190 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Woods, but in the latter place I saw a male Redstart, the first of 
the spring. 
The following story of a Peewit’s nest is, I think, worth 
recording :—On the evening of May 15th Altham found it with 
four eggs in, three of which were completely covered by a dry 
cake of cow-dung, probably kicked over it by accident by the 
cattle. The birds had evidently been trying to remove it, but 
had not been able. The eggs were cold, but he took them home, 
put them in the oven all night, and at six a.m. next day took 
them to the nest again. The old birds met him at the stile, “‘as 
if they knew what he had got,” he said, and the hen went on at 
once, after his replacing the eggs in the nest, and removing him- 
self. Next morning three eggs were hatched, and the young 
gone; the remaining egg had got cracked. 
Goldcrests were very scarce on Longridge this year, where 
generally they are pretty numerous. The severe winter must 
have thinned their numbers sadly. 
On June 12th, between Blackpool and Lytham, I started 
several Nightjars from among the sandhills. They were either 
very sleepy or very tired, asI nearly caught them with my hands. 
If migrating, they were very late, as on Longridge they com- 
monly lay their eggs the first week in June. 
July 11th. Disturbed a Dipper from its nest, below which 
was quite a heap of young minnows. Saw a Kingfisher’s nest 
also, with six fresh eggs, there being a great many fish-bones 
round them. A few years ago we almost despaired of retaining 
the Kingfisher about us as a breeding species. The demand for 
them was so great, owing to the prevailing fashion in ladies’ head- 
gear, that they became nearly exterminated, and their being so 
easy to catch in nets didn’t keep them. On one brook where 
were five pairs, a man, in a single afternoon netted nine birds. 
However, they are getting more numerous again now, and one 
can only hope that fashion will not for some time to come cast 
its evil eye on the feathers of birds. 
October 1. Mr. Naylor had a Short-eared Owl brought him 
in the flesh from Balderstone, where it had been shot, and 
another (a very light variety) was killed on Longridge on the 
10th. On the 1st also Altham saw a nest of young House 
Martins washed down by heavy rain; the old birds had tried to 
get them away for several days, but had not succeeded. 
