304 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Godalming Cemetery, which adjoins this house ; it was built in a small 

 yew tree close to one of the paths, and was composed of bents, mixed with 

 a little moss, and was lined with finer bents and some hair ; it contained 

 four eggs of a dull white, tinged with grey, and streaked and blotched with 

 liver-brown. Tlie nest was interfered with, one of the eggs was taken, and 

 the old birds forsook it. Having become aware of this I removed the nest, 

 but I was able to save only one of the eggs, which had been sat upon for 

 some days, and that one is in but a shattered condition. Since then the 

 same pair of birds have built a second nest, about a hundred yards distant 

 from the first, among some twigs growing out of the trunk of an elm tree, 

 and a foot and a half from the ground. When I first saw it (on June 18th) 

 it had four eggs which were almost ready to hatch ; last week there were 

 four young ones in the nest, but yesterday morning (June 27th) I found 

 that two of the four— the cause I know not — were dead. I may add ihat 

 botli ray son and I have spent some time in watching the old birds. Each 

 takes a share in feeding the young; when alarmed each utters a single 

 note which is repeated several times ; also, when disturbed, the female 

 flutters along the ground as if hurt. The birds are not at all shy, but 

 continue to carry food — which appears to consist of caterpillars — to their 

 young whilst we are standing a few yards off. I observe that in the second 

 edition of Yarrell's ' British Birds,' it is stated that the Girl Bunting has 

 been found in Surrey, near Godalming ; and in the last edition of the same 

 work it is said to breed in Surrey ; but I have not noticed any specified 

 instance of its doing so, and that is why I send you this account. The 

 second nest is precisely similar to the first. It may be well to add, 

 again, that I have been for many years a diligent observer of birds and of 

 their habits, and that I am quite certain the bird in question is the Girl 

 Bunting, for with careful scrutiny of its plumage it is impossible to 

 mistake it. — Henry Benson (Rector of Farncombe). 



Curious site for Chiffchaff's Nest.— On the 4th of June last I found 

 a nest of the Chiffchaff, containing three eggs, built in a holly-bush quite 

 five feet from the ground. The nest was very loosely built, and came to 

 grief before the young birds were reared. The old Chiffchaff was seen 

 and clearly identified. — E. W. H. Blago (Cheadle, Staffordshire). 



Long-eared Owl laying in Rook's Nest. — In March, 1886, a friend of 

 mine, while collecting a few Rook's eggs near Barnborough, Northumber- 

 land, found a nest containing three eggs of the Rook and one of the Long- 

 eared Owl. There can be no doubt about the latter, as the old Owl was 

 seen to fly from the nest. — Riley Fortune (Harrogate). 



The Missel Thrush occasionally a Bird of Prey.— With reference 

 to the note under this heaiiing (p. 208), I may mention that I obtained a 

 pair of Missel Thrushes from a nest in May last year, and one of the 



