OTCS 



CURIOUS SITE FOR A ROBIN'S NEST. 



Robins have frequently been recorded as nesting in curious 

 places, but I do not think they have been known to choose 

 such a remarkable site as the following. A pair relined an 

 old Blackbird's nest, situated in a thorn bush, four feet from 

 the ground, with moss, and were successful in hatching a 

 brood. A. G. Leigh. 



[The Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain writes :— " The habit of 

 breeding in old nests of other species is common in the case of 

 the Pied Wagtail and occasional in the Tits, Spotted Flycatcher, 

 and other birds. The habit is, however, rarely recorded of 

 the Robin. I have a note of one found in an old Swallow's 

 nest, and one in an old Hedge-Sparrow's nest is recorded 

 by Mr. J. E. Harting {Birds of Middlesex, p. 38)." In a hst 

 of such occurrences published in the " Zoologist " (1905, 

 p. 33), Mr. R. H. Read records a Robin's nest in a Thrush's 

 nest, and three nests of the Robin one over the other, the top 

 one containing eggs and the middle one stale eggs of the 

 previous season. Mr. T. T. Mackeith also records (^.c, p. 69) 

 a Robin's nest built upon a Swallow's nest of the previous year. 

 Many instances of other birds utilizing the old nests of other 

 species are on record. — Eds.] 



GREY-HEADED WAGTAIL IN SUSSEX. 



In the spring of 1869 or 1870 a Grey-headed Wagtail was 

 shot at Lancing, in Sussex, not far from the sea, which has, I 

 am sorry to say, remained until now unidentified. Having, 

 at the request of Mr. Witherby, submitted it to Mr. N. F. 

 Ticehurst, that gentleman writes : " It is in my opinion 

 undoubtedly M. f. horealis. . . . It is not nearly white 

 enough on the throat, and is too dark on the head for 

 M. f. cinereicapilla. It is even darker on the head than most 

 of my M. /. horealis, but I take it that is due to wear." 



J. H. GURNEY. 



NESTING OF THE GREY WAGTAIL IN BERKSHIRE. 



On June 13th I noticed a pair of Grey Wagtails {Motacilla 

 melanope) close to one of the locks on the Kennet and Avon 

 Canal. After a very short search I found their nest (empty, 

 but apparently ready for eggs) in the broken woodwork of the 



