances has been very clearly shown in Mr. 



Littler's interesting article on the reasoning power of birds {Zoologist, 



i903» P- 329) where he points out that the Lesser White-backed Magpie 



{Gyjunorhina hyperlmcd) of Tasmania used to build its nest of sticks, but 



as there are few trees in the country these soon got scarce ; it then took 



to the wire used by the reaping machine to tie the sheaves, but this 



machine has been superseded by one which uses cord, and the birds have 



to make the best shift they can. I am sure many instances of a like 



nature could be brought to light. 



W. H. Workman. 

 Belfast. 



Barrett-Hamilton's "British Mammals." 



Messrs. Gurney and Jackson have in preparation a new book on British 

 Mammals by Captain Barrett-Hamilton, who has devoted man}' years to 

 the practical study of the subject, and to an examination of its voluminous 

 literature. It will to some extent be based on the work of the late Pro- 

 fessor Thomas Bell, inasmuch as the popular and readable portions of 

 that classic volume will be retained, but it will also be thoroughly 

 scientific and up-to-date. The work will be illustrated by a series of 

 coloured plates and other illustrations. 



Convolvulus Hawk-moth in Co. Antrim. 



On September i a Sphinx convolviili was caught at Knocknacarry' 

 Co. Antrim. 



S. Arthur Brenan. 

 Cushendun, Co. Antrim. 



