G2 HUrriSII HIKDS. [vol. VI. 



We released this young one, as I am curious to see whether 

 they will nest next year or not. The old birds wei'e much 

 portuibed by our chase of theii- young one, and followed us 

 the whole time. They were both (juite noinially plumaged 

 birds. M. Harris. 



PIED FLYCATCHER IN LEICESTERSHIRE. 



The Pied Flycatcher [Miiscica'pa h. hypoleiica) being so very 

 rarely recorded in Leicestershire, it may be of interest to note 

 that on April 28th and 29th, 1912, one (a fine male) was in 

 the Grove of the Rectory grounds at Burbage, neai- Hincklej', 

 Avhere I watched it for some time on both days, but have not 

 seen it since. Stephen H. Pilgrim. 



LESSER WHITETHROAT IN MERIONETH. 



On May 20th, 1912, I heard a Lesser Whitethroat {Sylvia c. 

 curnica) singing at Dolgelly near the railway. It Avas evidently 

 nesting, as the bird was still in the same spot Avhen I passed 

 again in the evening. In this part of Merionethshire it seems 

 decidedly rare, for during a stay of three weeks in this district 

 this was the only one I heard. According to Mr. H. E. 

 Forrest's Vertebrate Fawia of North Wales, the records for this 

 species in western Merioneth are practically nil. 



S. G. CUMMINGS. 



HOOPOE IN DERBYSHIRE. 



Mr. James Drury sends me a note on the occurrence of the 

 Hoopoe {Upupa e. epops) near Chesterfield. The specimen 

 was too badly shot for the sex to be distinguishable. It was 

 received on October 6th, 1911. 



Several records of the appearance of the species in September 

 and October 1911 on the Shetlands and the east coast of 

 Scotland are quoted in Vol. V., p. 201. The records for 

 Merioneth and Shropshire in August (p. 167) may refer to a 

 different migration. F. C. R. Jourdain. 



BREEDING-HABITS OF THE CUCKOO. 

 On May 19th, 1912, I found the nest of a Hedge-Sparrow 

 [Prunella m. occidentalis) containing three eggs. That after- 

 noon a friend and myself watched a Cuckoo {Cucuhis c. canorus) 

 which we surmised wished to lay, for fully half an hour on 

 the clipped ornamental yew-hedge in which the nest was 

 built. It hoi^ped a few paces at long intervals, always 

 approaching the nest, and after each journey stood \Aith wings 

 half extended doAATiwards and made a careful survey of all 

 the fence near it. In doing so it constantlv stretched out its 



