BIRDS 



saw one of these beautiful birds running on 

 the roof of my house ; it was searching for 

 insects, and the contrast of its bright colours 

 against the slates was a pretty sight. 



41. Blue-headed Yellow Wagtail. Mota- 



cilla flava, Linn. 



Two of these birds were killed at one shot 

 on the side of the stream at Ollerton, by Hibbs 

 the naturalist, on 7 June 1892. 



42. Yellow Wagtail. Motacilla ra'ii (Bona- 



parte) 



This beautiful bird arrives in April in 

 numbers in suitable places ; it is plentiful in 

 the Trent valley. Nests have been found 

 several times in fields of tares, but they are 

 very hard to locate. 



43. Tree Pipit. Anthus trivia/is (Linn.) 



A regular spring migrant, and is found in 

 numbers in the big woods in north Notts. 



44. Meadow Pipit. Anthus prattnsis (Linn.) 

 Plentiful, and is often seen in sheep-pens 



in turnip fields. I saw a white specimen in 

 September 1888, and a cream-coloured one 

 was shot near Southwell. 



45. Golden Oriole. Orio/us galtu/a, Linn. 

 The late Mr. Lowe of Highfield House 



saw one of these beautiful birds in his grounds 

 several times in 1863. 



46. Great Grey Shrike. Lanius excubitor, 



Linn. 



A rare winter visitor, but seen from time 

 to time. I shot one when partridge driving 

 at Park Hall in 1877 ; and on 13 March 

 1901, when Mr. Aplin and I were driving 

 over the forest, we saw one near the Clip- 

 stone Road and had a good opportunity of 

 watching it. I have two others in my col- 

 lection shot near Nottingham ; all three are 

 the form with one bar (L. major, Pallas's 

 shrike). 



47. Red-backed Shrike. Lanius collurio y Linn. 

 A regular visitor to the southern parts of 



the county, but it is nowhere common ; not 

 so plentiful in the northern parts. A pair 

 nested in a garden at Blidworth in 1897, and 

 the year before, probably the same ones, in a 

 lane near that village. 



48. Woodchat Shrike. Lanius pomeranus, 



Sparrman. 



This rare bird has occurred once in Not- 

 tinghamshire, when a male was shot in May 

 1859 in Sherwood Forest near 'The Buck 

 Gates,' Thoresby Park, by Mr. H. Wells. 



49. Waxwing. Ampelis garrulus, Linn. 

 Now and again this handsome bird has oc- 

 curred. The late Captain Hall shot one at 

 Park Hall a good many years ago ; a few 

 have been obtained in the northern parts of 

 the county, several at Ossington in 1871, 

 and I saw one in the valley near Rainworth 

 in March 1883. 



50. Pied Flycatcher. Muscicapa atricapilla, 



Linn. 



A rare visitor. It is known to have nested 

 twice in the county, once in Birkland, and in 

 a hollow apple tree at Ramsdale in 1875. 

 Other occurrences are : one shot at Oxton, 

 two seen near Rainworth, one at Newstead 

 in May 1887, and also at Newark, Wellow 

 and Ollerton. 



51. Spotted Flycatcher. Muscicapa grisola, 



Linn. 



A common spring visitor and generally the 

 last to come. In 1902 it did not arrive till 

 23 May, which is the latest date I have ever 

 known ; in 1901 it was almost as late, viz. 

 22 May, but it started to nest at once and 

 had a nest and one egg in it on the 27th. 

 This migrant is so conspicuous in its habits 

 that its arrival is at once noticed. 



52. Swallow. Hirundo rustica, Linn. 



This charming summer bird arrives gener- 

 ally about 12 April and in varying numbers 

 all over the county. Some seasons it is more 

 numerous than in others. Several white, pied 

 and cream-coloured varieties have been shot. 



53. House Martin. Chelidon urbica (Linn.) 

 Not nearly so plentiful as the last species 



but fairly common, and is a useful bird ; the 

 quantity of flies consumed by a pair during 

 their visit to us must be enormous. 



54. Sand Martin. Cotile riparia (Linn.) 

 Rather local, and numerous where there 



are suitable nesting places ; there are several 

 large 'sand-martinries' in different parts of the 

 county. It breeds on the side of the Trent. 

 I have several varieties shot in Nottingham- 

 shire. 



55. Greenfinch. Ligurinus chlorls (Linn.) 

 Very common ; it is fond of hedgerows, 



and stubbles in autumn. I have a beautiful 

 variety with pale yellow wings, and another 

 of a cream colour ; both were shot near Not- 

 tingham. 



56. Hawfinch. Coccothraustes vulgarly Pallas. 

 This bird has increased very much in late 



years all over the county. I first came across 



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