18 BRITISH BIRDS. 



the birds disappeared. On the eastern border of the county the 

 country is less hilly, but, though the Nightingale undoubtedly 

 occurs in Nottinghamshire, definite records from Derbyshire 

 are wanting, with the exception of Pilkington's statement in 

 1789, that it is sometimes seen on the north-east borders of the 

 county, particularly in the parish of Creswell, and Whitlock's 

 assertion that certain woods on the outlying portions of 

 Sherwood Forest are occasionally patronised. Recorded 

 occurrences at Winster in 1878 and Bakewell are almost 

 certainl}^ erroneous. 



Leicestershire. — The greater part of this county Ues low, 

 the only exception being part of Charn\^ood Forest, which is 

 over 700 feet above the sea. The Wolds north of Melton 

 Mowbra}^ and between it and Market Harborough, are 

 decidedly lower, and rarely exceed 600 feet. There is thus no 

 great natural obstacle to the general distribution of the species, 

 but it appears to be somewhat uncertain and irregular in its 

 appearance. Mr. H. S. Davenport says that he never knew 

 of any particular haunt in Leicestershire being frequented for 

 two years in succession. Miss N. Marsh, however, says that 

 they nest annually in Grimston Gorse, and are said to have done 

 so regularly for fifty years or more. This seems, however, 

 to be an exceptional case, and speaking general^, the bird 

 seems to be commonest in the valley of the Soar, along the 

 Nottinghamshire border, where the ground falls away towards 

 the Trent valley and towards the south-east of the county. 

 On the western side records are practically absent. Possibly 

 the fact that so many notes of its appearance come from the 

 Leicester and Loughborough districts may be due to the 

 presence of observers rather than birds, and it is apparently 

 most numerous in the north-east, where it is reported as very 

 common in the Belvoir Woods (Miss Marsh), while Mr. R. C. 

 Seechem finds it plentiful near Croxton Ke\Tia], and adds that 

 he knows of five places where they nest close to the village. 

 Mr. M. Browne also quotes Mr. Ingram as recording it breeding 

 at Barkstone, the Kennel Woods and Calcraft Bushes in the 

 Belvoir district. In the Soar vaUey it is not uncommon 

 locally, and Mr. G. Frisby estimates that as a rule there are 

 from twelve to twenty nests within a three or four mile radius 

 of Quorn. Babington recorded it from Leicester, Rothley, 

 Wanlip, etc. ; Harley from Loughborough, Whetstone Gorse, 

 as well as Groby, Martinshaw, Braunstone, and Wistow. 

 Mr. G. H. Storer reports it from Leicester, Braunstone, and 

 Kirby Muxloe. In other parts of the county it seems to be 

 decidedly scarce, though Mr. Davenport met with four pairs 



