SONG-PERIODS OF BIRDS. 277 



Grebes. 



We have never heard the Great Crested Grebe utter any 

 song : the bi-sexual display is generally j^erformed in silence. 

 The Dabchick {Podicipes fluviatilis) has a loud song, uttered 

 by botli sexes t ; it sings chiefly in March, April and May, 

 but also up to August and in many of the winter months. 



We have a few additions to make to the list of Passerine 

 birds given in the previous article ; these, we believe, comj)lete 

 tlie species singmg in our district. 



Whinchat {Pmtincola rubeira). — From arrival to the end 

 of June. 



Dartford Warbler (Sylvia ii. darffordiensis*). — Our 

 observations on this species are not sufficient for us to state 

 its period with precision : we have heard it in late autumn 

 as well as in spring. 



Grasshopper- Warbler [Locustella noevia). — From arrival 

 to the middle of July. 



Grey Wagtail {Motacilla melanope). — We have heard it 

 in April at its nesting-station at Tunbridge Wells, and in 

 October at Reading and Cambridge. 



Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa grisola). — From soon 

 after its arrival to the middle of June, but never regularly. 



Hawfinch {Coccothraustes viUgaris). — March, April and 

 May. 



House-Sparrow {Passer domesticus) . — We presume that 

 the more lively chirps of this species constitute a song, but 

 we have no notes as to its period. f 



Tree-Sparrow (P. montanus). — Local in our district, and 

 we have only isolated observations. 



Lesser Redpoll [Linota rufescens). — The breeding in- 

 dividuals sing from their arrival in March to the middle of 

 August, and again from the middle of September to their 

 departure in early October ; sometimes when the winter 

 birds are numerous they sing a little in December and January. 



Bullfinch {Pyrrhula e. pileata*). — Appears to sing most 

 in spring ; we have also heard it in June, July, August and 

 December. 



Crossbill {Loxia c. curvirostra). — In 1910 we heard it 

 from the middle of March to the latter part of April. 



We have also a few corrections to make to the song-periods 

 given in the article in Vol. I. 



+ See E. Selous, Bird-life Glimpses. 

 X See F. J. Stubbs, Vol. III., p. 155. 



