VOL. VIII.] NOTES. 17 



1880. Another is reported from Herefordshire on December 

 15th, 1910 {B.O.C. Migration Eeport, 1911, p. 224). 



On November 10th, 1913, I saw a Wliitethroat [Sylvia c. 

 communis). The bird flew into a tangled bush of hawthorn, 

 brier, and bramble. It proved to be a male in excellent 

 plumage. A. Smith. 



[Mr. W. E. Clarke gives (Studies in Bird-Migration, I., 

 p. 131), August 27th to November 9th as dates for the passage 

 of the Whitethroat in autumn, but records for November 

 seem very few. We have notes of one at the Flannans on 

 November 1st, 1908, and one in the Shetlands on November 

 5th, 1908. Both the Wliitethroat and the Lesser Whitethroat 

 have been recorded once from Essex in December by 

 Mr. Miller Cln-isty [Birds of Essex, p. 82, and Vict. Hist, of 

 County of Essex, I., p. 238)]. 



THRUSH INCUBATING IN TRAIN IN MOTION. 



The following uiterestincr note appeared in the Belfast News- 

 letter for May 8th, 1914:— 



An interesting incident in bird-life has recently been noted at 

 Limavady. A Thrush was observed frequently in the vicinity of 

 a number of carriages lying on a siding at the railway station. It 

 was apparent- ly engaged in nesting operations, and although the 

 carriages ran out daily (Sundays excepted) twice to Limavady 

 Junction and once to Londonderry, returning each evening at 4.50, 

 later observation elicited the fact that a nest had been built under- 

 neath a first-class composite carriage, immediately over the steam- 

 heating pipe, and contained four eggs. Notwithstanding the regular 

 journeys the parent bird continued to care for the eggs, and much 

 kindly interest was manifested in its doings by the railway officials, 

 both at Londonderry and Limavady. The alteration in the train 

 service, which came into force on the 1st May, led the mother-Thrush 

 to experience the annoyance of " missing the train," for on her return 

 to Londonderry Waterside Station on the evening of the 1st inst., 

 after a foraging expedition, she found, doubtless to her intense dismay, 

 that the train had disappeared, having left for Limavady at 4.40 

 instead of 4.50 under the revised time-table. The bird's predicament 

 was observed at Londonderry, and Mr. J. Candy, station-master, 

 telephoning to Mr. W. Conly, station-master at Limavady, reported 

 the mishap, and jocularly observed that the Thrush would probably 

 journey to Limavady on the axle of the next train, and to look out 

 for it. It is not known how the bird travelled, but at a later hour 

 the same evening it was seen at Limavady, resuming its labours on 

 the nest. Pending the hatching of the eggs the carriage has been 

 withdrawn from use by the sympathetic officials. 



On reading the above extraordinary story, I wrote to the 

 station-master at Limavady for confirmation and for further 

 particulars, and I give his reply to me. 



