228 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xra. 



experience of it, the note alone being sufficient to reveal 

 immediately its presence and identity. 



I have several times inspected " Wood-Larks' " eggs taken 

 in Surrey and have found them to belong undoubtedly to the 

 Sky-Lark, and in one case a whole series of the red mottled 

 form of the Tree-Pipit were labelled " Wood-Lark " and the 

 happy possessor was quite indignant when I informed him 

 they did not belong to that species. I have only once seen 

 a clutch of Wood-Larks which might possibly have been 

 mistaken for Sky-Larks' — one egg however was almost typical, 

 this and the size settled the question. I have usually found 

 the Sky-Lark almost absent on typical Wood-Lark ground, 

 which is generally of a sandy and stony formation. 



Grey Wagtail {Motacilla c. cinerea). — Successfully nested 

 this spring in the locality already recorded by me in British 

 Birds. Previous to the winter of 1916-1917 I had three 

 breeding pairs under observation — a very satisfactory in- 

 crease. This year's nest was discovered by Mr. G. K. Baynes. 

 Coal-Titmouse {Parus a. britannicus ?).- — On December 31st, 

 1 91 8, I saw at Shirley near Croydon, a flock of about thirty 

 Coal-Tits feeding under a large beech. I watched them with 

 my glasses turning over the leaves apparently in search of 

 food. The weather at the time was fine and mild. I have 

 never before seen so many of these birds together, and cannot 

 believe this was due to any recovery from the winter of 1916- 

 1917. Did they belong to the Continental form, and were 

 they on migration ? 



Red-backed Shrike {Lanius collurio). — I found this species 

 breeding commonly in 191 9 where at one time they had almost 

 disappeared. All the nests, with the exception of three, 

 contained clutches of 5 and 6. I was disappointed in not 

 finding the Cuckoo again using their nests. 



Dartford Warbler {Sylvia u. dartfordiensis) . — I very 

 much regret to report that these birds have not yet again 

 put in an appearance. Messrs. Borrer and Baynes with 

 myself were all over their old breeding ground and we did not 

 see or hear a single bird. Will they return and reinstate 

 themselves ? 



Grasshopper- Warbler {Locustella n. ncBvia). — Very plenti- 

 ful this year, or it may be I have got to know them better 

 or at least their favourite haunts — the better one knows birds 

 the easier it becomes to locate them and a rare bird becomes 

 almost common to the initiated. On May 8th, 1919, I located 

 two Grasshopper- Warblers and on May 23rd discovered both 

 nests. The first was situated in a fairly large clump of dead 



