18 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. vi. 



of the common Pied Wagtail. At intervals she darted down 

 from the branches to the nest, fed the young \\ith great rapidity 

 and disappeared amongst the foliage just bursting out on the 

 surrounding oaks and hazels. On the 22nd the young showed 

 slaty-grey feathers, on the 27th they showed a white super- 

 ciliary streak, and white gorgets. The female was still shy 

 about feeding her young. During my watching I did not see 

 the male carry any food to the nest. On April 29th the young 

 birds left the nest, and proceeded down stream with the female 

 bird, as observed by the woodman, who was still working near 

 the locality of the nest. H. W. Feilden. 



[A nest was found in the same district by Dr. C. B. Ticehurst 

 in 1906, and two other pairs of birds were seen. The nest 

 was photographed by N. F. Ticehurst, who had suspected 

 since 1896, when he saw Grey Wagtails in this district, that 

 they might breed there {Hastings and E. Sussex Nat., Vol. I., 

 pp. 60-2, and PI. VI. and VII. ; cf. also Brit. B., II., p. 376). 

 Colonel Feilden's observations are an interesting confirmation, 

 and it would appear that the Grey Wagtail breeds regularly in 

 this district. — ^Eds.] 



EARLY LAYING OF THE CUCKOO. 



The season of 1912 bids fair to produce many records of earlj^ 

 breeding. Mr. A. W. Johnson, of Bucklebury, Berkshire, 

 sends the following interesting particulars of a Cuckoo's egg 

 taken on April 29th, 1912, in Berkshire : " The Cuckoo's 

 egg was taken at 3.30 p.m. on April 29th from a nest of 

 Hedge-Accentor, built 4| ft. up in ivy growing over an old 

 stump. The Hedge-Accentor was on the nest when first 

 found that morning about 8 a.m., and the nest then contained 

 two of her eggs. In the afternoon the nest contained the 

 Cuckoo's egg alone ; the Hedge-Accentor's two eggs were 

 gone ! " 



Another Cuckoo's egg subsequently found by Mr. Johnson 

 was fully two-thirds advanced in incubation on May 11th, 

 and must therefore have been laid about May 2nd or 3rd. 



Authentic records of the laying of the Cuckoo in England 

 in April are so scarce, that Mr. Johnson's observations are of 

 great interest. F. C. R. Jourdain. 



LITTLE OWL BREEDING IN MIDDLESEX 



AND SUSSEX. 

 The Little Owl (Athene n. noctna) having in recent years spread 

 throughout Hertfordshire, it was only to be expected that it 

 would soon make its way into Middlesex. But, though its 

 presence in the Enfield neighbourhood has been reported to me 



