NOTES. 381 



second nest, while the other bird of the pair was feeding six 

 young in the first nest. The second nest was also in the hole, 

 not so far in as the first (only about six inches), but quite 

 invisible when one looked on to the face of the bank. This 

 nest was also not domed. 



W. S. Medlicott. 



[Mr. Medlicott very kindly sent us the nest in question, and 

 we have submitted it and the note to the Rev. F. C. R. 

 Jourdain, who mentions the following abnormal sites : — 



Nest under shelter of a root of a tree (c/. ZooL, 1896, p. 375). 



Nest in a diagonal cleft in the perpendicular face of a big 

 square boulder found in North Wales, May 21st, 1904 (0. V. 

 Aplin, m litt. to F. C. R. J.). 



Mr. Jourdain adds : — " The date (June 5th) is a very early 

 one for young to be able to leave the nest. The eggs are 

 usually laid about May 16th to 26th, often not till the end 

 of May. This record seems to imply that the birds would 

 have reared a second brood. Of this I have no previous 

 evidence, and should consider it unlikely, as the Wood- Warbler 

 is a late breeder." — Eds.] 



CHAFFINCH BREEDING IN WINTER. 



I WAS surprised to hear that a pair of Chaffinches {Fringilla 

 coelehs) had nested and reared a brood during the past winter 

 at Churchstoke, Montgomeryshire. Being sceptical I in- 

 quired into the matter. I found the report quite correct ; the 

 nest — undoubtedly a Chaffinch's — being now in my possession. 

 It was in a sycamore, twelve feet above the ground, and is 

 made mainly of wool, with a few bits of Hchen outside. The 

 Chaffinches built during the mild weather, in December, 

 and both parents were seen repeatedly at or about the nest, 

 and were observed feeding the young on February 20th. 

 Mr. G. Mountford, the master, and one of the boys in Church- 

 stoke School, kindly furnished me with the above details. 



H. E. Forrest. 



ALPINE SWIFT IN PEMBROKESHIRE. 



An Alpine Swift {Cypselus melba) was shot on November 20th, 

 1908, on the land of Colonel Mirehouse on the east side of 

 Angle Bay, Pembrokeshire. The gamekeeper said that he 

 had seen a pair of them in the neighbourhood for some time 

 previously. 



Charles J. P. Cave. 



