HEDGE ACCENTOR. 



99 



Further observations indicate that in the years 1892, 

 1894, and 1898 great numbers were noted on migration. 



From the above records it is to be inferred that the move- 

 ments of this species, both as regards numbers and constancy, 

 are somewhat irregular ; it is possible, however, that on 

 some occasions this unobtrusive bird may escape observation ; 

 but that it varies considerably numerically is beyond question. 

 A return passage is sometimes observed in March. 



The ordinary period of nidification in Yorkshire usually 

 •commences early in April, and the young are hatched before 

 the end of that month. Instances are recorded of the nest 

 and eggs being found in December and January, the earliest 

 being on the 12th December 1879, ^^^.r Stokesley, as noted 

 by Mr. H. Kerr. A nest at Beverley {Zool. 1863, p. 8445), 

 contained four eggs on 4th January 1863. Mr. W. Eagle 

 Clarke has found eggs on the 15th of March, and a nest with 

 €ggs on the point of hatching on the 7th of April came under 

 his notice. There are also other instances in which singularly 

 early nests have been found in exceptionally mild seasons. 

 Although four to five is the usual number of eggs, Mr. Baldwin 

 Young sia.tes (in lit f.) it only lays three to four in his district 

 (Richmond Park, Sheffield), five very rarely. In the spring 

 of 1886 a nest with three partly incubated eggs was found 

 at Masham, the paucity of numbers being attributed to the 

 inclement weather. Mr. J. Ranson {Zool. 1864, p. 9036), 

 states that he took eighteen eggs from a Hedge Sparrow's 

 nest, by one at a time, always leaving a nest egg, and then 

 the nest was destroyed. An unusual locale for a colony, 

 if it may be so termed, of Hedge Sparrows, is amongst stacks 

 of pig-iron at Connel's Stores, Middlesbrough. There several 

 pairs of birds are established and nest in security. Colourless 

 examples of the eggs have occasionally been noticed. 



Pale rufous varieties of the bird are on record, as observed 

 or captured in the county {op. cit. 1865, p. 9491 ; 1866, p. 29 ; 

 1877, p. 256). In the Leeds Museum is included an albino 

 specimen, found near that town in the winter of 1884 or 1885, 

 and the late J. Varley possessed an entirely black example 

 obtained at Almondbury Bank, near Huddersfield, on 14th 



