The Zoologist — July, 1866. 309 



them through a glass for some time. I saw one nightingale feeding amicably with a 

 robin along the hedge-bottom. I saw but one swallow hawking about the Hill. 

 24th. Saw two house martins with about half-a-dozen swallows hawking over the 

 upper long pond in Blackheath Park. 26th. In the evening saw one swallow take a 

 turn or two under the lee of the gravel-pit by Greenwich Park wall, and then off north. 

 27th. lu a walk by Kidbrooke through the fields towards Eltham and round by 

 Shooter's Hill Wood, I saw eight whitethroats, one tree pipit, two whinchats, three 

 swallows (two located at Well Hall and one on its passage), and but two willow wrens 

 (the numbers I saw on the 23rd were dispersed). May 4ih. The redstart in Green- 

 wich Park had picked up a wife, and comfortable enough they looked : I noticed a few 

 house martins about the houses. 5th. Walked through the fields to Eltliam : saw a 

 few whitethroats, one building: loitered about Eliliam; saw neither swallow, martin 

 nor swift : a cold, showery, windy day. 6th. On Sunday evening I saw two flycatchers 

 on the rails by the ujiper long pond in Blackheath Park, evidently just arrived. 

 7th. To Eltham, where I saw no swallow, no martin and no swift; walked by the old 

 Palace to the new railway bridge near Mottingbara : saw two flycatchers on the rails 

 and paling under the tine old trees in Eltham Park : saw one house martin making a 

 rapid north-east passage along the new railway : the whitethroats settled down, 

 building and making love: a warm day. lOlh. At the north-east gravel-pits on the 

 Heath I counted fourteen house martins careering in the last rays of the setting sun. 

 I was now taken ill, laid up, and could not continue my daily observations. Having 

 requested a person living by Eltham Church to keep a look out for the swifts, who 

 build in the roof of his house, he told me they came on the lOih of May. On the 9th 

 of June I counted seven swifts hawking about Eltham Church. It is pleasant to sit 

 in Eltham churchyard, admire its beautiful plants, and watch the unrivalled flight of 

 the swifts as they dash round the church and soar above its steeple. I seldom pass 

 through without reading this favourite epitaph : — 



" Here lie the remains of 

 William and Mart. 

 Their souls are out of prison let, 

 It was Christ alone that paid the debt, 

 Their sins were not a few : 

 Reader believe in Christ, 

 And He will pay for you." 



Of these mysterious persons I can learn nothing. If the divinity inside the 

 church be as sound, no wonder the swifts delight to build in so sacred an edifice.— 

 Malthno Hutchinson ; Blackheath, S.E., June 11, 1866. 



Arrirat of Hirumdines at Loue, Cornwall.— On the 2nd of April I saw seven or 

 eight swallows and a sand martin hawking over a large fish-pond, where I have first 

 seen them for many years past. I did not see any again until the 12th, which was 

 two days later than I first saw any last year. Martins did not make iheir appearance 

 until the 30th, on which day I also saw, for the first time, seven swifts ; the wind was 

 easterly and very cold at the time, but during the past week we have had warm 

 weather, wind from the south-west. On the 2nd of May I think I may say I saw the 

 arrival of a large body of swallows and martins : on passing the pond before mentioned, 

 about 10 A. M., I could not see a single specimen of either, but on my return that way in 



