430 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



presence of the numerous children — naturally full of young life and fun — 

 who, with bags and nondescript hand-carts, gather the fallen cones for fuel. 

 — G. B. Corbin (Ringwood, Hants). 



Unusual Sites chosen by Birds for their Nests. — The following 

 instances have come under my notice this season : — 1. A Chaffinch built 

 her nest early in the summer, and reared her young in an old Swallow's 

 nest which was fixed on a beam in a field shed. 2. A Great Tit laid four 

 eggs in the cup of a Blackbird's nest, apparently of this season, and brought 

 off her young. She lined the larger nest with the usual mass of hair-felt. 

 The Blackbird's nest was in the fcrk of a yew-bough, some four or five feet 

 from the stem, and about four feet from the ground. The young appeared 

 newly hatched when I saw them on June 16th. Probably the Tits had 

 lost their first nest, and could not find a suitable cavity unoccupied when 

 they went to nest again. But this reason can hardly account for the 

 curious freak of the Chaffioches, who could have had no difficulty in 

 finding plenty of convenient positions. — W. H. St. Quintin (Scampston 

 Hall, York). 



Birdsnesting in August.— Last year I contributed a note (Zool. p. 303) 

 recording some thirty nests found in the course of a few hours on Aug. 3rd 

 in Cambridgeshire. This year, on Aug. 2nd (Bank Holiday), I was in the 

 same locality, and in about three hours found the following : — Twelve nests 

 of Turtle Dove, ten nests with eggs, two with young ; two nests of Ring 

 Dove, both with young ; three nests of Yellowhammer, all with eggs ; one 

 nest of House Sparrow in a hawthorn-bush only five feet from the ground, 

 with four fresh eggs ; one nest of Red-legged Partridge, with three eggs in 

 hatched-out nest ; one nest of Meadow Pipit, with four eggs ; one nest of 

 Reed Bunting, with three young and one infertile egg ; two nests of Linnet, 

 with eggs, one set fresh, the other hard-sat ; two nests of Greenfinch, 

 with eggs, both sets fresh. Two years ago I found a Blackbird's nest, with 

 five fresh eggs, in the same neighbourhood, and heard of two Partridges' 

 nests, on which the old birds were still sitting, the first week in August. 

 The Yellowhammer, I should say, sometimes rears three broods in the year, 

 for I have found, even in Scotland, newly-hatched young as early as April 

 19th. The earliest date I have for the Reed Bunting is a full set of five 

 eggs on April 20th.— R. H. Read (Bedford Park, W.). 



Birds seen in the Yukon District of Canada. — The following is 

 extracted from a report of Mr. W. Ogilvie (Dominion Land Surveyor) : — 

 11 Birds are scarce. A few Ravens were seen along the river [Yukon], and 

 three or four remained in the vicinity of the boundary all the winter. They 

 were generally more active and noisy on stormy days than at other times, 

 and their hoarse croak had a dismal souud amid the roar of the elements. 



