92 THE BIRDS OF KENT 



the Robin, is one of our most familiar birds. In severe 

 weather it comes to the home of man, seeking its food up 

 to the door, searching everything that is thrown from the 

 kitchen for dainty morsels. 



It is one of the earliest breeders, like the Eobin. A 

 nest was found at Edenbridge with four eggs on February 

 4, 1906. Another was observed at Bilsington on April 23, 

 with four eggs in it, but the weather became very severe, 

 and it was deserted after the eggs were hard set. The 

 majority of the nests are not built until the early part of 

 May, one was seen on the 18th, then they became very 

 numerous. Dr. A. G. Butler found nests at Sitting- 

 bourne on May 24 and 27, and at Barming on June 8. 



The Hedge-Sparrow does not appear to be a migratory 

 species ; they do not diminish in numbers during the 

 hardest winters. 



Genus MIMUS, Boie. 

 NOETHEEN MOCKING-BIED. 



Mimus polyglottus (Linnaeus). S.N., i., p. 293 

 (1766). 



The only occurrence of this species in Kent is recorded 

 by Mr. W. H. Cordeaux in the Zoologist, 1851, as follows : 

 " About August 19 (1851) a fine specimen of this bird 

 was killed on a farm near Ash ford." 



This, like the Migratory Thrush, was no doubt an 

 escaped bird from a vessel or an aviary. 



