Birds. 



2227 



as early as May 5th (1844), and as late as the 28th of the same month in 1845, a year 

 in which many of the migratory birds were strangely irregular. The spotted fly- 

 catcher begins to build almost immediately after its arrival, returning to the same 

 spot which had been previously selected for a number of years successively. If later 

 than usual in arriving, it completes its nest and deposits an egg within a week after 

 its appearance. The new nest is occasionally placed upon the ruins of the last year's 

 one : indeed I know a situation in which for many years the nests have been piled 

 upon each other, till they form a kind of pyramid of upwards a foot in height : the 

 place selected is a projecting stone in a sheltered ivy. The pied flycatcher is a rare 

 visitor ; it may occasionally breed with us : I have once met with it in May, and ano- 

 ther year in June. — Thomas Gough ; Kendal, July 19, 1848. 



Arrivals of Migratory Birds at Elveden, Suffolk. 

 1848. 

 Ringed Plover about February 7 



1848. 

 Nightingale about April 19 



Peewit* „ „ 25 



Pied wagtail „ March 7 



Wheatear „ „ 20 



Great plover „ „ 22 



Wryneck „ „ 29 



Swallow „ April 8 



Cuckoo „ „ 13 



Martin „ „ 19 



Sand martin „ „ 19 



— Alfred Newton ; Elveden, Thetford, July 26, 1848. 



Nidification of Birds near Elveden. 

 1848. 

 Raven about March 12 



Ray's wagtail 



Dotterel 



Whinchat 



Turtle dove 



Nightjar 



Common swift .... 

 Wood warbler .... 

 Spotted flycatcher. 



11 



20 



» 



22 



11 



28 



la; 



f I 



11 



6 



11 



6 



11 



12 



il 



14 



Thrush 



Blackbird 



Stock dove 



Missel thrush ... 

 Robin redbreast 



Peewitf 



Wild duck + ... 

 Hedge sparrow 

 Mute swan J ... 



Woodcock 



Ringed plover... 

 Starling 



1848. 



Common pheasant about April 13 



» 14 



„ 15 



„ 15 



„ 15 



» 17 



„ 20 



„ 22 



„ 23 



„ 24 



„ 24 



„ 25 



„ 25 



„ 15 Skylark 



„ 15 Long-tailed tit 



„ 21 Common partridge 



„ 23 Great plover 



„ 26 Red-legged partridge.., 



„ 26 Blue tit 



April 2 Pied wagtail 



„ 2 Common creeper , 



„ 4 Wheatear , 



„ 6 Wren 



„ 9 House sparrow 



„ 11 Lesser redpole , 



* This bird did not arrive to stay until March 14. Last year (Zool. 1871), the 

 date given was that of permanent arrival. 



f In the " Dates of Nidification " for 1842 (Zool. 722), the month in which this 

 bird laid its first egg should have been March, not May. 



t In a semi-domesticated state. 



