1909-1910.] 285 



shown the site of a Water-Rail's nest, nothing being visible save 

 the rank vegetation, deep down in which this bird invariably 

 builds its nest. The second picture exhibited the same place, 

 with the rushes parted and pulled aside, revealing the nest with 

 its nine eggs. Other slides illustrated the "adaptation to 

 environment" by the protective colouration of sitting birds as 

 the Pheasant and Woodcock, which are difficult to perceive so 

 long as they remain quiescent, as they habitually do, but when 

 forced to leave their nests the eggs are somewhat conspicuous, 

 particularly in case of the former. Another pair of slides showed 

 the habit of the Little Grebe in covering its eggs when leaving the 

 nest, which to all appearance betokened nothing but a mass of 

 decaying vegetation floating upon the surface of the water, and 

 entangled amongst the bulrushes growing therein. 



The following is a complete list of the birds observed in the 

 Hillsborough District by Mr. Foster : — 



Mistle-Thrush, Turdus viscivorus, resident, common. Local 



names "Jay-Thrush," "Screech-Cock." 

 Song-Thrush, T. musicus, resident, common. 

 Redwing, T. iliacus, regular Winter visitant. 

 Fieldfare, T. pilaris, regular Winter visitant. 

 Blackbird, T. merula, resident, very common. 

 Wheatear, Saxicola cenanthe, occasional visitant. 

 Whinchat, Pratincola rubetra, rare. 

 Stonechat, P. rubicola, resident in small numbers. 

 Redbreast, Erithacus rubecula, resident, common. 

 Whitethroat, Sylvia cinerea, regular Summer visitant. 

 Golden-crested Wren, Regulus cristalus, resident, common. 



Local name " Pope's Eye." 

 Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus rufus, regular Summer visitant. 

 Willow-Wren, P. trochilus, regular Summer visitant. 

 Sedge-Warbler, Acrocephalus phragmitis, regular Summer 



visitant. 



