Birds. 5681 



business of incubation, and consequently it returned to its old place according to its 

 usual custom, but with the crow as his companion. I know of a nest being occupied 

 for ten years together, and one of the old ravens shot every year, each spring the sur- 

 viving bird bringing a companion, which reared its young till one or other of the old 

 ones was shot on the nest. — Reginald Bosworth Smith; the College, Marlborough, 

 May 23, 1857. 



Hawfinch breeding at Marlborough. — I think, among the constant haunts of this 

 bird in England, the neighbourhood of Marlborough has never been mentioned: it 

 frequents Savernake Forest, and nearly every spring three or four, or even five, nests 

 are met with ; they select the thickest hawthorn bushes, and build their nests close to 

 the top, where they are quite concealed. The first nest this year was met with on 

 the 19th of May; it contained five fresh-laid eggs, of which I have some in my 

 possession. — Id. 



Note on the Reed Bunting (Emberiza schceniclus). — I should not probably 

 have considered it necessary to have offered any remarks on so common a bird as the 

 reed bunting undoubtedly is, but having lately shot a handsome male of this 

 species, I consulted Montagu, who says, " the back is black, deeply bordered with 

 reddish brown." Not feeling satisfied with this description, I referred to Macgillivray, 

 who states (vol. i. p. 454) that " the general colour of the upper parts is bright 

 chestnut, each feather with brownish black in the centre." With all due deference to 

 the opinion of Montagu I must agree with Macgillivray in calling the back chestnut- 

 brown, for although it is true that the centre of each feather, including the shaft, is 

 black, it is so broadly margined and tipped with light brown as to throw the former 

 colour into the shade. With regard to its nest the above authors are also at variance: 

 Montagu tells us that it is "never fastened or suspended, as authors have related:" 

 Macgillivray, on the contrary, says, " It places its nest among aquatic plants, in a tuft 

 of grass or reeds, often fastening it to the stems of the latter:" he also mentions having 

 found a nest "by Duddington Loch, fastened at the height of more than half-a-foot 

 among stems of Arundo Phragmites." Is it possible that so experienced an or- 

 nithologist could have mistaken the nest of the sedge warbler for that of the reed 

 bunting? as most authors agree in saying the former suspends its nest to reeds and 

 other aquatic plants; for instance, Teinminck (tome i. p. 189), " Bee-fin Fragmile. 

 Construit, en forme de panier, un nid artistement entrelace dans les roseaux;" but, 

 in describing the nest of the reed bunting (p. 310), he says, "Niche dans les 

 roseaux, pres de terre, ou entre les racines des arbustes qui croissenf pres des eaux, 

 souvent dans les hautes herbes." Now let us turn to Olivier, (' Regne Animal,' tome i. 

 p. 382), " Le bruant de roseaux. Niche aux pieds des buissons, le long des eaux." 

 But not one word do these authors say in corroboration of Macgillivray's assertion. 

 Never having seen the nest of the reed bunting (although I hope soon to do so), I cannot 

 pretend to decide who is in the right. I will now give the description of the bird, as 

 noted down at the time :— " Heed bunting, shot February 14, 1857. Length 5f inches ; 

 extent of wings 9£ inches ; wing from flexure 3 inches and 2-tenths ; bill along the ridge 

 3£-tenths ; lower mandible 2^-tenths ; tarsus 8-tenths ; middle toe \ inch, claw 2-tenths ; 

 outer toe 4-tenths, claw l^-tenth ; inner toe 4-tenths, claw l^-tenth . hind toe 3-tenths, 

 claw 2^-tenths. Dorsal line arcuate : upper mandible black, but horn-coloured at the 

 edges, overlapping the lower, which is angular and of a light horn-colour, but darker 

 towards the point, which is acute ; legs flesh-coloured, claws arched and dusky, but 

 black at the points ; head black, but many of the feathers are tipped with reddish 



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