Notes on the Birds of a Ballast Pit. 229 
deep cup-shaped nest neatly supported by three reed stems a foot 
or so above the water. 
feeetrom the end of October to the beginning of April, a 
characteristic bird is the Hooded or Grey Crow. He is onlya 
Winter visitor to Lincoln, but is much in evidence during his stay 
along the banks of the River Witham, on the look out for floating 
or stranded “ dainties,” and he appears to find in the neighbour- 
hood of the Ballast Pit a happy hunting ground. 
It is to be hoped that these few notes may prove of interest 
to our members. They are the result of casual visits on my part 
to the lake, so many of its visitors must have escaped my notice. 
I have however identified all the birds mentioned, through strong 
field glasses, and so am sure of my facts. I may here mention 
that the plumage of wild fowl varies so much according to age, 
sex, or season of the year, that the novice at bird observation 
must be very careful before he records the occurrence of a rare bird: 
seen at long range across the water. The adult males in full 
_ plumage are easily recognised, but a knowledge of the various 
marks of recognition anda strong pair of glasses are quite 
indispensable to one who wishes to record the birds when seen in 
the puzzling immature or transition stages. If there isany doubt 
_ the record is worse than useless. 
However incomplete these notes may be, I claim for them 
accuracy, and they do seem to present just a glimpse of our fen- 
haunting birds, though the true fens themselves have vanished for 
Bever. 
ALBINO HEDGEHOG NEAR LINCOLN. 
A fine specimen of the above form was killed at Skelling- 
thorpe, on August 12th, last, it is wholly white with the exception 
of the cross marking on the spines which are dark gray, the 
irides pink. 
It is now in the Lincs. County Museum. 
Joun F. Musuam, 
anuary 8th, 1909. Lincoln. 
