NOTES AND QUERIES. 365 
anest. Last year I particularly wanted to get one, as Mr. Seebohm had 
no authenticated down for description in his work on British Birds. At 
last a keeper found a Shoveller Duck sitting, but, not wishing to disturb 
the nest, left her, and when I heard of it, she had hatched all the eggs. I 
at once sent the nest as it was to Mr. Seebohm, and he described the down 
in his work (vol. iii, p. 556). During the present summer we were 
determined, if possible, to get a nest, and on June 22nd Mrs. Whitaker 
found one in some mowing grass near the house. Strange to relate, the 
male bird was sitting on the eggs, which were three in number, smaller 
than those of the Wild Duck or Tufted Duck, of an oval shape and rich 
cream colouring. The nest was made of pulled grass mixed with down, 
which is grey with large white spots in the centre of each tuft. These 
eggs were the first authentic ones taken in this county. I am pleased to 
add that the Shovellers are now steadily increasing every year. They lay 
very late, no young ones being seen before the second week in June. The 
nest is always placed away from water, and they seem very fond of mowing 
grass. When the same field was cut we found another nest with a rotten 
egg init. When these ducks pair in spring they may be seen chasing 
each other on the wing sometimes as long as ten minutes, the call-note 
sounding like “ took-took.” In flying the feet are held quite an inch 
above the tail, apparently to give a good balance, as the wings are very far 
back. The Shoveller keeps her young ones away from the ponds till quite 
grown up, and rears them in the water-carriers in the mowing meadows. — 
J. WuiTaker (Rainworth Lodge, Mansfield, Notts). 
The Icterine Warbler.—I have read with interest the notes of your 
correspondents (pp. 338, 334) on the supposed Icterine Warblers. It may 
perhaps be useful to remark that in addition to the large size of this species, 
as compared with any other Phylloscopus, the colour of the breast of the 
living bird is of a peculiarly delicate yellow, which I have never seen in 
any other British form. Moreover, the tarsi and toes are of a uniform 
slate-grey. Both adults and nestlings are to be seen exposed for sale in 
the Paris Marché des Oiseaux.—H. A. MacpHerson. 
Rooks nesting on Chimney-tops.—When on a visit to Thurso in 
May last, I was surprised to see Rooks nesting on chimney-stacks of houses 
in that town. I was informed that some Rooks near there had nested on 
the ground on the side of a hill, the trees on which they had previously 
built having been destroyed.—L. H. Irpy (Wadenhoe, Oundle). 
[Very few instances seem to have been recorded of Rooks departing, as 
above described, from their usual well-known nesting-habits. Two nests are 
said to have been built on housetops at Kingston-on-Hull in 1846 (Zool. 
p- 1366), and a pair of these birds, in 1869, attempted to build a nest on a 
stone head projecting under the eaves of Swaffham Church (Zool. 1869, 
