VOL. VI.] NOTES. 255 



In July, of six nests three contained five young, two four, 

 and one only a single nestling. In August, of five nests 

 one contained five j^oung, three four, and one three, whilst 

 two nests visited in September contained three apiece. 

 Comparing 1912 with the three previous years shows the 

 following for north Lancashire : — ■ 



Although there seemed to be a slight increase in the number 

 of nests of House-Martins [Hirundo u. urbica) as compared 

 with 1911, the average brood was 2.5 as compared M'ith 

 3.22 in 1911, 3.25 in 1910, and 2.25 in 1909. 



H. W. Robinson. 



LATE SWIFTS. 

 A Swift {Apus a. apus) was seen flying about at Shrewsbury 

 on November 2nd, 7th and 9th, 1912, and two on the 5th. 

 The single bird was seen by a number of people, several of 

 whom are capable ornithologists, so that there is no possi- 

 bility of error as to the species. The occurrence is the more 

 remarkable since the bulk of the local Swifts left about the 

 last week of August, and I have no records at all through- 

 out September and October, 1912. H. E. Forrest. 

 [A Swift in November anywhere in the British Isles is 

 a rare occurrence, and although the birds above recorded 

 were dou^btless passage-migrants from further north, it must 

 be remarked that Swifts stayed rather later than usual in 

 many localities this year. Mr. H. W. Robinson writes us 

 that he saw a good many in Lancashire on September 11th ; 

 Mr. W. Evans noticed them in Edinburgh up to the same 

 date {Scot. Nat., 1912, p. 260) ; Mr. Nevm H. Foster records 

 {Irish Nat., 1912, p. 246) that one was still present at 

 Hillsborough, co. Down, Ireland, up to September 12th, and 

 he was told of a small party having been seen at Belfast up 

 to September 11th. One was seen on September 29th and 

 30th at Cullen, Banffshire, by Miss J. Gowan {Scot. Nat., 

 1912, p. 278). One was reported in the Field (9.XI.12, 

 p. 958) by Mr. L. J. Winter-Joyner as having been seen 

 flying over Ealing on October 31st, and there have been 

 other notes on the subject. In the Dove Valley, Derbyshire, 

 two were seen by Mr. J. Henderson on September 5th, 

 and the Rev. F. Jourdain saw one at Scarborough on 

 September 3rd. — Eds.] 



