310 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Unusual Site for a Chaffinch's Nest. — On June 17th T examined 

 the nests of several Swallows in outbuildings on a farm at Stocksfield, near 

 Newcastle. In several nests I found eggs, some of which were much 

 incubated. My curiosity was aroused by seeing a quantity of moss inside 

 an old Swallow's nest on abeam. Climbing up I found that a nest of moss, 

 somewhat loosely put together, lined the mud platform of the Swallow's, and 

 contained several young, some days old. By the shape of their bills I at 

 once saw they were not Swallows, but, thinking that a Sparrow had probably 

 made use of the nest, I thought no more of it. Shortly afterwards, 

 repassing the nest with a friend, I pointed it out to him ; at the same 

 moment we spied a female Chaffinch perched beside the nest with food in 

 her mouth. It required a second look to assure us that our eyes were not 

 mistaken, but so it was; a Chaffinch had built her nest and hatched her 

 young in a Swallow's nest in a shed.— Edward J. Gibbins (The Graig, 

 Neath). 



Merlin striking at Cage-bird. — On the morning of July loth Mr. 

 Phillips, dog-fancier, of Ship Street, Brighton, saw a bird make a swoop at 

 a Siskin in a cage hung out in his back yard. So determined was it that it 

 made four swoops before it was caught, although several attempts were 

 made to catch it before it was finally secured. It proved to be a Merlin. 

 The bars of the cage were quite bent from the force of the onslaught. I 

 may add that the Merlin is by no means ;i common bird here, and Ship 

 Street is nearly the centre of the town. — Herbert Langton (Brighton). 



Reed Warbler and Nightingale in South Wales. — The accom- 

 panying Reed Warbler's nest was forwarded to me by Mr. C. J. Young, who 

 states that lie found the bird breeding abundautly in marshes about Stilly, 

 and Cadoxton, near Barry Island, Glamorganshire, this summer. He also 

 states that he heard two Nightingales singing last May near Leekwiths. 

 Glamorganshire.— J. Young (64, Hereford Road, Bayswater). 



Teal and Marsh Harrier nesting in Glamorganshire. — During 

 the spring, nests of the Teal, containing eggs, were found on the Crymlin 

 Burrows, near Swansea, and on the Crymlin Bog adjoining. One of the 

 keepers (an intelligent man who has studied birds all his life) tells me that 

 a pair of Marsh Harriers have been and still arc to be seen. He has 

 no doubt that they have nested there. — Edward J. Gibbins (The Graig, 

 Neath). 



Common Buzzard in Nottingiiamsiiike. — 1 saw one of these now rare 

 birds flying round in circles over a cornfield near my house. It continued 

 on the wing for a quarter of an hour, twice dropping down into the corn, 

 but 1 could not perceive that it captured anything : it then sailed away over 

 the forest. I heard of it being seen soon after at Newstead. — J. Whitaker 

 (Rain worth, near Mansfield, Notts). 



