120 The Zoologist— March, 1866. 



Nightingale. — I can remember the time when this "sweet 

 songster" was a common bird enough, and ahnost every hedge 

 and garden had its pair of nightingales; but, of late years, I am 

 sorry to sa}', they have become gradually scarcer and scarcer. This 

 spring I only heard two, and those only for a few days on their first 

 arrival ; they departed again before attaining their full song, which 

 I have always found they take some days to perfect themselves in. 

 This unhappy decrease in numbers is caused, according to the 

 villagers, by the number of brick-fields that have of late years been 

 established in the neighbourhood : their theory is that the nightingale 

 objects to the smell of burning bricks. How far this may be true 

 I leave others to judge ; but the fact of their scarcity is unfortunately 

 undeniable. 



Garden Warbler. — Arrived this year on the 3rd of May. It is 

 common in the orchards and plantations, where in early summer 

 it is constantly heard, though seldom seen, owing to its retiring 

 habits. 



Wood Wren. — An uncertain visitant; occurred this year on the 

 20th of April. 



Willow Wren. — Common every summer ; its somewhat melancholy 

 song is to be constantly heard in the orchards. 



Chijfchaff. — It is a remarkable fact that although the willow wren 

 is so common, yet the chifTchaflT itself is exceedingly rare in the 

 district. I never heard it before this year, and even then quite late in 

 the season, namely, the second week in September. 



Marsh Titmouse. — 1 noticed several of these tits during September. 

 This species is far more common than the cole tit, and next to the 

 blue tit is the most common of the local Paridae. 



Gray Wagtail. — Appears on the marshes early in the autumn on 

 its migration southwards. The first note I have of its appearance this 

 year is on the 7th of September. It does not stay in any numbers, 

 more often paying only a flying visit. 



Wagtails, Pipits and Larks. — About the 20th of September the 

 marshes, which had previously been almost void of birds, began to 

 swarm with wagtails, pipits and larks ; the latter in the usual autumnal 

 flocks, by far exceeded the others in numbers. On ground where a 

 few days previously I had perhaps seen only one lark they might now 

 be flushed by the dozen. In the early part of October I saw and 

 beard several larks soaring and attempting to sing. 



Rock Pipit. — Appeared this season on the 7th of October. It is a 



