NOTES AND QUERIES. 305 



on April 14th I saw the female bird sitting, and subsequently five young 

 ones were hatched, all but one of which shortly afterwards disappeared, 

 presumably being devoured by the pike : tbis unfortunately happens with 

 nearly all the cygnets on these ponds. On March 27th I received a letter 

 from the gamekeeper at Burley-on-the-Hill, informing me that he had seen 

 a Redstart on the previous day ; though an early date for this bird, I have 

 no reason to doubt the accuracy of my informant, as he is a good observer, 

 and the bird breeds annually close to bis house. During the earlier part of 

 the spring all birds were somewhat later in nesting than usual. A pair of 

 Lapwings appeared to have a nest in a fallow-field near Ketton on April 1st. 

 Jackdaws were building on the 7th, and Thrushes aud Blackbirds on the two 

 following days. The first Pheasant's nest was seen at Barnsdale, near Exton, 

 on the 16th, and I obtained the first Plovers' eggs two days afterwards, on 

 the 18th. The Blackcap appeared on April 12th, the Wryneck on the 15 th 

 and the Whinchat — or, as it is locally called, "Uliek"— on .May 1st. 

 I was told by one of my keepers that he had seen a Turtle Dove on April 

 14th — an early date for this bird, but the man expressed himself as certain 

 about it. On May 8th I observed a Wheatear on a fallow-field near 

 Cottesmore village ; I had previously seen one close to the same spot in 

 September last year (1887) ; these birds are not often seen here, and appear 

 to pass only in spring and autumn without remaining to breed. On May 

 24th I had the good fortune to find two Hawfinches' nests, both in apple- 

 trees, and each containing five eggs ; the eggs in one nest were of the 

 smaller and rounder type, with the markings more scattered over the whole 

 surface, and the black spots very dark and bright. In the other nest they 

 were of the more ordinary type, longer and more pointed, with the dull, 

 dusky, and streaky marks peculiar to this egg more evident, and the black 

 spots fewer, and more at the larger end. These birds breed annually in 

 this county, but the nest is not easy to find ; I have seen as many as five 

 and six of these birds together, both in summer aud winter. On the 

 following day, May 25th, I saw a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker on a white 

 poplar-tree at Burley ponds; this bird is not unfrequent in the woods in 

 this neighbourhood, but is difficult to distinguish unless it is traced by its 

 loud and curious note. The Sedge Warbler, the Reed Bunting, and Yellow 

 Wagtail were also seen by these ponds. On Juue 6th I heard and saw both 

 the hen aud the cock bird of the Wood Wren in Tunneley Wood, near 

 Exton Park; the bird has not often been seen in this neighbourhood. 

 While driving to Pickworth on the next day I saw as many as eleven Stock 

 Doves on the ground in one field — rather an unusual number to see together. 

 On the following day, June 8th, I heard a Water Rail uttering its curious 

 note in the sedges in the upper pond in the park ; this bird, being of 

 veiy shy habits, is seldom seen except when flushed by beaters in the 

 shooting season. — Gainsborough (Exton Park, Oakham). 



