NOTES FROM NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK. 475 
the evening, the cock bird being as pugnacious as ever. The 
fourth egg was laid about 9 p.m. On May 27th the hen was 
sitting close, the cock carrying her food, which he placed in the 
box by her side. On May 28th she was still busy in keeping her 
eggs warm, leaving for a few minutes in the evening to stretch 
her wings and legs, the male supplying food as usual. May 
29th to 31st no change in the position of affairs. And from 
June ist to 17th the male kept his watch as usual, the female 
only leaving for a few minutes in the evening either to procure 
food or to expand her pinions, until June 17th, when, about 
9 p.m. an usual commotion was caused by the female bird on 
the nest. She emitted a low, chuckling noise for upwards of 
half an hour. The male, meanwhile, was flying to and from his 
perch to the nest in an agitated manner. On the following 
morning, June 18th, [ found the first young bird had been hatched 
during the preceding evening, hence the agitation of the parents. 
I lifted the box from the nail very carefully, and, having re- 
moved the cock (he having flown in as usual at my entrance to 
the cage), the female allowed me to lift her from the nest to the 
other corner of the box, when I picked up the newly-hatched 
young bird, which had been squeaking at intervals all the morn- 
ing. It was about the size of an ordinary walnut, and pure 
white in colour, resembling a ball of cotton-wool. I looked 
round for the empty shell, but found that it had been pounded 
by the old bird into minute fragments (this will probably 
account for the disappearance of the egg-shells of raptorial birds, 
which I have sometimes been puzzled to account for after the 
young are hatched). The male bird became more particular in 
the choice of food he carried to the nest ; one sparrow he plucked 
entirely before conveyance, and another he neatly disjointed. 
During this evening, at the same hour as before, 9 p.m., the 
female made the same chuckling noise, and I therefore con- 
cluded a second young one was hatching. On the following 
morning, June 19th, I examined the nest and found she had the 
young well covered by one wing, the two remaining eggs being 
close under her. I noticed a few fragments of egg-shells on the 
bottom of the cage. Later in the afternoon the female made the 
same kind of noise, which was continued at intervals throughout 
the evening. I therefore looked into the nest at 9 a.m. the 
following day, June 20th, and found the third young one with 
