344 



Fear of the nettles caused the writer merely to skirt the 

 patch for some time, but after stings in the face, etc., he plunged 

 boldly in regardless of consequences; for man}- reasons the time 

 he spent there will never be forgotten as the following 

 indicates : — 



"There were nests everywliere : in some instances three or four built 

 "on top of one another, though in such cases only the upper one 

 •'appeared to be occupied. Tlie average lieight from the ground was 

 "between one and three feet, but many were seen that were ten and 

 " twelve feet up in the willows. Tliey were all built ahnost entirely of 

 "grass stems that had been freslily pulled, giving tlie nests a bright, 

 " o-ieen appearance. .Some of them had a few course brown weed stems 

 "woven into tlie framework, b\it in the majority no other material but 

 " o-rass was used, and none contained any lining. As the heads of the 

 " orass had not been detached, the tiests presented a ragged, fuzzy appear- 

 "ance. In size and shape tliey varied greatly, due no doubt to the different 

 "situations in which they were built. Many of the nests contained eggs, 

 "and it would be impossible for me to describe the wonderful variations in 

 "size, shape and colour; but the most common type was a blue ground 



"colour, with a few heavy (rust-colovu-ed) scrawls on the large end 



" Where the nettles were thickest nearly all the nests contained young 



"birds I made several attempts to count the nests after a few 



"attempts I gave up, and attempted to estimate the number of birds 

 "insi°ht, this again was hopele.ss and could only content myself with 

 "saving— There must be hundreds of them." 



The writer states that some of the features which will pre- 

 vent tliis nesting experience from being forgotten were not 

 pleasant ones— the heat was very great — mosquitoes numerous 

 and anv attempt to brush these away usually brought one's 

 .skin in contact with the nettles — this amply illustrates the 

 extent of the inconvenience and unpleasantness, etc., which 

 ornithologists, aviculturists, etc. are prepared to undergo in the 

 pursuit of new facts connected with their fascinating pursuit 

 or hobby. 



EkkaTUM: Page 314, third line from bottom for syrays 

 read sprays. Page 317, line 24 for Black-headed read Black- 

 backed. Pa<^e 317, line S from bottom for Lesterops read 

 Zosterops. Page 320, Post morteins, for Rock Rosa Parrakeet 

 read cock Rosa, etc. Page 320, Post mortems, line 2 from bottom, 

 for modular read nodnlar. 



post riDortem IRcports. 



{Vide Rules). 



Parson and Parrot Finches. (Charles H. Rowe). Cause of 

 death pneumonia, no doubt due to climatic changes. 



