FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 139 



Accipiter nisus (The Sparrow Hawk.) 



28 Feb. On Broadstone Golf Links we saw this bird with a 

 bird in its talons and noted that the prey was carried close 

 up under the body. 



On the other hand, on 26 April E.H.C. saw one carrying 

 a chaffinch, and it carried the prey with its (sc. the hawk's) 

 legs down. On June 2 E.H.C. saw A. nisus carrying a 

 young blackbird ; it broke out of a hedge with the prey in 

 its talons, but directly it started to fly fast it tucked the prey 

 up under its stomach. 



On 2 May whilst a cousin, who is an amateur photographer 

 but not a naturalist, w r as in charge of one camera in a bird 

 tent photographing Merula merula, a sparrow hawk took 

 two young out of the nest. 



We carefully covered the nest and fenced it with spruce 

 boughs intending the next day to try to get a photograph 

 of the hawk taking the remaining bird, but notwithstanding 

 our precautions he was up earlier than we were. We sub- 

 sequently found the remains of the young birds in the hawk's 

 larder (W.P.C. and E.H.C.). 

 Vanellus cristatus (The Lapwing). 



Two nests with eggs on 12 April at Wareham (W.P.C. and 

 E.H.C.). 

 Scolopax rusticola (The Woodcock). 



1 March, one flushed in Berewood by W.P.C. 8 March, 

 another flushed in Berewood. 



21 March, a bird flushed at Canford. 



On 22 March we again went to Berewood hoping this bird 

 might be nesting, but we saw none and the keepers told us 

 they had cleared off a week ago. (W.P.C. and E.H.C.). 

 Gallinago gallinago (The Common Snipe). 



At Berewood on 22 March. Two nests were found, one 

 with one egg and one with three, in very wet places. We 

 noted that the snipe do not always identify the patch of 

 rushes in which the nest is with absolutely certainty. 



Both the nests were deserted on 29th March, having 

 apparently been flooded out by the heavy rain of the week. 



