VOL. X.] NOTES. 21 



suggested by Mr. Capek and Mr. Jourdain, that Cuckoos lay 

 two "clutches " each year, the egg found on May 14th would 

 be one of the first " clutch," while the second clutch would be 

 laid in June, when there are plenty of Reed- Warblers' nests. 



I may add that since writing the above Miss Jackson found 

 on May 18th another Reed-Warbler's nest with one egg and 

 saw two more Sedge-Warbler's nests with four eggs each. 

 Neither of them contained a Cuckoo's egg, nor did a Linnet's 

 and some Reed-Buntings' nests in the neighbourhood. I may 

 also add that Mr. Witherliy found a Reed-Warbler's nest with 

 four eggs on the adjoining Reservoir on May 21st — even that 

 being an early date for England. E. Hartert. 



BLACKBIRD FEIGNING INJURY. 



On May 9th, 1916, while I was walking along a road near 

 Riding Mill, Northumberland, a hen Blackbird (Turdus m. 

 meruJ(t) darted out at my feet as I approached a gorse bush. 

 I then saw a nest with four eggs low down in the gorse bush. 

 The Blackbird, however, did not fly away as is usual with this 

 bird, but stopped a short distance from me and fluttered 

 its wings. I thought at first that it might have been cramped 

 from sitting on its eggs, but as I approached, it spread one of 

 its wings and crawled away from me seemingly feigning 

 injury. It continued this performance till about twenty 

 yards from its nest and then flew suddenly away. As I have 

 not before seen any similar performance on the part of a 

 Blackbird, I think this may be worth recording. 



T. C. HOBBS. 



EARLY ARRIVAL OF SWIFT8. 



Swifts {Apus a. apus) have been reported from many quarters 

 as having arrived this year at earlier dates than usual. 

 Mr. A. Astley informs us that he saw a pair on April 23rd 

 at Lake Windermere, and Mr. H. E. Forrest tells us that 

 one was seen at Churchstoke, Shropshire, on April 22nd. 

 In southern England, Swifts were seen by many observers 

 on April 22nd and 23rd, and we note two still earlier dates, 

 viz., Exbridge, April 17th, and Christchurch, April 20th, 

 reported in the Field (29.4.'16, p. 669). 



SPOONBILLS IN DEVONSHIRE AND HAMPSHIRE. 



A Spoonbill (Platalea I. Uucorodia) has been noticed on the 

 Kingsbridge Estuary for the past month or more and is still 

 (April 24th, 1916) there, consorting with the Herons and 

 roosting with them each night in Hal well Wood. This 



