66 H. LEWIS — NOTES ON^ BIRDS 



found in his ivy containing 12 eggs, and another close by con- 

 taining 4 eggs. 



The Nightingale {DauUas luscinia). — This bird was first heard 

 on the 11th of April near Welwyn by that enthusiai>tic observer, 

 Mr. Buller, who writes: "I took a walk of eleven miles on purpose 

 to try and hear him." The late Mr. Frank Buckland wrote : 

 "The earliest place for nightingales is Welwyn in Hertfordshire, 

 where they arrive as early as the 10th of April." I have read 

 that the nightingale usually arrives in this country as early as 

 the fii'st week in April. Mr. Arthur Lewis heard the bird on the 

 isth, and this is about the usual date for it to be heard at St. 

 Albans. Should the weather prove favourable, the first month or 

 six weeks after their arrival is a very good time to hear their 

 unrivalled melody. Game-preserving doubtless favours many of 

 our warblers by the protection it affords them during incubation, 

 but Mr. Richard Jefferies states that a naturalist has recorded that 

 in a district he visited, the nightingales were always shot by the 

 keepers and their eggs smashed because the singing of these birds 

 at night disturbed the repose of the pheasants. It is interesting to 

 note that although, owing to the late spring, the buds in the hedge- 

 rows had hardly burst, affording little or no protection from the 

 bitter cold wind, the nightingale should still keep his appointed 

 time. 



The Maetin [Chelidon urbica). — This is a most agreeable and 

 sociable bird. It appears to take a deep interest in its neighbours' 

 welfare. It will visit its neighbours' nests and they will return 

 the compliment. The old ones as well as the young will frequently 

 toy and play in front of their nest. The bii'd is fond of singing in 

 its nest ; although not a loud songster it has a very agreeable 

 soothing sound as if it were rehearsing its song in secret. It 

 seldom passes or flies up to the nest without saying "tweet," 

 which we may translate into " sweet." The bird is equally polite 

 on leaving its nest. The martin is a harmless, innocent, and 

 useful little bird, and ought always to receive the protection it so 

 richly deserves ; for the number of insects destroyed by this species 

 alone in a single summer must be enormous. 



One of the chief features of interest in the bird-life of the year 

 which calls for remark is the protracted stay of the swallow 

 [Hirimdo rustica), martin {Chelidon urbica), and swift {Ci/jjselus 

 apus), reports on which have reached the office of the 'Field' news- 

 paper from numerous parts of the country. The paper states : "As to 

 the cause of the protracted stay of these birds beyond the usual time 

 of their departure, there is abundant room for speculation. Without 

 knowing more of the conditions under which the birds . . . were 

 observed, that is to say, the state of the weather, temperature, and 

 direction of the wind, it is perhaps hardly wise to express any 

 decided opinion on the subject, but we may hazard the conjecture 

 that their movements were to a great extent controlled by the 

 mildness of the late autumn, the unusual moistness of the air, and 

 the prolonged existence of insect life, affording a continuous supply 



