NATURAL HISTORY OBSERVATIONS FROM BURTON BRIDGE 69 
by the Midland Hay Wharf, also on the posts and iron stanchions in 
the same vicinity. Its hunting place was mainly the shallow edge of 
the scour, and one could often see it swoop and bring up small fish ; 
sometimes it flew over to the bushes near the sand-spit on the 
opposite shore. One of the most interesting things this last autumn 
was to see the parent swallows feeding the young birds which were 
sitting on the wooden fence rails on the river bank, opposite the 
Leander boat-house. The old birds made great circular flights over 
the meadow, skimming from four to eight feet above the ground, and 
never pausing till after covering hundreds of yards, and, I suppose, 
picking up flies all the time. They darted up to their expectant 
offspring on the fence, and rapidly delivered something from their 
beaks into the ready mouth presented to them, and then off again, 
like the wind, to get a fresh supply. I watched this most interest- 
ing procedure for quite along time. Since penning the above notes, 
I have frequently seen the Kingfisher again, indeed, it has attracted 
very general attention. The Starlings have been enjoying a great time 
the last few days, picking about in the grass as the flood subsides, and 
they have been accompanied by other birds, including a beautiful Pied 
Wagtail, in fine plumage. A day or two ago a velvety brown water- 
rat, of very large size, was nibbling the grass on a little spit of land 
just above Mr. Lynam’s cut. He had probably been driven out of 
his house by the “spring cleaning” of river water. A small boy went 
for a stone, but he was easily persuaded to let the animal have a 
further chance of getting some enjoyment out of life. 
From the Recreation Grounds the other day some of us saw a 
Rook leave a wooden fence on which it was perching, and swoop 
down upon the river fetching out some object which was floating 
down. The behaviour seemed unusual but we could not see what 
the object was. It is to be wished that more people had had a 
chance of seeing the Otter alive which was so recently killed near 
the Trent Bridge. 
I trust that these few notes may stimulate observation in some 
who do not commonly exercise it in the direction indicated, and so 
bring a little fresh interest into their daily walk. 
Gage” 
