210 BRITISH BIRDS. 



with a friend, discovered a Long-tailed Titmouse's nest, 

 in which were thirteen eggs, and on which were then sitting 

 three old birds ; the fourth was seated in a neighbouring 



bush." J. WiGLESWORTH. 



GREAT TIT NESTING IN HEDGES. 

 During the last five years, near Croydon, Surrey, I have 

 frequently found nests entirely built by Great Tits {Parus 

 major), and containing eggs, in hawthorn hedges, on the edge 

 of a small copse. Nesting-holes are very scarce in the imme- 

 diate neighbourhood. C. W. Colthrup. 



TAWNY PIPIT IN NORFOLK. 



At a meeting of the British Ornithologists' Club, held on 

 October 19th {Bull. B.O.C., XXVIL, p. 16), 1 exhibited on 

 behalf of my friend, Mr. F. 1. Richards, an adult specimen 

 of the Ta^^^ly Piijit {Anthiis campestris) obtained by one of 

 his collectors in east Norfolk on September 15th, 1910. 



Clifford Borrer. 



BEHAVIOUR OF THE GREENFINCH AT THE 



NEST. 

 Regarding the further notes by Mr. C. Kingsley Siddall 

 on this subject {supra, p. 184), they are of great interest, 

 showing how birds of the same species vary in nesting-habits. 

 I think it worth noting that the young Greenfinches in the 

 case reported by me were fully feathered, and after placing 

 rings on them they refused to stay in the nest. It was owing 

 to the fact that I had never before seen this habit on the 

 part of the Greenfincli that I was induced to record it. 



So far as my experience goes the Chaffinch does not remove 

 the fceces at all. There is no doubt much yet to be learned by 

 observation of this habit, and I may perhaps give the following 

 list, which I have made this year whilst taking photographs 

 of young being fed. 



In the case of the following species the fceces were removed : 

 Lesser Whitethroat, Bullfinch, Wryneck, Tree-Pipit ; while 

 in the following the fceces were not removed : Chaffinch, 

 Greenfinch (except in one case, where they were swallowed), 

 Robin, Linnet, Blackbird, Song-Thrush, Mistle-Thrush, Turtle- 

 Dove, Spotted Flycatcher, Goldfinch, Red-backed Shrike. 



These are only a few examples, and no doubt the selection 

 of nesting-site would prove to be a matter of considerable 

 importance on the point. As an example we should expect 

 to find a bird nesting in a hole in a tree removing the fceces, 

 but we soon find an exception in the Owls. 



