1928 The Zoologist — November, 18C9. 



from the same cause ; that the grub is the great, if not tlie sole inducement, and iliat 

 only those filberts containing a grub are so attacked: I cannot say that they may not 

 lake a portion of the kernel after they have cracked their nut, but, as it requires 

 "microscopical examination" for the detection of the fragments they swallow, the 

 "devouring" of the kernel can be but trifling. It would be interesting to know 

 whether the grub in ihe filberts are more plentiful this year than usual; if they are, 

 that would account for the more active attacks by the titmice on them. Common 

 hazel nuts have been very abundant with us this year, but I have not heard of or 

 remarked any such destruction among them, as recorded in the extract from the 

 ' Field,' nor can 1 say whejther or not they are more infected by grubs than usual, as 

 I am not a nut eater. I would advise filberl-growers to make further inquiries into 

 the matter before they commeute a war of extermination against the titmice, unless 

 by so doing they destroy their best friends instead of their enemies. Titmice were a 

 grciit source of amusement to me in my youthful days, " when George the Third was 

 King." My home was in a town containing some thousands of inhubitanls; the house 

 I resided in was situated in the centre of the town, adjoining (and the back premises 

 abutiing on) the Butchers' Market, which was o])en to the public but one day in the 

 week : it was a large open square surrounded l)y liuuses, the butchers' stalls being on 

 all sides of the square. In the winter season, during the non-market days, it was the 

 resort of a large number of titmice, coming there for ihe sake of llie fragments of meal, 

 suet, &c., left adhering to the stalls. My amusement arose from trapi)ing iliem, i>y 

 means of a large wire-spring trap-cage, set for them in a large mulberry tree, which 

 grew in a small j)lot of ground at the back of our house, overhanging the market- 

 house, and frequently do I remember taking as many as a dozen in a day : in the 

 evening came my chief amusement, in watching their various actions when tlie door of 

 the cage was opened for them to escape: some would instantly scud away over the 

 house lops; others would quietly hop about the tree, as if careless of their freedom ; 

 whilst some few, more irate than the others, would hop to the upper part of the tree, 

 and there put themselves in the most grotesque attitudes, at the same time pouring out 

 a continuous stream of chatter, whether intended as a parting blessing or otherwise 

 I cannot say, being unacquainted with bird language. After a great gjiany years' 

 observation I am convinced that the harm done l)y titmice is vastly out-balanced by 

 the good they do, in the destruction of the myriads of insects consumed by them as 

 food ; and I believe if they and other insectivorous birds were protected instead of 

 persecuted and destroyed as they now are, that we should not hear of so much 

 destruction of fruit by insects as we now do. — Stephen Clngg. 



Jackdaws.— At Heathfield Park, Sussex, in May, 1869, I found three nests of the 

 jackdaw, one in a rotten stump not above four feet from the ground; all with 

 unfledged young ones. I saw great quantities in the ruins at Hurstmonceux Castle, 

 where they have monopolized the old dovecotes in the ruined towers. — £. D. Hamel ; 

 Tamworlh. 



Nightjar at Heathfield Park, Sussex. — A good many may be seen in the park at 

 nightfall, flying in parties of three or four close to the top of the birch plantations: 

 they begin to "jar" about eight o'clock, and keep it up until very late. I heard them 

 at midnight. — Id. 



