46 REPORTS OF SECTIONS 
2 ee 
hatched and the young thrived for about a week, but during 
a frost all perished. 
April 22. Redshank’s nest near Coombe Hill. The nest 
was just a hollow in the grass with a very few pieces of grass 
laid at the bottom. It was placed in a meadow in grass about 
six inches in height, which overhung the nest and almost hid 
the eggs from view. There were three eggs; their ground 
colour was of a creamy-green thickly spotted with dark brown, 
thickest on the larger end. The nest of this bird is very seldom 
found in this district. 
April 28. Visited the redshank’s nest again about 6.30 p.m., 
in the hopes of getting near enough to the bird to see it closely. 
The hen-bird was sitting, and the cock was very close at hand. 
They both took fright before I got within fifty yards of them. 
They flew round in a circle of about a quarter of a mile radius 
two or three times, continually making a piercing screech. 
They then disappeared. I again found the nest, which was not 
easy owing to the bad light. - There were now four eggs. 
April 29. Robin’s nest. The same pair whose young perished 
with the cold. I saw the hen-bird go into an outhouse in the 
same garden as before with a straw in her mouth; I looked for 
a nest, but could see no trace of one. I looked two days later 
and found a finished ‘nest, cn the third day there was one egg. 
They laid four eggs and hatched them all. 
May 6. Sand-martin’s nest. I found about six nests with 
eggs, all the nests were about an arm’s length back in the bank. 
of the Severn. They contained about an average of two eggs 
per nest. It was rather early for martins., 
May 7. Greater Whitethroat’s nest building in a bed of 
nettles at the side of the road. I found a second nest about 
twenty yards further along. The nests were from about nine 
inches to a foot off the ground. 
May 7. The plover fields at Coombe Hill were under water 
owing to the overflow of the Severn, The birds had all dis- 
appeared except about five or six pairs, which, more by luck 
than good management, had built their nests on higher ground 
than the rest, 
May to. Redstart’s nest in a hole in the side of an old 
