VOL. VI.] NOTES. 69 



THE 1912 'WRECK" OF THE LITTLE AUK. 



Dr. Blackmore, of Salisbury, tells me (May 26th) that a man 

 brought him a Little Auk alive, from Winterbourne, " two 

 or three months ago." Presumably this was pai-t of the 

 "Wreck." G. B. Hony. 



MOOR-HENS' NESTS SCREENED WITH 

 "DOMES" OF REEDS. 

 Although the Moor-Hen {Gallinula c. chloropus) often builds 

 a nest in a most exposed position, this is not always the case. 

 I have noticed in the neighbourhood of Felsted, Essex, that 

 when one builds in the j uncus rushes, it does all it can to screen 

 the nest from observation. Such a nest is made of the usual 

 materials in the thickest part of the rushes, and about a foot 

 above the Avater. It is quite invisible then as a rule to a 

 passer-by, but to screen it from above the bird bends down 

 the rushes so as to make a sort of dome over the nest. This 

 I think is very effectual in hiding the nest from other birds. 



as I have never seen the eggs in such a nest sucked, but it is 

 almost needless to say that the dome at once attracts the 

 attention of any bird-nester. This year such nests are very 

 common where these rushes grow in the Chelmer. 



J. H. Owen. 



