38S Noles and Comments. 



under the most favourable conditions had he seen anything 

 like the same number of birds and species of birds in so small 

 a space. It was very remarkable in that small wood of nine- 

 teen acres forty-five different species of British birds had nested 

 and bred. Thirty-seven other species had visited the wood 

 and had not bred. Ten others had been observed. Thus 

 ninety-two different species of birds had gone there in the 

 spring, and more than half that number had nested. The use 

 that could be made of the sanctuary was obvious. It could be 

 made a place for Nature study. No one could really enjoy 

 birds without learning their song, and the Bird Sanctuary 

 provided, he believed, the best and most suitable opportunity 

 for the purpose that could be found anywhere in the country. 

 It was due, he believed, almost entirely to an anonymous 

 donor that the site now occupied twenty-six acres. To that 

 donor he would offer his tribute of gratitude for having 

 rendered a very great service. 



BIRD SONGS BY WIRELESS TELEPHONE. 



A remarkable performance, however, was the transmission 

 into the dining room of songs by the human voice, and also of 

 birds — bv wireless telephone. These were quite distinct, 

 both by ear instruments and without, the songs being quite 

 easily heard from a ' receiver ' at the end of the room. The 

 song of the nightingale was distinctly heard, and also that 

 of a blackbird, but, to the writer, it sounded remarkably 

 like a thrush, though it must be admitted that the song was 

 given after dinner ! We should like to congratulate the Sel- 

 borne Society, and Mr. W. Mark Webb, on the occasion which 

 caused the dinner to be held, viz., the completion of the 

 purchase of the Brent Valley Sanctuary. Would that Spurn 

 Point, Hornsea Mere, and other areas in Yorkshire could be 

 secured for all time in a similar way ! 



A LOST LINCOLNSHIRE VILLAGE. 



At the recent Annual Meeting of the Lincolnshire Nat- 

 uralists' Union, Mr. H. Preston states that the recent visit of 

 members to Frieston shore led to the consideration of a rather 

 important problem in Lincolnshire coast geology. From a 

 coaching bill dated 1821, which recently came into his posses- 

 sion, he had expected to find a good sandy shore. Instead was 

 a long reach of mud flats, the tide receding as much as three 

 miles from the bank. The ])ill stated that the new post 

 coach, the British Queen, would commence running from 

 Nottingham to Boston, and passing through Grantham, on 

 Whit Monday, June nth, 1821. The coach would make the 

 journey on four days a week during the bathing and summer 

 season. Stops would be made at Rodney and Hood. He had 



Naturalist 



