110 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
more favourable time for their passage across the sea. Ray’s 
Wagtail seems to pass by in short flights, sometimes dropping 
down in small parties amongst the cattle and sheep, and, if 
disturbed, continuing their southward course. This occurs from 
about the middle of August until the end of September. The 
Whinchat is moving during the same interval, and is seen in 
small parties of ten to twenty perching on the low hedges, or on 
plant-stems in our meadows—here to-day and gone to-morrow. 
The Turtle Dove was last seen September 24th. 
By September 27th the Lesser Redpoll had arrived, and 
throughout the early part of October was plentiful, feeding on 
the seed of the Willow Herb (Zpilobium) growing by our ditches, 
their usual winter food being the seed of the alder. 
For the last two summers (1877-8) a pair of Pied Wagtails 
built their nest and reared their young on the framework under- 
neath a third-class carriage running daily four times to and fro 
between Cosham and Havant, a loop line on the South Western 
Railway—the distance traversed during the day being about forty 
miles. While the train was on its journey to Havant and back 
the male bird might be seen anxiously awaiting its return either 
on the telegraph-wires or the turn-table at Cosham Station. 
Last summer these Wagtails narrowly escaped a calamity, the 
carriages composing the train having been ordered away for 
renovation; but the station-master at Cosham, by making ‘‘their” 
carriage the last to go, just managed to avert it. 
Last summer a pair of Robins reared two broods of young 
in the same nest in my garden at Ratham, nothing having been 
done to the nest after the first brood had flown. Robins, as well 
as other birds nesting in my garden, are much annoyed by 
Sparrows destroying their nests or thrusting their bills into the 
eggs and carrying them off; and Robins stand a poor chance if 
they do not conceal their nest well. This may, perhaps, account 
for the same nest being twice used. On the other side of the 
garden, a pair of Robins quickly took possession of an old pitcher 
purposely lodged in a tree for them ; but no sooner was the nest 
finished than the Sparrows destroyed it. Blackbirds, Thrushes, 
Wagtails, and Flycatchers have all in their turn been disturbed 
by these pugnacious birds. 
Two pairs of Robins occupy my garden this winter, each 
keeping their respective sides, neither pair venturing far over a 
