1292 The Zoologist— July, 1868. 



(Zool. S. S. 68): this is either a mistake or a singular fact; I should 

 very much like to know which, for it is one of the last to arrive in 

 England. 



Rook. — April 4th. Rooks had young. On this date I noticed the 

 old rooks flying regularly backwards and forwards over this village, 

 bringing food for the young. About the 23rd of May the young must 

 have been out; the old birds ceased flying over. 



Fieldfare and Redwing. — These birds, which had been assembled 

 in a coppice several days, in a flock of about a hundred, left here 

 about the 22nd of April. 



Cuckoo. — Cuckoos were numerous here from the 30th of April to 

 the 30th of May. Since the latter date they have either ceased 

 singing or been very scarce. 1 have only heard of oue cuckoo's egg 

 this year. 



House Martin. — Out of ten lists of spring migrants which I have 

 looked over this season I found the house martin mentioned but 

 twice. This bird is certainly becoming scarcer : I only found the 

 martin recorded about three times in all the lists that I examined in 

 the 'Zoologist' and 'Field' last year. 1 feel convinced that it is a 

 decreasing species. During a four days' tour in Craven and Lanca- 

 shire this spring I noticed martins but twice (both at one village), 

 and not one swift. 



Swallow. — Dates of arrival of the swallow at Lofthouse for six 

 years:— 1862, April 25th ; 1863, April 16th ; 1864, April 13th ; 1866, 

 April 14th; 1867, April 18th; 1868, April 10th. Although swallows 

 arrived about here somewhat early this spring a pair did not come to 

 a shed in which they have built for four years till the 1st of May. 

 I noticed them haunting the shed very irregularly (sometimes they 

 were a week away) till the 28th of May : on that date I saw them 

 repairing a two-year-old nest. The female is now (June 16th) sitting. 

 When they were away T think they were in the valleys in quest 

 of food. The nest now contains eggs, and I frequently see three 

 old birds about it. Swallows are scarce in this neighbourhood : 

 two or three observers have reported this fact to me from different 

 localities. 



Lesser Whitt'lhroat. — This little bird came into my garden on the 

 5th or 6th of May. The call-note to the female reminded me of the 

 first notes of the yellowhamraer's song : it also has a note like the 

 squeak of the shrew-mouse, uttered sharply and loudly. Its song is a 

 low warble : it docs not sing as it flies, like the greater whitethroat, 



