NOTES. 121 



UNUSUAL NESTS OF THE ROBIN. 

 This season I have photographed two unusual nests of the 

 Robin, a species well known for its eccentricity with regard 

 to its choice of nesting sites. In these cases the birds 

 showed a distinct preference for high situations rather than 

 curious positions. The one was placed in the top of a holly- 

 hedge and the other in the fork of a thick fir-tree, both about 

 four feet from the ground. They were composed of moss, 

 leaves and, in the first case, horsehair. 



A. G. Leigh. 



THE MEANING OF BIRDS' SONGS. 

 Reverting to Dr. P. R. Lowe's valuable note on the winter- 

 singing of the Blackcap, I should like to question his assump- 

 tion that it had necessarily any sexual meaning. There is 

 evidence enough to show that birds sing to give expression to 

 other feelings than those of love. It cannot for example 

 be contended that the Robin sings in winter to please his 

 mate, for if the latter venture but a few steps into the area 

 which he regards as his exclusive property she is promptly 

 assaulted and driven forth in a manner that is anything but 

 lover-like. He sings to please himself. Birds, again, frequently 

 sing when fighting, between the rounds. The Wren, Sky-Lark, 

 and Song-Thrush illustrate the fact. It may be contended that 

 both the fighting and the singing have in this case their basis 

 in sexual feeling, but even this is doubtful. I have seen Song- 

 Thrushes engaged in battle, singing with what breath was left 

 after each bout, long after mating had been concluded. The 

 quarrel may have been due to the proprietary instinct or to 

 the parental instinct, both taking the form of an objection 

 to another bird's invasion of the area that contained the nest 

 or nestlings. 



F. B. KlRKMAN. 



THE COLOUR OF THE MOUTH OF THE 

 NESTLING WAXWING. 

 Mr. W. H. St. Quintin has just presented to the British 

 Museum of Natural History a nestling Waxwing (Ampelis 

 garrulus), sending therewith some very valuable notes on the 

 coloration of the mouth-parts. "The inside of the mouth" 

 he writes, " was brilliantly coloured; a patch of violet-blue on 

 each side of the lower mandible, and the same above — these 

 colours have sorely faded already, but the patches on the palate 

 are bright still, and I hope may remain till you see them. The 



