A HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE 



cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) is very fond of deposit- 

 ing her eggs in nests of this species, and I have 

 known fourteen of these nests in one small 

 eyot at Hennerton in this county, each con- 

 taining a cuckoo's egg, besides those of the 

 rightful owner. Whether the preference 

 shown by the cuckoo for the nests of this 

 species has anything to do with the falling 

 off in numbers, as suggested by Mr. Gale 

 (Aplin's Birds of Oxfordshire, p. 60), I am 

 not prepared to say ; but certain it is that 

 the reed-warbler is not nearly so numerous in 

 the district with which I am best acquainted 

 as it was only a few years ago. 



24. Sedge-Warbler. Acrocephalus phragmitis 



(Bechstein). 

 Locally, Sedge Bird. 



Very numerous, especially along the banks 

 of the Thames, but also near ponds and re- 

 servoirs, and even occasionally far from water. 

 It arrives about the third week in April and 

 leaves again in September. I have found 

 white eggs and also one nest containing six of 

 a salmon-colour. Clark Kennedy (Birds of 

 Berks and Bucks, p. 79) mentions finding a 

 nest with the unusual number of nine eggs. 



25. Grasshopper- Warbler. Locustella nttvia 



(Boddaert). 



This interesting warbler is probably more 

 numerous than at first sight might appear. 

 Very local in its distribution, it has been re- 

 corded from many parts of Berkshire Wel- 

 lington, Wantage, Drayton, Cookham, and 

 is numerous on Bucklebury Common. Mr. 

 Wallis found it breeding at Thatcham, and 

 Mr. Selous on an island near Shiplake. As 

 early as May 6 I have seen a nest containing 

 fresh eggs. 



26. Hedge - Sparrow. Accentor modularis 



(Linn.). 



Locally, Dunock, Hedge-poker. 

 This bird, which has, of course, nothing to 

 do with the house-sparrow, is very abundant 

 and resident. 



27. Dipper. Cinclus aquaticus, Bechstein. 



A somewhat rare visitor to the Thames 

 and its tributaries. The earliest record I 

 have is one mentioned by Dr. Lamb from 

 Newbury, where it was taken in the Mill, 

 October, 1803 (' Ornith. Bercheria'), while 

 several others have since been taken or seen 

 within our limits. But by far the most inte- 

 resting occurrence is that mentioned to me 

 by Mr. H. M. Wallis, who states on indis- 

 putable authority that a pair nested and 

 successfully reared their young in a hole in 



the masonry of the weir at Mapledurham 

 during the summer of 1899. It has recently 

 been reported from Holybrook and the Read- 

 ing irrigation farm. 



28. Bearded Tit. Panurus biarmicus (Linn.). 

 Probably owing to the altered condition of 



the surrounding land through drainage and 

 cultivation this bird, also known as the 

 bearded reedling and the reed-pheasant, is 

 no longer found in the Thames valley, and I 

 have no recent notice of its occurrence. In 

 1814 Dr. Lamb wrote that it was frequent 

 about the banks of the Kennet between Read- 

 ing and Newbury, undoubtedly breeding about 

 the latter place (' Ornith. Bercheria '). In 

 Yarrell (i. 520, ed. 4) it is mentioned as 

 formerly found up the river as far as Oxford. 



29. British Long-tailed Tit. Acredula rosea 



(Blyth). 



Locally, Bottle-tit, Bumbarrel. 

 Common and resident. The beautiful 

 nest, which is commenced at the bottom and 

 worked upwards till it is finally domed over, 

 takes nearly three weeks to complete, and as 

 I have seen slightly incubated eggs (ten in 

 number) on April 10, the bird must begin 

 its nest very early in the year. Flocks of 

 twenty or more may be found roosting to- 

 gether in winter. 



30. Great Tit. Parus major, Linn. 

 Locally, Ox-eye. 



The most numerous of our tits, and resident 

 throughout the county. 



31. British Coal-Tit. Parus britannicus, 



Sharpe and Dresser. 

 Locally, Black-cap. 



Common and resident, though not in such 

 numbers as the great or blue tits. 



32. Marsh Tit. Parus palustris, Linn. 

 Resident, but much more local in distri- 

 bution, and at this end of the county it might 

 almost be called rare as a breeding bird. It 

 certainly lays a smaller number of eggs than 

 either of its congeners ; the writer has never 

 found more than six, even when incubation 

 was advanced. 



33. Blue Tit. Parus ceeruleus, Linn. 

 Locally, Tom-tit, Blue-cap, Blue Bonnet. 



Numerous and resident ; in numbers next 

 to the great tit. 



34. Nuthatch. Sitta casia, Wolf. 

 Locally, Nut-jobber. 



Somewhat local, but wherever park-lands 

 are found with old trees it is quite common, 





144 





