298 THE ZOOLOGIST. 





noisy. On this date the nesting of Wood Pigeons was general ; 

 we found several nests with very hard-set eggs. Mr. G. V. Clarke 

 found young Tawny Owls in the New Forest. On the 1 9th two 

 gulls were still with us, the main body having discontinued their 

 visits. On the 20th Mr. Ensor found a young Wood Pigeon 

 quite fledged, and Mr. Fisher two clutches of Dabchicks' eggs, 

 one considerably incubated, and one of Moorhens' eggs almost 

 hatching. On the 21st Mr. W. H. Turle wrote to say that he 

 had already found eggs of the Stone Curlew in Hampshire. On 

 the 23rd we found the first Wheatear's egg t and Mr. Fisher 

 reported Fieldfares. A nest of the Water Rail, Rallus aquaticus, 

 with seven eggs, was found in an osier-bed between Winchester 

 and Twyford on this date. I had previously no record of its 

 breeding nearer than Avington. By the 24th the following species 

 had eggs : — Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Linnet, Wren, Blue Tit, Great 

 Tit, and Pied Wagtail. Mr. Ensor found a clutch of five Reed 

 Bunting's eggs, and heard the Corn Crake. The first Swift, 

 Cypselus apus, arrived on this date. On the 25th we heard the 

 Turtle Dove, and found Wheatears nesting in considerable 

 numbers on a large stony warren five miles to the west of Win- 

 chester. Stone Curlews were seen in some numbers and were 

 calling continually. On this day we found two nests of the Sky 

 Lark, both with young birds. On the 27th Mr. Chalkley received 

 another Pied Woodpecker from Alton, and a Hawfinch, Cocco- 

 thraustes vulgaris, from Hursley. We found a clutch of Meadow 

 Pipit's eggs, nearly hatching, and Mr. Clarke reported the first 

 Sedge Warbler's eggs. On the 30th I observed some Stone 

 Curlews on a warren to the east of Winchester ; they seem to 

 have been numerous this season throughout the county, and 

 Mr. Turle (in litt. Dec. 18th) says, " seen in great numbers this 

 autumn. Previous to the 30th Mr. Turle had found eggs of the 

 Barn Owl and Bullfinch. The Long-eared Owls, Asio otus, 

 again built this year in a wood not two miles from Winchester, 

 and the nest, with two full-grown young ones and two smaller 

 birds, was found on this date. 



May. 



On the 1st we found two nests of the Snipe, Gallinago ccelestis, 

 near Stockbridge, one containing one egg and the other four eggs, 

 very " hard-set," Linnets had young ones ready to fly, Peewits 



