434 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



Blackcap (p. 19).— Mr. T. R. A. Bn'ggs found that this Warbler fed 

 much on the berries of Levcfsteria formosa in August. The Eobin 

 will also eat these berries, which have a very strong and peculiar 

 flavour. We have seen Elackcaps eating pears in October (1S87) at 

 Exmouth. To the quotation from the ' Zoologist ' for 1 801 add : " and 

 a pair frecjuented a garden at Ilfracombe up to January 8th, 1891." 



Dartford Warbler (p. 20). — We find the following entry in a note- 

 book belonging to Col. Montagu, apparently written in February 

 1790 : — " I saw two or three Dartford Warblers in Xovember in a 

 turnip-field. The turnips Avcre exceedingly thick, under the leaves 

 of which they secreted themselves [so] that it was impossible to shoot 

 them. They moved a great distance under concealment, so that 

 'twas very difficult to make them take wing." 



Goldcrest (p. 21). — According to observations made by Mr. Briggs, the 

 Goldcrest sings through the greater part of the year, from January 

 to October. He found nests from April to August with unincubated 

 eggs, and thought the same pair built more than once in the season. 



Fire-crest (p. 22). — As we are frequently having adult male Goldcrests 

 forwarded to us for this bird, it may be useful to state that the 

 Fire-crest, in all stages of plumage, is to be easily recognized hj the 

 ivhite line above the eye. 



Wood-'Warbler (p. 24). — Mr. Briggs records the dates on which 

 he first heard the song of this bird in fifteen years: ouce on 

 April 14th (18G9) ; four times in the third week of April; six times 

 in the last week of April ; and four times in the first week of May. 

 On June l&th, 1S70, he heard one having a remarkable variation in 

 its song — sometimes, instead of the final long note, the bird introduced 

 others which resembled the chattering notes of the Common AVren. 

 Mr. Brif-'gs observed that the nest of this Warbler is composed of fine 

 dry grass without a single feather, and is lined with the same 

 material, a few hairs being sometimes used ; and occasionally the 

 outside of the nest is constructed of dead leaves. 



The Wood-Warbler is marked as occurring at Eousdon in Sir 

 Henry Peek's Catalogue. 



[Icterine Warbler (p. 24). — According to Mr. Howard Saunders 

 (' Manual of B. Birds,' p. 70), hjipolais icferina (Yieillot) is very 

 abundant in the north-east of France, extending westward as far, 

 l^erhaps, as the mouth of the Somme, to the west of wliich river a 

 very closely-allied species, //. poJyfjlotta, is found. The latter is 

 common round Paris and west of the line of the Seine, as well as in 

 the southern provinces ; also in Portugal, Spain, and X.W. Africa. 

 Most probably Bellamy's bird belonged to this western form.] 



Grasshopper Warbler (p. 28). — Marked as having been seen in the 

 parish of Eousdon in Sir H. Peek's Catalogue. 



Dipper (p. 30). — Mr. Briggs heard one or two Dippers singing from 

 alder branches overhanging the Plym Paver, September Gth, 18'57, 



