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more nests of six and five eggs respectively, but they refused to

sit and the eggs were wasted—I hope, however, for better things

next year. Of those set under the Canary several hatched ; they

had no down of any kind and were quite black, very much

resembling young Reed Warblers. By the way, would this

similarity be due to the facft that they are hatched under

precisely similar conditions, as they are certainly not closely

related ? For the first week they thrived well, growing apace,

when they suddenly all went off within 24 hours, just as they

were shooting their quills. They were fed by the Canary on

hard boiled egg and ants’ eggs, and were hand-fed in addition

with green caterpillars and gentles.


The 21st of April found the Barn Owls sitting; both

sexes took part in the incubation. The eggs, however, proved

unfertile.


Among my small birds I was not very successful. Green¬

finches had nest after nest, but failed to rear beyond ten days.

The Tree Sparrows had several nests, and ended by rearing two

birds. I took, however, no trouble to successfully breed any of

these birds, and supplied them with nothing beyond ordinary

seed and greenmeat.


I lost the cock of a pair of Great Tits while catching him

for the Brighton Show. A few days after the hen laid an egg,

which she, however, broke.


Towards the end of May, a pair of Quails hollowed out a

lovely cup-shaped nest in the grass, but no eggs were ever laid

in it.


O11 April 22nd, I placed a pair of Corncrakes in their

summer quarters out of doors. In a couple of days the cock

was to be heard craking vigorously, and it was soon evident that

they were pairing up ; the cock craking incessantly, walking

about 011 tiptoe, and generally showing himself off. At this time

he would often chase the hen, who would run away dragging

both wings on the ground, and as soon as she stopped, would be

driven on by a sharp peck at the back of the head. Indeed, so

persistent was he with his pecks that the back of her head was

soon bare. In the middle of May, a hole was scratched out but

not lined, and on the 12th of June the first egg was laid. On the

night of the nth of June, the cock was craking most vigorously

up to 11 p.m., which was the last time I heard him crake. Six

eggs were laid, two of which the cock broke by rolling them

about like marbles; indeed, he seemed to take far more interest

in the matter than the hen, for when she used to go on to



