162 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



[VOL. xrii. 



have the pleasure of doing so for 1919, as found in north 

 Lancashire and Westmorland. 



Although slightly better than that of 1918, the summer 

 of 1919 was not a good one for Swallows like those of 1911, 

 1915 and 1917, it was better than 1916 and 1910, and very 

 much better than 1913. June showed 62 per cent, of full 

 broods as compared with 60 per cent, in June 1918, 65"5 

 per cent, for June 1917, and 68 per cent, for June 1915. 

 During July they fell to 14-2 per cent, as compared with 

 33 per cent, last year, and August showed an increase with 

 2i"3 per cent, as compared with I3'5 for August last year. 

 For the whole summer 38*9 per cent, showed full broods, as 

 compared with 35*2 per cent, last year, 457 per cent, in 1917, 

 28"6 per cent, in 1916, and 50 per cent, in 1915. 



H. W. Robinson 



MEADOW-PIPITS FIERCELY ATTACKING CUCKOO. 



With reference to Mr. Norman Joy's note on this subject 

 {antea, p. 138). perhaps a similar observation of my own would 

 be of sufficient interest to record. 



For six months during 1913 I was on detachment duty in 

 the Wicklow Mountains and had unusual opportunities for 

 watching birds in those unfrequented spots, where the Snipe 

 and Corncrake bred in scores and the Golden Eagle was 

 occasionally seen. 



On May 23rd, 191 3, I saw three Cuckoos flying together 

 uttering the familar notes. One then parted company and 

 was immediately mobbed by a host of small birds. This 

 Cuckoo flew to the ground, and a Meadow-Pipit flew straight 

 at it and viciously pecked it repeatedly as it did so, even 

 catching hold of its feathers. Later the other two Cuckoos 



