Field Notes. 301 



had with birds nesting near my house. The birds would no 

 doubt desert the nest referred to by Mr. Welch, owing to one 

 of the eggs being broken, as otherwise, especially if a little 

 cover was left, the probabilities are that they would not have 

 done so. Several cases have come under my own observation 

 when birds have stuck to the nest and brought off their brood 

 after the reaper had laid bare the surrounding ground. — R. 

 Fortune. 



Thrush with White Tail -tip. — On August 12th, I 

 noticed a white variety of Song Thrush, with a peculiar 

 distribution of the abnormal white which completely covered 

 the tip of its tail (for about an inch), all other parts of the 

 plumage being normal. It was fully adult, judging from its size, 

 and was very wary, presumably having been shot at by some- 

 one ; but after some difficulty I got several good views of it. 

 The white tail-tip looked very curious when flying. The only 

 other case I can remember to have seen ' in the flesh ' was one 

 which lived from about 1897 to 1903, in North Cheshire, 

 and was usually midway between Mottram and Broadbottom 

 villages. This latter bird had several white primaries on 

 each wing, and they always returned the same after each 

 moult. White varieties and complete albinism are un- 

 doubtedly due to defective developments ; but why so much 

 commoner in Blackbird than Thrush ? — Fred. D. Welch, 

 Hartley, Kent. 



Kestrel ' flying-down ' a Song Thrush. — In June, 

 1914, a case in which a Kestrel deliberately ' fiew-down ' a Song 

 Thrush was observed by me, the chase being carried out at a 

 level of from four to five feet from the ground the whole time ; 

 the distance covered was about forty yards by each bird, but 

 as both were travelling at top speed when first seen by me, 

 it is probable that they had flown much further, but a hedge 

 prevented me seeing the first part of the flight. The pace of 

 the Kestrel can only be described as terrific. Comparing this 

 with two cases of the usual downward dash or stoop, seen near, 

 one a Sparrow Hawk in North Cheshire about 1902, the other 

 a Kestrel seen here on July 7th of this year (possibly the same 

 bird), it seemed to me that when ' flying-down ' a bird, a Hawk 

 travels considerably faster. I am quite certain it was a Kestrel, 

 because, after catching the unfortunate Thrush, it dashed head- 

 long into some wire netting round a fowl run, unable to stop 

 owing to the speed it was going, and presumably got partly 

 stunned judging by the way it clambered up the netting with 

 difficulty, and finally sat on the top for several minutes. As I 

 approached to within fifteen feet of it, its whole plumage was 

 easily seen in the broad sunshine. It was the most extra- 

 ordinary bird episode I have yet seen. — Fred. D. Welch. 



1918 Sept. 1. 



