BRIT^nDIRDS 



EDITED BY H. F. WITHERBY, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 



assisted by 



Eev. F. C. R. Jourdain, m.a., m.b.o.u., and JSTorman F. 



ticehurst, m.a., f.e.c.s., m.b.o.u. 



Contents of Number 1, Vol. TV. June 1, 1910. 



PAGE 



The Courtship of the Mallard and other Ducks, by H. Wormald 2 



The Bird-Watcher's Guide, by F. B. Kirkman . . . . . . 8 



On a Curious Horn-like Excrescence on a Lapwing, by C. B. 



Ticehurst, m.a., b.c, m.b.c.s., m.b.o.u. . . . . . . 14 



Notes : — 



Rapid Nest-building by a Robin (W. S. Medlicott) . . . . 17 



Dartford Warblers Nesting in Heather (H. Bentham) . . 17 



Nuthatch in Anglesey (H. E. Forrest) . . . . . . . . 17 



Early Breeding of the Greenfinch (C. Kingslej' Siddall) . . 18 



Greenfinches Feeding on Cotoneaster Berries (W. I. Beaumont) 18 



White Wagtail in co. Wexford (H. F. Witherby) . . . . 18 



Grey Wagtail Nesting in Kent (Miss E. L. Turner) . . . . 18 



Late Stay of the Brambling (W. S. Medlicott) 20 



Crossbills Nesting in England : — 



In Berkshire (A. S. Tomlinson) . . . . . . . . 20 



„ Hampshire (R. E. Coles and Sir Thomas H. C. 



Troubridge, Bart.) 20 



„ Kent (E. G. B. Meade-Waldo and C. F. Stedman). . 21 



„ Norfolk (N. Tracey) 22 



,, Sussex (Robt. Morris). . .. .. .. .. 22 



Irruption of Crossbills . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 



Birds Feeding on Fir-Cones (Miss E. L. Turner and 



Charles F. Archibald) 22 



Mouth-Coloration of the Yellow Bunting (J. M. Dewar) . . 23 



Nutcracker in Sussex (J. B. Nichols) . . . . . . . . 23 



Hoopoe in Nottinghamshire (Henry J. Pearson) . . . . 24 



Unusual Nesting-Site of the Tawny Owl (E. A. Wallis) . . 24 

 White-breasted Variety of the Common Cormorant (D. 



Macdonald and Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain) . . . . . . 25 



Migration of Scoters and other Ducks (C. B. Ticehurst) . . 26 



Black Terns in Oxfordshire (A. Ritchie) 26 



Black-throated Diver in Carnarvonshire (R. W. Jones) . . 26 



Birds in Norfolk in 1909 (H.F.W.) 27 



Birds liberated on the Scilly Islands (D. Seth-Smith) . . 28 



Short Notes : — Incubation and Fledging Periods in Birds. 

 Remains of Birds in an Irish Cave. Albinistic Varieties. 

 Chiffchaff in Sussex in Winter. White Wagtail Nesting on Fair 

 Isle. Starlings Eating Wheat. Ceremonial Gatherings of 

 the Magpie. Greenland Falcons in Ireland and Scotland. 

 Scottish Heronries. Scottish Records of the American 

 Bittern. Geese in Fair Isle. Moult of Great Bustard and 

 Notes on Birds in Captivity. Grey Phalaropes in Fair Isle 

 in Winter. Breeding habits of Common Terns and Black- 

 headed Gulls 29 



