NOTES. 311 



familiaris). This bird was shot at Hythe, Kent, on July 15th, 

 1907, and Mr. Nichols has very kindly allowed me to examine 

 it and compare it with specimens of A. g. syriacus, kindly 

 lent to me by Dr. Hartert. I find that this bird also is clearly 

 of this form, and is much browner and darker than specimens 

 of A. g. familiaris from Persia in my collection. The Grey- 

 backed Warbler must thus come off the British list and be 

 replaced by the Brown-backed Warbler {A. g. syriacus) 

 represented by these two specimens. H. F. Witherby. 



ON THE NESTING OF THE TREE-SPARROW. 



In February, 1910, I had some nesting-boxes made — de- 

 signedly for the use of Tits — and put them up in an orchard, 

 about eiglit miles from Norwich. The commonness of the 

 Tree-Sparrow {Passer montanus) in this particular district 

 caused me some misgivings as to their ultimate success, so 

 far as the encouragement of Tits went ; and these mis- 

 givings were fully jastified. Out of seven boxes, one remained 

 emiDty, one was successfully occupied by a pair of Nuthatches, 

 whilst Tree-Sparrows obtained possession of the remaining five. 

 As the observations made upon these five boxes are not, I 

 think, without some slight points of interest as regards the 

 nesting-habits of this bird, I am venturing to give them in 

 diary-form. The points of interest to which I allude are : — 



1. The long interval of time between the building of the 

 nest and the laying of the eggs. 



2. The fact, which I have never myself seen definitely stated, 

 of the light-coloured egg in the clutch being the last egg laid. 



3. The success displayed in ejecting other birds from their 

 selected nesting-site. 



Box 1. March 16th. — Half-finished Tree-Sparrow's nest 

 in box. March 2&t\\. — Nest added to. April Qt\\. — Apparently 

 finished ; copious lining of feathers. April 21st. — Nest 

 empty ; pei-haps still more feathers added. April 26th- 

 May 9th.— No change; still empty. May 20th.— Three 

 eggs (ordinary type). May 21st. — Four eggs (ordinary type). 

 May 22nd. — Five eggs (one light one). 



Box 2. April 6th.— Empty. April 26th. —Half -built 

 Tree-Sparrow's nest. May 3rd.— Nest finished; large 

 quantity of feathers. May 9th-15th.— Unchanged ; nest 

 empty. May 20th.— Four eggs (ordinary type) . May 22nd— 

 Five eggs (one light one). 



Box 3. March 16th.— Half -built Tree-Sparrow's nest. 

 March 26th. — Nest apparently almost finished. April 6th. — 

 Nest finished; plenty of feathers. April 21st.— Nest still 



