238 BRITISH BIRDS. 



but birds which nest in holes of -trees and in nesting- 

 boxes can be easily taken at dusk'Avhen on the nest or 

 at daytime when building. Some desert the nest, but 

 if quickly ringed and put back I find the majority do not 

 desert, neither do they if caught in the hole when feeding 

 young. Those that desert quickly build again. 



When it is necessary to remove a ring in order to 

 ascertain the number, insert the tip of a small penknife 

 at the junction of the two ends of the ring and turn the 

 knife through a right angle. Care should be taken not 

 to touch the leg of the bird with the knife. 



In many cases the number of the ring can be ascertained 

 by holding the ring up whilst on the leg so that the light 

 falls on the inside of the ring. 



I have already reported (Vol. III., p. 399) the case of 

 the ringed Swallow which returned to the place the year 

 after it was ringed, and the following records of birds 

 which I have caught and ringed and subsequently re- 

 captured may prove interesting : — 



Starling {S. vulgaris). — Nestling in a hole in a tree in 

 an orchard, ring No. 50, 22. v. 1908 ; caught on nest in 

 a nest-box in same orchard, 25. iv. 1910. 



Starling. — Nestling (one of eight) in a cherry tree, 

 ring No. 72, 22. v. 1908 ; picked up wounded at Berck 

 Plage, near Boulogne, France, 8, x. 1908. 



Starling. — Same brood as No. 72, ring No. 76, 



22. V. 1908 ; caught on nest in a nest-box one hundred 

 yards from birthplace, 26. iv. 1910. 



Starling. — Nestling (one of four), ring No. 241, 



23. v.. 1909 ; found dead a quarter of a mile away. 25. 

 vi. 1909. 



Starling. — Nestling, same brood as No. 241, ring 

 No. 243, 23. V. 1909 ; shot in a cherry tree eight miles 

 to the south, vii. 1909. 



Blue Tit {P. coeruleus). — Caught in a clap-net, ring No. 

 53, 9. ii. 1909 ; re-caught in a clap-net, 14. iii. 1909 ; 

 re-caught in a trap, 29. i. 10 ; re-caught in a trap, 28. ii. 

 1910. 



