NOTES. 



75 



NEST OF A SONG-THRUSH IX A HEAP OF BRICKS AT 

 SKELMERSDALE, LANCS. 



BLACKBIRDS AND SONG-THRUSHES NESTING ON 

 THE GROUND. 



Every now and then instances of Blackbirds {Turdus merula) 

 and Song-Thrushes {T. musicus) nesting on the ground are 

 recorded as though this habit were something very unusual. 

 In the Wealden district of Kent and Sussex this habit is not 

 at all unusual and I have long been familiar with nests on the 

 ground in such situations as the sides of hedgerow-banks and 

 in the sides of ditches. Indeed, in this district such nests are 

 quite common. Another situation, which is also quite common, 

 is on the " stubs " in the coppice- woods, which abound all 

 over the Weald, and on which the nests are seldom raised more 

 than an inch or two from the ground-level and are often at 

 ground-level. Rather more favourable opportunities this 



