3558 The Zoologist — June, 1873. 



Longtailed Titmouse. — May 2. This evening, on the borders of 

 one of the plantations, we found the nest of this titmouse con- 

 taining two eggs : this was most artistically concealed at the very 

 summit of a spruce, about fourteen feet from the ground. The 

 entrance was to the south and shaded by the highest spray of the 

 fir; there was nothing above excepting the leading shoot of the 

 tree. The outer walls of this marvellous and wonderful structure 

 were compacted of a felt-like mass of green moss, scraps of white 

 lichen, and scales of the spruce-bark, woven together with fine roots 

 and vegetable fibre, spiders' webs and little fragments of wool. The 

 lining was a mass of feathers, mainly those of the rook, misseltoe 

 thrush and wood pigeon. 



Cuckoo. — May 1. First heard ; wind S.W. 



Carrion Crow. — May 1. Although the young roots are well 

 forward in the nest, the carrion crows are only just commencing 

 sitting. Four eggs taken from a nest in one of the plantations this 

 evening are only slightly incubated. 



Variety of Blackbird's Egg. — May 1. Four eggs from the same 

 nest, taken this morning, are considerably more elongated than the 

 ordinary type ; their colour altogether is a pale delicate greenish 

 blue, with a very few slight pale brownish dots or splashes. 



Common Whitelhroat. — May 2. Wind W. ; first seen and heard. 



Whinchat. — May 3. Wind W. ; one seen. 



John Cordeaux. 



Great Cotes, Ulceby, lincolnshii-e, 

 May 3, 1873. 



Ornithological Notes from Norfolk. By H. Stevenson, F.L.S. 

 (Continued from Zool. S. S. 3i03.) 



January. 



Snipe. — Owing to the long-continued rains, and consequent 

 floods in the low-lying districts, very large numbers of snipe were 

 found this month on the ploughed lands and turnip-fields inland : 

 I have heard of fifty or more couples flushed in such localities on 

 a single farm. 



Bittern. — One killed at Weyborne on the 4th, an unusually small 

 bird, and a fine specimen near Lowestoft on the 7th. Remains of 

 shrimps were found in the stomach of the latter. 



