68 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



spirited attitude, never with the listless manner of a Robin, and 

 sang boldly and sweetly, flirting the half-spread tail with a sort 

 of pump-handle movement, till it was sometimes more than 

 vertical, inclined over the back. They constantly drop down 

 into the herbage to pick up an insect, or dart up into the air for 

 a gnat or daddy-longlegs; or one will jerk up into the air almost 

 like a Whitethroat, and come down in Pipit-fashion, but not so 

 stiffly, singing all the while. Towards the end of May they 

 seemed too busy to sing much. On the 27th I saw one with 

 food in its bill. Its white spot seemed smaller than usual, and 

 was only seen as it gave its scolding note. All this time I saw 

 nothing of the females. On May 31st a male bird scolded and 

 sang in much excitement, so I beat about the scrub, and soon put 

 up a young one which had just left the nest. I soon met with 

 another of the same brood, but even in this supreme crisis of the 

 family affairs the female did not put in an appearance. The 

 young appeared to be spotted like young Robins, but were as red 

 about the tail as the adult. Others were later, or probably two 

 broods were reared, as all through June the males were scolding 

 and carrying food. On the 10th I put up another young one, and 

 for once got a view of the female. Her persistent skulking is in 

 strong contrast to the boldness of the male. I heard the song 

 for the last time on June 27th. 



There was much to note in the Botanic Garden during May. 

 Nightingales sang fearlessly on all sides, conscious of full security. 

 On June 12th a pair of them, in great excitement, were leading 

 young ones about the Natural Order beds. Others sang, though 

 gradually less fully, all though June, and I heard a few notes so 

 late as July 6th. Blackcaps were equally numerous. Besides 

 their bold rich notes, they improvise at times in an undertone, 

 with wide-gaping bill, the song being then almost unrecognizable. 

 A Spotted Flycatcher placed its nest upon some of the strong 

 thorns against the trunk of a gleditschia. The Wryneck called 

 from the Schloss elms, Turtle Doves cooed, the Golden Oriole 

 whistled, and on May 14th the Icterine Warbler arrived to take 

 its full share in the chorus. About three pairs settled down to 

 breed in the gardens, showing a preference for the neighbourhood 

 of a piece of ornamental water. I listened with peculiar interest 

 to the song of this bird on account of the discussion with refer- 



