190 THE OKNITHOLOGIST. 



not have utilised one of the Pie's nests, ready at hand, unless, as I think 

 is the fact, the species prefers to breed at a much lower elevation than was 

 formerly the case." I repeat, this is precisely the reasoning I called in 

 question, and do so again. I have never once met with an instance of 

 Sparrow-Hawks breeding at the tops of trees, nor have I yet come across 

 an author of repute who alleges that it was ever their habit so to do, nor 

 do I believe that they ever did so of yore, or do so now. Moreover, 

 with the utmost deference for Mr. Whitlock's opinion, I see the very best 

 of reasons why, in the particular instance to which he has referred, the 

 Sparrow-Hawks should not have utilised one of the Pies' nests, ready at 

 hand, and the reason is this : — The species is rigidly constant in its neglect 

 of nests of the year, so far as Magpies and Carrion Crows are concerned, 

 for breeding purposes. At all events, this has been my unvarying 

 experience from boyhood. Consequently, I maintain that one or other of 

 the two — hitherto unrecorded — eventualities I named must have " inevi- 

 tably" taken place had Mr. Whitlock's particular pair of Sparrow- Hawks 

 bred otherwise, under the circumstances, than was absolutely the case. 

 It is agreed that it is the rule for the species to build a structure of its 

 own in woodland districts, and that it not unfrequently superimposes the 

 same on the battered-down legacy bequeathed by some other species ; but 

 it is, on the contrary, by no means agreed that it ever actually lays in 

 Magpies' nests of the year. However, I quite understand that in future 

 I must dissociate my own personality from Mr. Whitlock's original paper, 

 though I cannot honestly deny that the latter still leaves me with the 

 impression that it approximates to the construction I placed upon it. I 

 fear this discussion is becoming very wearisome— it is so to me — but I 

 wish to add that I fully and unhesitatingly accept Mr. Whitlock's 

 disclaimer, and that I trust he will not for one moment regard anything 

 I may have written — in the confusion and turmoil incident on changing 

 houses I have perforce written currcnta calamo — in the light of a 

 discourtesy. — H. S. Davenport (Ormandyne, Melton Mowbray). 



Local Bird Names from Arundel, Sussex. — Barn Owl: White Owl. 

 Tawny Owl : Brown Owl, Woodowl. Red-backed Shrike : Butcher Bird. 

 Spotted Flycatcher : Bee Bird. Missel Thrush : Storm Bird. Common 

 Thrush : Thrusher. Blackbird : Blackie. Whitethroat : Nettle Creeper. 

 Great Tit: Tomtit, Blue Tit: Tomtit. Long Tailed Tit: Bottle Tit. 

 Pied Wagtail : Dish Washer. Reed Bunting : Reed Sparrow. Greenfinch : 

 Green Linnet. Green Woodpecker: Yuffle. Creeper: Tree Climber. 

 Wren : Scutty. Swift : Squeaker. Night Jar ; Night Hawk, Eve Churr. 

 Ring Dove: Wood Pigeon. Turtle Dove: Wood Dove. Lapwing: Peewit. 

 Common Heron: Hern. Land Rail: Corn Crake. Moor Hen: Water Hen. 

 Kestrel Hawk : Fanner Hawk. — Leslie Lewis (Binstead Rectory, Arundel). 



