Correspondence, 163 



Birds that looked discontented if they did not get their usual allow- 



•ance of fruit are quite happy with this cabbage preparation. 



Hoddam Castle, lojifib. E. J. BROOK. 



FIELD AND AVICULTURAL NOTES. 



Sir,- The following rough notes may prove of interest- they refer 

 to birds within a fifty yards radius of the house. 



R( Jatarts. A pair have built in a nest-box fixed to a tree on 

 the front lawn, about fifteen yards from the front door. I looked at the 

 nest or May 2rst, and found it contained seven eggs, five of which hatched 

 out on the 26th. I took the two remaining eggs for my collection, which 

 I hav-; started since arrival here. 



Pied Flycatchers. -Ontt pair have built in a box I put up in an 

 apple tree in the orchard, about twenty yards from the back of the house. 

 Six eggs have been deposited therein— incubation commenced with the 

 laying of the sixth egg on May 27th. 



Another pair have built in a hole in the wall behind some ptgsties, 

 fifteen feet from the ground. This nest also contained six eggs, which 

 were quite fresh so I should think incubation must have only just com- 

 menced when I saw the nest on May 28th. 



y /Vs.— Several pairs of Great, and Blue Tits are nesting, mostly 

 in nest boxes, which have been put up for their convenience. 



In the hedge of one of my meadows a pair of Long-tailed Tits 



have nested and hatched out safely a few days ago. I found two more 



Long-tails' nests in a wood behind the house, both built in bramble 



bushes One contained eggs, the other almost fledged young. 



On7s.— Pairs of Brown and Barn Owls, and Kestrels are nesting 

 in the same wood. 



Lo/nmori i/Tf/V.^.— Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Thrushes, Blackbirds, 

 and many other of the commoner birds' nests are very numerous about 

 the g.iiden 



Woodpeckers : The Green Woodpeckers are very common and are 

 often t(j be seen around the house, though I have not vet sucireilcd \t\ 

 finding any of their nests. 



The Greater Spotted Woodpecker I have only seen on two occa- 

 sions so far ; one some months ago, and a pair last Monday in the wood 



