ORNITHOLOGY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. 49 



seen from several windows on the western side of the house, is so 

 artfully placed between thick branches at their junction with the 

 main trunk that it is impossible to see what it contains without 

 climbing. 



3rd. The Rev. S. Baker, of Hargrave, informs me that a white 

 Hedgesparrow is constantly frequenting that neighbourhood. 



4th. " Fieldfares still about this morning. I think that I saw 

 them start northwards. They were feeding about in a grass field 

 at 10 a.m., and all (about fifty) shortly mustered on an oak-tree 

 in the middle of the field. In a quarter of an hour or so, after 

 chattering a good deal, they set off in a compact body, rising 

 high in the air, towards N.W."— H. H. S. 



21st. A nest of the Little Owl in stump of elm in the deer- 

 park at Lilford contained four eggs. 



27th. "Grasshopper Warblers in full song in Bedford Purlieus. 

 I timed one to-day — twenty-one continuous minutes with only the 

 minute momentary breaks when breath was hastily taken." — 

 H. H. S. 



28th. A Kestrel's egg found in Stock Dove's nest in hollow 

 elm in the deer-park at Lilford, with one egg of rightful possessor. 



30th. The tame Ravens have now four young and an egg un- 

 hatched in their nest. 



May. 



2nd. Mr. G. Nevile reported that he had seen a Redshank two 

 or three days ago near Aldwincle. 



4th. One of our keepers found another nest of the Little Owl 

 containing six eggs in the deer-park at Lilford. 



J 9th. I received a nest and two eggs of Grasshopper Warbler 

 from the Rev. H. H. Slater, who wrote as follows, under date of 

 17th inst. : — " I found a nest of Grasshopper Warbler to-day near 

 Twywell, with six eggs. We had to cut more than a square yard 

 of grass down with a pocket-knife before we could find the nest. 

 These were the most handsomely marked eggs of this bird 

 that I ever saw, and this is, so far as I remember, the ninth 

 nest that I have found. The nest was situated on the side of a 

 grassy bank (the grass two feet high), interspersed with small 

 thorn and other bushes, by the side of Twywell Brook." — H. H. S. 

 I have stated these details at length as although, from many 

 reports sent to me, it is evident that the Grasshopper Warbler 

 has of late years become a regular and not uncommon summer 



