NOTES AND QUERIES. 1]9 



nest was subsequently formed last spring in the same position. Another 

 had been constructed two years before on a flange of the same bridge, but 

 that first nest was within reach of the bank, and was destroyed.— R. J- 

 Ussher (Cappagh, Co. Waterford). 



Siskins breeding in Confinement.— It may interest some of your 

 readers to know that during the past summer I succeeded in getting my 

 two pairs of Siskins (which I keep iu large cages) to lay, and one of them 

 to rear young ones as well. Although I have kept Siskins for several years, 

 I never succeeded iu inducing them to breed before. I am, however, aware 

 that there are many instances of these birds laying when kept in confine- 

 ment, but I ouly know of one where the young were hatched and reared. 

 The first pair repaired a nest and laid two eggs on the 7th June ; the hen 

 then began to sit, but I took the eggs away shortly after, expecting she 

 would build again and lay the full complement of eggs. She did not, how- 

 ever, do so. The second pair relined a nest in the same manner as the 

 other, but did not lay until July 17th. Four eggs were laid and three 

 young ones hatched in eleven days. The young when first hatched were 

 covered with black down, but after the first week grew rapidly, and at the 

 end of a fortnight were able to leave the nest. They were fed by the hen 

 bird on the pupa? of gentles, hard egg, and the seeds of various composite 

 plants. All lived to be a month old, when one died. The survivors are 

 both cocks, lively healthy birds (one of them acquired a black chin by the 

 26th November) and resemble the wild bird in all particulars, except that 

 the legs were always light-coloured.— C. Young (Llandaff). 



[Some interesting remarks on the breeding of the Siskin in confinement, 

 by Mr. John Young, will be found in ' The Zoologist' for 1880, p. 61.— Ed.] 



The Birds of Lancashire. — I have for some years been working at 

 the ' Birds of Lancashire,' and am anxious to make the list as complete as 

 possible. The value of local lists of birds is generally recognized ; and I 

 need not, therefore, apologise for attempting to bring together in a collected 

 form, up to the present date, the ornithological knowledge of my native 

 county. Lancashire ornithologists, though numerous and intelligent, have, 

 unfortunately, seldom published their observations; and the quantity of 

 material ready to hand is much smaller than is possessed by other counties. 

 Thus, to make the work complete, it is the more necessary to have full 

 information from those acquainted with every district. If any of your 

 correspondents are able to assist me, I shall be pleased to furnish them, 

 on application, with the particulars on which I desire information.— F. S. 

 Mitchell (Clithero, Lancashire). 



Rare Birds at Harwich.— A Gray Phalarope was shot on the 3rd 

 November last whilst swimming in the harbour, and another was seen. A 

 Little Bustard was seen on the 21st November. It frequented the large 



