SONG-PERIODS OF BIRDS. 275 



Willow-Tit {P. a. kleinschmidti*). — See Vol. IV., p. 147. 



Blue Tit {P. c. obsctirus*). — There are two varieties of 

 the song : — (1) A shrill note, repeated three times and followed 

 by a trill ; (2) the same shrill note two or three times, followed 

 by a lower note twice. Period. Almost the same as that of 

 the Great Tit, but it sings rather more in August and less in 

 September and October than that species. 



Nuthatch (Sitta e. britannica*). — The song is a very loud 

 bubbling note, repeated rapidly so as to form a trill. Period. 

 Rarely in August and September ; frequently from the end 

 of January to the beginning of May. We have also records 

 during mild spells in the other winter months. 



Starling, Jay and Magpie. 



Starling {Sturnus vulgaris). — Period. Occasionally in the 

 second half of July, regularly from early August to the 

 beginning of May, and occasionally on to early June. 



Jay {Garrulus g. rufitergum*). — A low warble, only audible 

 at a short distance. 



Magpie {Pica rustica). — A confused chattering. We have 

 not enough observations to state the period for either of these 

 species. 



Non-Passerine Orders. 



Of the remaining orders of birds which breed in our neigh- 

 bourhood we know of no songs among the Owls, Hawks, 

 Herons or Gulls. 



Probably the screech of the Swift and the " churr " of 

 the Nightjar must be considered as songs ; with the possible 

 exception of the Magpie, the Swift is the only species we 

 know which makes any attemjDt at singing in concert. The 

 Swift and the Nightjar both sing almost throughout their 

 stay at their nesting-j^laces, unless the Aveather is unfavour- 

 able. 



Woodpeckers. 



The Wryneck and all three Woodpeckers have a cry 

 composed of a single note repeated a number of times, but 

 it does not seem to have the same function in all these species. 

 In the Wryneck {lynx torqiiilla) there is no doubt that it 

 is a song ; it is uttered from the arrival of the bird to early 

 June, and occasionally to the middle of July ; after the young 

 are out a harsh rattle is often made. The corresj)onding note 

 of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker {Dendrocopus m. 

 comminutus*) is perhaps now used as a call simply, being 

 replaced as a song by the drumming, but we have not heard 



