42 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
the tree where the nest had just been taken possession of by 
Starlings, and I heard of another Woodpecker’s egg having been 
found in a similar situation near its nest, which was also usurped 
by Starlings. 
Fortunately for the Nuthatch, it can use a smaller hole than 
the Starling can, and it has the habit of reducing the size of the 
Woodpecker’s nest-entrance by plastering it with very hard clay. 
The Nuthatch also nearly fills up the cavity of the nest (however 
large it may be), so that, when sitting on its eggs, the bird’s beak 
is conveniently near the entrance. I have never seen a fight 
between Nuthatches or Woodpeckers and Starlings, but I am 
inclined to believe that the Starling perches on the top of the 
tree, and watches its opportunity for entering the nest when the 
rightful owner is absent. 
The following notes made in different years may perhaps 
induce other observers to give evidence on the subject :— 
At Weston Longville, on May 18th, I examined a Nuthatch’'s 
nest of five eggs in a hole inan old nut tree. The entrance hole 
was lined with very hard clay, discoloured with small bits of 
lichen, and indented everywhere by the bird’s beak, so as to 
resemble the lichen-covered bark of the nut-bush. The eggs 
were buried in a bed of bark of Pinus sylvestris. This bed was 
about two feet thick, nearly filling the hollow trunk of the tree. 
The bark (of which this bed was composed) consisted of extremely 
thin scales, almost transparent, and evidently taken from the 
boughs or the upper part of the stem of the pine. The Nuthatch 
seemed to have some difficulty in struggling out through the clay- 
lined entrance. 
At Sparham, on May 25th, I had a Nuthatch’s nest of five 
eggs in a hollow post * covered with an inverted flower-pot, with 
a hole in the side. The birds lined the flower-pot with clay 
about an inch thick, and buried the eggs in scales of pine bark. 
At Weston Longville, on May 27th, I saw five young 
Nuthatches in a hole in a large oak. For this nest no clay is 
recorded in my diary, nor do I remember seeing any. 
At Sparham, on May 5th, the following year, Nuthatches 
nested again, and laid six eggs in the same inverted flower-pot 
which they used before. The nest was made of pine bark, and 
the pot lined with about an inch of clay as before. The pot 
* 'This post was of pine with the bark on it. 
