WHITLOCK : BIRD-NOTES FROM THE MID-TRENT VALLEY. 55 
young was found under a large oak tree. I had searched in 
vain in some low brambles, but it was actually placed in 
a small hollow in the ground, the entrance being quite on 
a level with the latter. Such a situation is very unusual. 
Common Whitethroat. Sylvia rufa. I saw a nest of this 
species in a curious situation. It was in an orchard, the 
tenant of which to preserve some young trees from the rabbits, 
had surrounded each with small-meshed galvanized wire. The 
parent birds had constructed their home inside the circle 
formed by the latter. 
Pied Wagtail. Motacilla lugubris. A pair of these birds 
built their nest inside an empty beer-barrel at Beeston Brewery. 
‘he barrel had no head. 
From May roth to 24th I visited West Cumberland, but 
observed nothing of special interest except considerable flocks 
of Turnstones (S¢repsi/as interpres) in summer plumage. 
A Ringed Plover (4 giaditis hiaticula) however had laid her eggs 
inside a small tuft of marram grass, which is not the usual 
practice with this species. There were young Sandpipers 
(Zotanus hypoleucus) out on May 21st. It was rather ridiculous 
to see the Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus) perching on the 
chimney-pots, as was often to be observed, in one small town on 
the coast. 
Pheasant. Phasianus torquatus. I had the blue-green 
variety of the egg of this species brought to me for identity. 
Red-Legged Partridge. Caccabis rufa. I saw three nests of 
this species all very close together. Two were in spinneys, and 
one in a hedge-bottom. 
Whinchat. Pratincola rubetra. I saw a Chat as late as 
October 6th, having seen the same bird a week previously. 
all appearances it was a Whinchat.._ I was loth to kill it to settle 
the question beyond dispute. 
Cormorant. Phalacrocorax carbo. On October 6th, after 
strong winds from west and south-west, I met with a pair of 
these birds fishing in the Trent. They looked like old ones, 
but were rather shy. With the aid of a glass I watched one of 
them feeding. Once or twice it came up with a fish, but more 
often with a tuft of water-weed, which it swallowed with 
ifficulty. 
February 1897. 
