Birds. 2453 



net near the spot, and in a few minutes the bird was his prisoner. It is now in the 

 possession of a gentleman in the neighbourhood. — W. C. Unwin ; St. Anns, Lewes, 

 February 19, 1849. 



An Extraordinary Nest of the Song Thrush (Turdus musicus). — When looking for 

 a moth (Nyssia zonaria), at New Brighton, on the 11th instant, I found the strangest 

 thrush's nest I ever saw or heard of. It was placed near the top of a ridge of sand, 

 some of which the wind had blown away, so as to leave a ledge of matted roots, &c, 

 which overhung and sheltered the nest from the weather. It was composed of a few 

 bits and roots of star-grass, stuck into the sand, and woven together in front, about 

 an inch and a half in height ; but at the back there were not more than half-a-dozen 

 bits of roots. The eggs — three in number, and quite fresh — were laid on the bare 

 sand : there was no lining whatever. I have known the thrush build on the ground 

 before, but then the nest was lined in the usual way. — Nicholas Cooke ; Warrington, 

 April 19, 1849. 



Cream-coloured Variety of the Song Thrush. — In November last, Harris, a bird- 

 stuffer in this town, when out looking for small birds, shot a beautiful cream-coloured 

 variety of the song thrush, at Old Mailing. Is not this of rather rare occurrence with 

 this species ? It is frequently seen in the house sparrow, skylark and common bunting. 

 — W. C. Unwin; St. Anns, Lewes, February 19, 1849. 



Supposed Variety of the Hedge Sparrow (Sylvia modularis). — A very curious spe- 

 cimen, supposed to be a variety of the hedge sparrow, was shot a few miles from here 

 not long since. It is a pale fawn colour all over : it does not to me appear at all 

 like a hedge sparrow, being altogether more slender ; but it is pronounced by compe- 

 tent authority to be that bird. — J. B. Ellman ; Rye, April 17, 1849. 



Curious Nesting-place of Robins. — A pair of robins have built their nest behind a 

 figure on the top of a small monument, in Thorpe church. There are now young 

 ones in the nest ; and the male bird — without any fear — brings them worms every 

 now and then, even during divine service : a small broken pane of glass affords him 

 an easy entrance. Two other instances have also come under my notice this year. 

 One, where a pair have built their nest in a school-room, in which a continual bustle 

 is going on all day ; and the other, in the bed-room of a gentleman's house : the win- 

 dow is left open during the day, to enable the birds to obtain food for their progeny. 

 —Peter E. Hansell ; Thorpe, May 7, 1849. 



Description of the Eggs and Nest of a British Sylvia. — That there is a British 

 Sylvia besides the species already described is made pretty evident by the following 

 facts, corroborating as they do the remarks of your late correspondents, Messrs. Lean 

 and Benson. Last week, when searching in a coppice near this place for nests of the 

 Sylviadre, I found one in a wild rose-bush, having three rosy white, unspotted and 

 nearly globular eggs in it, and placed about a foot and a half from the ground : the 

 bird, which was on at the time, darted off so suddenly as to prevent my noting its 

 appearance. From the number of the eggs I judged the bird had not finished laying, 

 and therefore brought one of them away with me, as I have frequently done with im- 

 punity with the other Sylviadae ; but to my great disappointment, on visiting it again 

 two or three days afterwards, I found it had been forsaken. I must, therefore, con- 

 tent myself at present with the nest and eggs only, which I will proceed to describe. 

 Nest.— Made of the dried stems of small plants, finer in the inside, mixed with a little 

 wool, and lined with long black horse-hair ; in short, very like that of the whitethroat, 

 but thicker ; the cavity two inches in diameter, and an inch and a half in depth. 

 VII R 



