Birds. 8679 



Missel Thrush. — No. 1. Coarse grass, a few feathers, with a little mud, and lined 

 with fine dried grass. I think this is the only nest of the missel thrush I have ever seen 

 without Ramalina, more or less. No. 2. A few dead slicks, dried stalks, moss and 

 lichen ; lined with mud. No. 3. A quantity of Ramalina fraxinea, var. farinacea, &c., 

 and a few dead twigs ; and lined with fine grass. No. 4. Dead twigs, coarse vegetable 

 stalks, moss, wool and Ramalina; lined with fine dried grass. No. 5. Entirely of 

 Ramalina and a few dead twigs outside ; lined with fine grass. No. 6. Ramalina, dried 

 vegetable stalks and a little mud ; lined with fine grass. No. 7. Dead fir twigs, moss, 

 wool, lichen and grass; lined with mud. 



Linnet. — No. I. Fibrous roots and moss ; lined with wool and horse-hair. This is 

 certainly the normal type of linnets' nests. No. 2. Roots of Triticum ; lined with 

 fibrous roots. No. 3. Grass and fibrous roots ; lined with wool and horse-hair. 

 No. 4. Dried stalks of herbaceous plants, moss and fibrous roots; lined with wool, a 

 few feathers and horse-hair. 



Greenfinch. — No. 1. Coarse grass, a little moss ; lined with wool and horse-hair. 

 No. 2. Dead fir twigs, moss and bai4t of Clematis vitalba; lined with wool, hair and 

 feathers. No. 3. Roots and moss; lined with grass, wool and a few feathers. 

 No. 4. Roots and moss ; lined with fibrous roots, wool and feathers. No. 5. Roots, 

 wool and moss ; lined with fibrous roots, wool and a little horse-hair. 



Colonel Montagu's description of the nest of the cirl bunting appears to me incor- 

 rect, in that it differs not from the normal type of yellowhammers' nests, as you will 

 see by the two specimens of the latter enclosed. I have taken several nests of the cirl 

 bunting, but never found one lined with fibrous roots. The nest sent may, I think, be 

 safely taken for the usual type. I have also inclosed you the two varieties of the 

 eggs of Regulus cristatus : it is difficult to say which should be described as the 

 typical colour; they are equally common. — Henry Reeks ; Thruxton. 



[The nests so kindly transmitted to me are most interesting, and speak for them- 

 selves; but, as my readers cannot examine and handle them, I publish my correspon- 

 dent's notes, which are very explicit. With regard to the "acrimonious spirit" 

 exhibited by some of my critics, I believe that Mr. Reeks does not allude to anything 

 in the ' Zoologist,' but to the lucubratious of a beginner in another journal: experience 

 will undoubtedly convince the critic both of his mistake as to matter of fact, and also 

 as to the impropriety of acrimonious writing on this or any other subject connected 

 with Science. — Edward Newman.'] 



Blackbird Nest-building. — A blackbird built her nest this spring in my garden, 

 in a white currant bush. On the Saturday there was not a straw laid, but the nest 

 was finished and lined on the Tuesday night following, and the first egg was laid on 

 Thursday. From long observation on birds and their habits I have every reason to 

 believe that the male bird gives very little, if any, assistance to the hen in the con- 

 struction of their nest. — J. Ranson ; York. 



Blackbirds' and Treecreepers^ Nests on the Ground. — On the 10th of May I found 

 in Methven Woods two blackbird's nests built on the ground, as if the birds had 

 scooped out a place for their nest. One contained three eggs, bright blue with scarcely 

 any spots on them. The nests were quite unsheltered, although there were plenty of 

 bushes suitable for them to build in. The second was made at the side of a ditch, at 

 a short distance from the other, and contained four eggs. I likewise know of a tree 

 creeper's nest on the ground, under shelter of the stump of an old tree. The nest con- 

 tains six eggs hard set. On the 1st of May I watched the birds carrying material for 



