BIRDS 



on the branches of small willows near the shore. He 

 also remarks that this species covers its eggs with wet, 

 green weed when leaving the nest, as recorded of the 

 great-crested grebe. With regard to this habit of 

 both grebes I would remark that although various 

 authors assert that this is done to assist the maturing 

 of the eggs, as a kind of hot-bed, yet 1 would suggest 

 that, taking into consideration the fact that the eggs 

 of both birds when first laid are of a dazzling white, 

 it is much more probable that instinct has taught the 

 birds to cover up such conspicuous objects from the 

 prying eyes of carrion crows and other birds which, 

 as is well known, harry the nests. Very soon, by this 

 covering-up process, the eggs become of the same 

 ground colour as those of the moorhen and coot, a 

 colour not so likely to attract the keen eyes of 

 marauders. Mr. W. J. Horn writes in 1907 : 

 ' Breeds at Saddington Reservoir. I Jan., 1897, one 

 seen on the floods at Narborough ; 28 April, 1900, 

 one seen on Saddington Reservoir; 7 June, 1902, 

 several seen on Saddington Reservoir ; I April, 

 1905, one seen on Saddington Reservoir. 



A pair of these birds had placed their nest in such 

 a position that I could come upon the sitting bird 

 suddenly. This I did time after time. It was but 

 the work of a second for the sitting bird to tear up 

 part of the nest and cover, or partially cover, the 

 eggs and to glide into the water.' 



211. Storm Petrel. Procellaria pebgica, Linn. 

 Locally, Mother Carey's Chicken." 



A rare and accidental straggler from the coast. 

 Harley noted one shot on 23 Oct., 1846, close to 

 Leicester, on the River Soar, a few yards below the 

 West Bridge. The late Dr. Macaulay stated (Mid. 

 Nat. 1882, p. 80) that in 1862 another was found 

 dead at Gumley and was in the possession of the 

 Rev. A. Matthews. The late Mr. Widdowson wrote: 

 ' Several have been picked up dead near Melton.' 

 Mr. G. H. Storer informs me that he has seen a nice 

 specimen (mounted), which was picked up dead in a 

 field near Anstey, after very stormy weather, in 1875 ; 

 and Mr. G. H. Nevinson had one that was caught 

 in Dover Street, Leicester, about 1882, having 

 flown against a wall. Dr. Macaulay presented to 

 the museum a beautiful female specimen, shot by 

 Mr. Graye Hardy at Earl Shilton 24 Nov., 1892. 

 Mr. W. J. Horn, writing in 1907, refers to a report 

 in the Field, 30 Sept., 1899, of one shot at Whet- 

 stone, a few days before the above date, by Mr. Norman 

 Brown. 



2 1 2. Leach's Fork-tailed Petrel. Oceanodroma leucor- 



rkoa (Vieillot). 



A very rare straggler from the coast. This bird is 

 recorded in Mr. Babington's list (Potter, op.cit. App. 70) 



** A popular name for all petrels. 



under the name of ' Thalassidroma Bul.'ockii, fork-tailed 

 storm-petrel,' as thus : ' One found in Gopsall Park 

 is in the possession of the Earl Howe. Communi- 

 cated by Dr. Kennedy.' Harley stated that one, 

 collected by the Leicester Literary and Philosophical 

 Society, was obtained in the county, but the precise 

 locality is unknown. I am enabled to definitely add 

 a more recent example one caught in a hedge at 

 Cosby on 1 8 Nov., 1899, during very foggy weather 

 with a heavy raugh frost, by one William Johnson, 

 who brought it to me alive, and from whom I pur- 

 chased it for the museum. 



213. Manx Shearwater. Puffinus anghrum (Tem- 

 minck). 



A rare straggler, sometimes driven inland by gales 

 on the coast. According to Harley, who called this 

 bird the ' Cinerous shearwater,' one was captured by 

 a shepherd-dog in a turnip-field near the River Soar 

 at Cossington in 1840. For several days it was con- 

 fined to a grass-plot by the foot, and during its cap- 

 tivity it was observed to grow less sociable, especially 

 on the appearance of a dog or cat, or indeed any 

 domestic creature, for no sooner did one venture near 

 than it rushed at it with fury, and with its sharp bill 

 drove it away. The late Dr. Macaulay reported 

 (Mid. Nat. 1882, p. 80) one picked up nearly dead 

 at Gumley in November, 1867, and in the collection 

 of the Rev. A. Matthews ; and another found dead 

 at Billesdon in 1879. With reference to this last I am 

 informed that the date is 1877, and that two others 

 which I reported (Zoo!. 1886, p. 412) as being taken 

 at Billesdon are referable to this single specimen, 

 which was, it appears, caught in a hedge by a retriever 

 belonging to the late Mr. T. Tomblin of the Coplow 

 Farm. Turner told m:, in Ojtobsr, 1885, of 

 one caught in a pi^stye, some seven or eight years 

 previously. The late Mr. Widdowson informed 

 Dr. Macaulay that one was caught alive at Nether 

 Broughton by Mr. Greaves on 2 Sept., 1879. 

 Dr. Macaulay told me of a specimen which was 

 in his possession which I have seen since it was set 

 up found in the Newarke, in the middle of Leicester, 

 on 30 Aug., 1888, by a Mr. Harrison. It had evi- 

 dently been killed by striking against something in 

 its flight. Sex was, unfortunately, not ascertained. 

 Mr. Stephen H. Pilgrim informed me that one was 

 found in a grass field (High Close) adjoining Barwell 

 Church on I Sept., 1891, by some boys, who brought 

 it to the Rev. R. Titley. Mr. Pilgrim suggests that 

 the bird may have been blown in by a gale the pre- 

 vious night. Dr. Macaulay reported one taken at 

 Smeeton Westerby on 7 Sept., 1891, and in answer 

 to an inquiry from me, he replied : ' Caught alive by 

 a dog. I saw it in the possession of Mr. William 

 Matlock of Smeeton, who has it now.' 



One was purchased for the museum in 1904, found 

 at Bagworth Park. 



'57 



