BIRD NOTES 163 



more, that he was always very careful after that of 

 handling Woodcock Owls ! 



In 1901 a young pair of Swifts discovered a hole 

 under the tiles of a comparatively new house near 

 my own. I believe they successfully reared young 

 ones. Returning in the spring of 1902, the couple 

 made for their old habitation, but found a pair of 

 saucy, defiant Sparrows in possession. Attempting 

 in ignorance to enter, the male bird found one of the 

 new lodgers at home, and he immediately came out 

 with the Sparrow fastened on to his neck. Together 

 they fell scuffling and squealing to the ground. A 

 friendly next-door neighbour, seeing the state of 

 things, put the Sparrow to flight, whilst the as- 

 tonished Swift, after one or two awkward attempts, 

 got again upon the wing. The rescuer settled 

 matters in favour of the Swifts by destroying the 

 Sparrows with a catapult. The Swifts remained for 

 that season, but for some unknown reason death, 

 perhaps did not return to the house in the following 

 spring. 



THE AVOCET 



The most exquisitely beautiful of all the wading 

 birds upon the Yarmouth list is, to my mind, the 



