VOL. XV.] NOTES. 209 



CONTINENTAL SONG-THRUSH IN WESTMORLAND. 



At about 9 a.m. on October 9th, 1921, a large flock of Song- 

 Thrushes ahghted on the lawn and in the surrounding trees 

 of a house near Ambleside, which is one of the highest in the 

 neighbourhood, being 580 feet above sea-level. There were 

 ])robably from 75 to 100 of the birds, which spent a few 

 minutes busily feeding until they were disturbed and left 

 in a body. As they were in full view of the windows and 

 in a very good light it was possible to notice these birds 

 ^'ery distinctly, and it was very obvious that they were 

 undoubtedly lighter coloured than the native Thrushes, 

 and they also appeared to be slightly larger, though this 

 may have been due to the lighter coloration. According 

 to The Practical Handbook the Continental Song-Thrush 

 (Timius ph. philomelus) is not often recorded from the west 

 side of the countr}' , but I think that there can be little doubt 

 that this passing flock belonged to that race. 



A. ASTLEY. 



POSTPONED LAYING OF THE CvOMMON WREN. 



In a garden in Broughty Ferry, Forfarshire, on May 8th. 

 1921, I found a nest of a Common Wren [Troglodytes t. troglo- 

 dytes) lined with horsehair, etc., and apparently completed. 

 (3n that date the bird was seen to leave the nest, which was 

 empty. It was again visited on May 15th and June 5th, and 

 on both occasions no eggs were in the nest nor was the bird 

 seen. On June 24th I saw the bird fly from the nest, which 

 was still empty ; but on revisiting it on July 7th I disturbed 

 the bird from eggs. Some of these hatched out on July 15th. 

 The bird had not sufficient time to rear a brood in the intervals 

 between my visits, so it seemsprobable that nearly eight weeks 

 elapsed between the completion of the nest and the laying 

 of the eggs. T. Leslie Smith. 



[In sheltered sites old nests of the pre\'ious year may be 

 refurnished and used. The Wren may have deserted the 

 nest on May 8th, have built another which was destroyed, 

 and then come back to the old one. — F. C. R. J.] 



CUCKOO EGGS AND NESTLINGS, 192 1. 



In 1921 Cuckoos {Citciilits c. canorus) were not very abundant 

 generally in the Felsted district (Essex). Here and there a 

 considerable number could be noted, but, curiously, no eggs 

 were found about those particular spots, although consider- 

 able search was made from time to time. The first egg was 



