NOTES AND QUERIES. 389 



Woodpecker was shot at Tusmore ; the crown of the head is a dull 

 crimson with no scarlet tinge, and the tail is tinged with a rusty tint. 

 A pure white albino Jackdaw was shot at Drayton (the adjoining 

 parish to Wroxton) on July 17th, 1911, and an albino Eook, of a 

 dirty or smoky white, near Shennington, on June 3rd, in the same 

 year. Both these are birds of the year, and had the irides, beak, and 

 legs pale pinkish white. A pale-coloured Starling (moulting into 

 autumn dress) with partly white quill-feathers was killed at Adder- 

 bury at the end of August. A neighbour of mine about the end of 

 February last shot a cream-coloured Snipe in a furze cover at Mil- 

 comb. It was unfortunately very much knocked about, and was not 

 preserved. — 0. V. Aplin (Bloxham, Oxon). 



Notes from Yorkshire. — On April 26th last a male Pied Flycatcher 

 {Muscica'pa atricapilla) visited Bingley Wood, and remained for the 

 most part of a week. From what one knows of its habits, the spot is 

 an ideal nesting-place, and it is not unreasonable to suppose that, if a 

 female could have been found, it would have remained to breed. It 

 is a somewhat singular thing that only the male of this species, 

 except on rare occasions, visits the Aire Valley on migration in spring, 

 while in a neighbouring valley, where the physical conditions would 

 appear to be identical, it is a fairly common nesting species. Why 

 this is so would be difficult to say, but it does not appear to be merely 

 a question of food supply. The migration route of the females may 

 be different to some extent from the males — at least, this would 

 appear to be the case in Mid Airedale-^and this fact may account, at 

 least to some extent, for the species being so local in its habits. A 

 few years ago I saw a Woodcock indulging in its characteristic love- 

 flight in Bingley Woods, at a season of the year when it must have 

 been nesting, but, although a careful search was made, the nest could 

 not be discovered. Ever since I have kept asking the gamekeeper to 

 look out for its nest, and this year he has informed me of an un- 

 doubted instance of its nesting in Bingley Woods, and was fortunate 

 in bringing off its young. A Eedshank has also nested within a short 

 distance of this place for the first time this year, and brought off its 

 young. Whilst searching for its nest three nests of the Snipe were 

 found. Both the Woodcock and Eedshank have extended their 

 nesting range in Yorkshire within recent years. I have also to record 

 the visit of the Lesser Whitethroat to this district — a male in May, 

 but it did not remain to breed. It is a scarce breeding species in Upper 

 Airedale. I have seen the Hawfinch twice this season, but not found 

 its nest ; once in this locality a few weeks ago, whilst sitting down. 



