432 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



giving us an excellent view of their white foreheads and of their 

 plumage. During the course of the evening many arrived, and 

 "we saw some 154 in all. 



On April 9th, a pair of Long-tailed Tits were discovered 

 building. 



Large numbers of Goldfinches were seen about the garden 

 from April 10th to April 14th, and the paths were covered with 

 Lesser Eedpolls through the greater part of April. On April 11th 

 and 14th, Jack Snipe were still in the bogs, and the last was 

 observed on April 20th. 



As usual, Eedshanks and Teal were very conspicuous on all 

 the bog-lakes, and Curlew were still in flocks on April 27th, 

 though after that the flocks began to break up into couples. 



From April 18th onwards we spent nearly every evening 

 trying to discover out of what woods some Woodcock were 

 coming, as we were sure they were nesting. 



Every evening they would suddenly appear, flying up and 

 down certain woods uttering the curious *' croak " repeated three 

 times and then followed by a " squeak." 



One evening, while we were waiting, one circled round and 

 settled on a marshy spot eleven yards away ; it was dusk, and 

 the bird was not easy to see, but its breast showed up well as it 

 fed and moved about. It remained there for about half an 

 hour. 



The 19th found us watching them again ; three were seen at 

 one time and from now every evening they performed just the 

 same flights. On some occasions the bird flew so low overhead 

 that the throat could be seen to quiver when it uttered the notes. 

 I may say that these birds occupied our attention every evening 

 until the end of April, when, after investigating different woods, 

 etc., we abandoned the search for their "rising-place." Any- 

 way, it seems certain that they nest here fairly numerously-, but 

 this is, of course, no uncommon occurrence. 



The weather, up to this, had been harsh, but the 20th was a 

 glorious day and new life was in all the birds, which were 

 singing heartily, and many were busy building. The woods 

 swarmed with Chiftchaffs and Willow-Wrens, all singing loadly. 



Sand-Martins were first noticed on April 20th. 



While looking for a Water-Rail's nest on the afternoon of the 



