The Zoologist — August, 1869. 1801 



seen doubts expressed in various natuviilist journals by respectable ornithologists 

 as to this bird's oceurrence in Yorkshire, and having been hoaxed once or twice 

 myself, I was induced to think that it was either entirely wanting or excessively rare. 

 I believe my friend Mr. Ranson, of Liulon-on-Ouse, has argued that it is not a York- 

 shire bird: Colonel Newman has also disputed our claim to il (see Zool. for 1862, 

 p. 7827). There need, however, be no doubt concerning its occurrence here in the 

 centre of the county, as an irregular visitor. Our lale illustrious neighbour, Mr. 

 VVaterton, has the following short but positive remark as a postscript in a letter to 

 a friend, dated as recently as January, 1865: " Walton Hall is twelve miles south of 

 Leeds, and the nightingale breeds here and sings here charmingly." This is good 

 evidence, not only of its singing but of its breeding in this county. In an interesting 

 ornithological letter to me, dated January, 1866, Mr. Horsfall, of Horsforth, says:— 

 " The nightingale visits us, but only at intervals ; I know of only four instances of its 

 having done so in lifteen years." Mr. Hobkirk places the nightingale in his list of 

 Hnddersfield birds. (' Huddersfield ; its History and Natural History,' p. 216). It 

 also has a place in two manuscript lists of Yorkshire birds in my possession. Mr. 

 Talbot, of Wakefiled, an experienced ornithologist, assures me that it appears regularly 

 in the south of Yorkshire; indeed, with a little industry, evidence of its occurrence in 

 this county might be accumulated sufficient to satisfy Pyrrho himself. It is thirty- 

 iwo years since a nightingale was heard in song in this immediate neighbourhood. 

 George Roberts ; Lofthouse, Wahejiehl. 



Nest of the Redstart.— The nest of this bird (the most beautiful of our summer 

 visitors) is generally placed in a hole ; but this year I found one built on the branch 

 of a trained pear-tree: the presence of the owners on and about the nest, its structure 

 and the colour of the eg^s, preclude any mistake. This is the first instance of a 

 departure from the hole that has fallen under my notice: an old oologist, also, informs 

 me that he never knew of such a situation being chosen.— 7. Ranson ; York. 



Arrivals of Summer Migrants near Yor^.— Spotted Flycatcher (called in North 

 Yorkshire the "Wall-chat"), May 10. Redstart ("Jenny wrentail "), April 28. On 

 this dale the male and female were first seen by me, but, as they had chosen a nesting- 

 place and began to build, it is probable they might have been about nearly a week. 

 Arrival in 1865, April 27; 1866, April 14 ; 1867, April 25; 1868, April 28.-1(1. 



A Darlford Warbler's Nest with five Eggs.— As is well known the rule with the 

 Darlfurd Warbler is to lay four eggs, and some affirm they are never found with five: 

 be that as it may, a nest containing five eggs was taken by Swaysland and his wife on 

 the Downs, on June 25ih. Since April they have taken seventeen nests, one of which 

 had three, one five, and all the rest four eggs, in obtaining which they have spent 

 days in observing the habits of the birds. I saw in «ne box thirteen nests, twelve of 

 which contained four eggs each, and the thirteenth five eggs ; and although there was 

 great dissimilarity in the markings and outline, when nest with nest were compared, 

 the eggs in each nest were similar.— T. W. Wonfor ; Brighton. 



The Redpole building in Brighton.— A redpole built its nest in a garden about 100 

 yards from Montpelier Crescent, in a willow close to a public path : the nest, contain- 

 ing five eggs, was taken. Nine days after another nest, built by the same birds and 

 containing five eggs, was taken in an elder growing close by the willow : in the latter 

 case, the nest was chiefly made of cotton from the willow. — Id. 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. TV. 2 S 



