NOTES FROM LEICESTERSHIRE. 455 



March 24th. Four Black-headed Gulls seen and a Redshank, 

 25th. 



April 2nd. Observed a pair of Tree Sparrows on the island. 

 These birds breed every year in a small overflow pipe. 



April 23rd. In certain parts of Leicestershire the Magpie is 

 still pretty common. In a wood of about ten acres I observed 

 four nests. One in an elm, another in an oak, and two in 

 slender fir-trees. One of the latter w T as the smallest nest I ever 

 saw. The old bird was incubating, and her tail projected 

 several inches outside. I climbed up to the nest, which con- 

 tained seven eggs. I had the usual difficulty in reaching one. 

 Magpies not infrequently build in tall hedges, but I never find 

 nests in such situations until the foliage is pretty dense. A 

 Grasshopper Warbler "reeling" at dusk, and also at 9 a.m. A 

 friend reports " Bullfinch's nest with eggs, and the Wood 

 Warbler, Nightingale, and Blackcap heard in full song on 18th." 



May 7th. Had a run through the Belvoir Woods. Heard 

 several Nightingales. This species was common during the 

 breeding season in Leicestershire. Coots and Little Grebes 

 were breeding on a pond in the old gravel pit gardens, and close 

 at hand I observed a Great Spotted Woodpecker, which I was 

 told had a nest near. Heard a Wood Warbler near the Kennels, 

 The commonest birds in the Yale of Belvoir are the Yellow 

 Bunting, Whinchat, and Greater W T hitethroat. Near Harby the 

 Green Woodpecker is pretty frequent. 



June 25th. Noticed many pairs of Turtle Doves. This 

 species has much increased during the last ten years. 



July 6th. Observed a fine Barn Owl at dusk, and I think I 

 heard the notes of a Woodcock. At 10.30 p.m. I heard a 

 warbler singing in a densely matted portion of the wood, which 

 I feel certain was a Marsh Warbler. This part of the wood is 

 about one hundred yards from the river, and has been nearly 

 cleared of large timber ; willows have been planted and allowed 

 to run wild. Convolvulus and other climbing plants grow there 

 very luxuriantly, making the spot very difficult of examination, 

 I have however found nests of the Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, 

 and other common species. The warbler I am referring to was 

 singing something like a Nightingale, but the song was not so 

 sweet, nor so sustained, and the bird frequently altered the tone. 

 Owing to the darkness it was impossible to get very close without 



