150 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



To pass from birds in captivity to those at large, there is abundant evidence 

 that wild birds pick up the notes of others, and incorporate them into their 

 own song. Many instances have come under my notice. Some years ago 

 I noticed that the Sky Larks in the Reculver Marshes in Kent introduced 

 into their song the most perfect imitation of the alarm note of the Ringed 

 Plover. The explanation was very simple. The Plovers nested on the top 

 of the sea-wall, which was also used as a foot-path, and, being constantly 

 disturbed, were continually flying round, uttering the alarm note, which the 

 nestling Larks in the adjoining reclaimed fields did not forget. In another 

 case, while sauntering about a rector's garden in Sussex one fine morning 

 in January, I heard the song of the Blackbird, as I thought ; but knowing 

 that it was too early for that bird, I quietly approached the songster, and 

 discovered, that it was a Starling. The imitation was almost perfect. — J. 

 Young (64, Hereford Road). 



[In Sussex some years ago we repeatedly heard the Sky Larks in the 

 marshes between Pagham Harbour and Selsea Bill, imitating the notes of 

 the Ringed Plover and Redshank, both of which species used to breed there, 

 the former on the great shingle beach, which almost closed the entrance to 

 the harbour (since drained alas !), and the latter in the neighbouring 

 marshes. So perfect was the imitation that it was only by looking for the 

 author of the notes that we were undeceived. In February last, while 

 staying on a visit in North Wales, we were much entertained with a Starling 

 near the house, which not only uttered some of the Blackbird's notes, but, 

 much to our surprise, those of the Curlew also. This was explained by the 

 proximity to the Meuai Straits, and to the fact that the Curlews at high- 

 water frequently leave the mud-flats and come into the Park, where we have 

 seen them feeding on the old pasture in flocks of thirty or forty. On being 

 disturbed, their cries would be quite audible to the Starlings near the house. 

 —Ed.] 



Nesting of the Chiffchaff. — Whilst reading with interest the notes on 

 this subject by Mr. Ellison (Zool. 1891, p. 470), and by Mr. Read in your 

 last issue (p. Ill), I have been reminded of a case where a Chiffchaff, 

 building in our garden at York, placed its nest in an Austrian pine at least 

 nine feet from the ground, as measured by me at the time. The frail 

 structure was placed at or near the end of a branch among thick foliage. 

 I have also seen a nest in a small cedar tree, elevated, say, 18 in. ; but 

 these two instances are the only ones of which I have any note where the 

 nests have been actually off the ground. In our garden, a wonderful 

 variety of positions are sometimes chosen ; for example, the midst of a patch 

 of pink, where detection was very difficult, and on the bare ground, where 

 not the smallest attempt had been made at concealment. In most cases 

 the nests are made mostly of dead leaves, but I have noted an instance 

 where moss was the material employed. — J. B\ckhouse (Harrogate). 



