46 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xiv. 



hend, co. Cork, where it was picked up dead in a garden by 

 Mr. E. D. Cuming on May i6th, 1920. Although a common 

 bird in many places in western Europe, the Great Reed- 

 Warbler like the Crested Lark, very rarely visits us, and 

 there are only about ten authenticated records of its occur- 

 rence in England, and none previously in Ireland. 



Little Owls in North Lincolnshire. — With reference to 

 the note " Little Owls in Yorkshire " {antea, p. 21), Mr. W. S. 

 Medlicott informs vis that Athene noctua mira has spread since 

 1914 throughout north Lincolnshire and now breeds fairly 

 commonly right up to the Humber. 



Breeding-habits of Slavonian Grebe. — In connection 

 with Mr. A. D. DuBois's article {antea, p. 2), Mr. R. Plumb 

 writes that he found Podiceps auritus nesting some years 

 ago in considerable numbers on Lake Myvatn in Iceland, 

 and that in one instance, at least, the old bird could not be 

 induced to leave her nest, and was just as devoid of fear as 

 Mr. DuBois's bird. The nesting-sites, too, were very similar 

 in character to that shown in the plates. 



Common Snipe's and Lapwing's Nests with Five Eggs. — 

 The Rev. C. E. Raven informs us that he found a nest of 

 the Common Snipe {G. g. gallinago) with five eggs, obviously 

 the product of one hen, at Tuddenham Fen, Cambridge, on 

 May 14th, 1920 ; and Mr. A. Steven Corbet writes that he 

 found a Lapwing's {V. vanellus) nest with five eggs at Theale, 

 near Reading, on May 19th. In this case the eggs were also 

 like one another in markings and at the same stage of incuba- 

 tion, so that they were also probably the product of a single 

 hen. Similar occurrences in these species and other Limicolce 

 will be found referred to in Vol. II., p. 136, Vol. IX., pp. 

 28 and 50, and Vol. XII., p. 44. 



Common Crane in Kirkcudbright.^ — The Duchess of 

 Bedford writes that she saw a Common Crane {Megalornis 

 g. grits) at no great distance on the Moor at Cairnsmore, 

 on June 13th, 1920. The bird was full winged and appar- 

 ently wild. The Duchess will be glad to know if any keepers 

 of captive Cranes have lost any recently. 



Carolina Crake in co. Galway. — Prof. C. J. Patten 

 records {Irish Nat., 1920, p. 59) that at 3 a.m. on April nth, 

 1920, a Carolina Crake {Porzana Carolina) struck the lantern 

 of Slyne Head Lighthouse, and fell dead. Prof. Patten, who 

 was at the Lighthouse at the time, found the bird to be an 

 adult male in summer plumage. 



