FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 195 



evening I put up a bird tent to this nest and 

 strained it well with fir boughs ; but even then 

 the high winds caused it to flap, and I presume 

 that this made the birds desert as they did. 



Apr. 29 Having located another pair in Canford Bottom, 

 E.H.C. took advantage of its situation to try a 

 new and quicker method of finding the nest 

 than watching, which was successful. There 

 were four eggs, and incubation was only Just 

 commenced, judging from the appearance of 

 the eggs. 



Late in the evening W.P.C. and E.H.C. pitched 

 the bird tent about 30 yards from the nest. This 

 bird promptly deserted. 



Apr. 30 A female sitting in a fallow field near Badbury 

 Rings (W.P.C.). Seen by E.H.C. with young 

 on May 28. 



May 3 Put up a tent to a third nest at Canford, at 25 

 yards distance from the nest, just as dusk was 

 falling. 



May 6 Shifted tent right up to nest, as the bird was 

 evidently intending to sit, notwithstanding 

 the tent. 



May 7 Put up Trellis and 12in. Ross Homocentric to 

 this bird, which was sitting when we approached. 

 E.H.C. started work at 11 a.m. 

 At 11.45 W.P.C. returned to flush the bird, so as 

 to give E.H.C. a chance of getting a picture of 

 her leaving the nest ; but E.H.C. had given her 

 ten minutes to get used to the lens, so was not 

 ready. The habits at the nest gave little to 

 note ; but the result of our joint observation 

 is as follows. 



The male and female usually return together, 

 and the male takes up a point of vantage, and 

 the female runs to the nest halting every little 

 while and depressing her body and lifting her 



