104 THE BIRDS OF KENT 



forests, woods and orchards, and in such places it may 

 be found nearly always in pairs, never, or very rarely, 

 taking to the more open districts. It used to nest in the 

 large trees in Mereworth Walk, and it has been observed 

 in Broadwater Forest, near Tunbridge Wells. According 

 to Mr. H. Lamb, it is found in the old orchards near 

 Maidstone, and Mr. H. Elgar obtained specimens at 

 West Farleigh. Captain J. D. Cameron adds it to the 

 birds of Bethersden, and the Rev. C. H. Fielding includes 

 it among the resident birds of the Mailing Valley. In 

 the Orlestone district it is rare, according to Mr. R. 

 T. Filmer. It usually visits the cherry orchards at Ham 

 Street during the winter. A pair have nested in a wild 

 cherry-tree in Bourne Wood for several years. 



The following notes are taken from the Zoologist, 1857, 

 written by Captain H. W. Hadfield, of Tonbridge : 

 April 8, 1857. " Descried a female Kuthatch in a lofty 

 oak tree ; it was seemingly engaged in enlarging a hole, 

 or opening, in one of the branches, possibly with a view 

 to constructing a nest, for so intent was it upon the 

 work, that it allowed me not only to approach the tree, 

 but to explode two or three percussion caps before I 

 could discharge the gun, and when it did take wing I 

 was not long in discovering it again, being attracted to 

 the spot by the loud tapping sound it made with its bill, 

 which might probably have been heard at the distance 

 of fifty yards or more. April 9 : I observed two Nut- 

 hatches fly across the road and alight suddenly on some 

 high trees ; I followed them up, and shot one, which 

 proved to be a handsome male bird ; subsequently shoot- 

 ing the female. The male, although a stouter and 

 heavier bird than the female, does not much exceed it 

 in length, although the bill is stronger and about a tenth 



