28 BRITISH BIRDS. 



was much commented on at the time by the people of the 

 estate, and the departure of the Ravens was looked on by 

 them as a bad omen — an interesting survival of the sentiment 

 of veneration for the bird, which was so generally held by our 

 forefathers. 



H. W. Feilden. 



CUCKOO'S EGG IN BLACKBIRD'S NEST. 

 I have heard it asserted that whenever a Cuckoo places its 

 egg in the nest of a Blackbird (Turdus merula), the latter 

 ejects the alien egg. As the Blackbird is not very often chosen 

 as a fosterer by the Cuckoo, such assertions are difficult to 

 prove or disprove. The following incident may therefore be 

 deemed worthy of record, as stated by Rev. C. F. Thornewill, 

 vicar of Calverhall, near Whitchurch, Salop. On May 9th 

 he found that a Cuckoo had placed an egg in the nest of a 

 Blackbird, in his garden. It was deposited when the Black- 

 bird had laid only one egg, but she subsequently laid three 

 more. Mr. Thornewill took the Cuckoo's egg and two of the 

 Blackbird's, and has them now in his collection. 



H. E. Forrest. 



NESTING OF THE SNIPE IN WILTSHIRE. 

 On May 6th last, when searching a reed-bed in the water- 

 meadows along the River Kennet, about four miles east of 

 Marlborough, I flushed a Common Snipe (Gallinago coelestis). 

 I made a thorough search all round the spot, but could find 

 no signs of a nest. The following week, on May 12th, I 

 visited the place again, and a Snipe got up at the same spot. 

 After a short search I found the nest, which was very well 

 hidden by small reeds, grasses, and wild flowers of various 

 kinds. The nest was very slight in structure, and contained two 

 eggs, which were in every way typical of those of the Snipe. 

 The reed-bed is about 100 yards long, varying from 50 to 

 30 yards in breadth. Along one side there is the river, and 

 along two-thirds of the other side there is a withey bed, 

 while on the remaining third of this side there is a hedge. 

 Every three or four yards there are small channels of water 

 running across the bed, at right angles to the river, and the 

 nest was placed about six inches from one of these channels. 

 The whole of the reed-bed is thickly covered with small reeds 

 and wild marsh plants about eight inches high. This is the 

 first nest of this species found in the Marlborough district, 

 and Mr. Meyrick thinks that it is the first nest recorded for 

 Wiltshire. R. O. Mathews. 



