Birds. 763 



swallows were in great numbers, and they flew very near the ground, just skirting the 

 tops of the hedges, and sometimes almost touching the soil in their undulating course. 

 I observe, by a subsequent entry in my diary, that I saw a few swallows in a neigh- 

 bouring parish on the 22nd October, and again on the 25th, in the same autumn. 

 Catsfield adjoins the town of Battle, and is only a few miles from the sea, the spray 

 from which not unfrequently reaches it. — Edward H. M. Sladen ; Warnford, near 

 Bishop's Waltham. 



Note on the Martin {Hirundo urbica). April 30th — Saw the martin for the first 

 time. May 8th — Martins beginning to build, but prevented on the south side of our 

 house, by netting which I have had put up under the roof. P.S. These birds made 

 the windows so dirty last year, that I determined to keep them away in future, if pos- 

 sible, and on making inquiries, I was recommended to adopt the above plan. Ac- 

 cordingly, I had all the old nests destroyed on the south side of the house, but not 

 wishing to drive my cheerful guests quite away, I left three sides without netting. 

 At first the netting seemed to alarm the birds very much, and I thought none would 

 attempt to build ; however, at length, the west side of the house being tolerably 

 tenanted, and the north and east not pleasing them, (only four nests altogether have 

 been built on these two sides, and the north was taken to before the east), some of 

 the bolder birds, which probably had nests there last summer, commenced operations 

 on the south side, despite of the netting. Five attempts were made, I think ; two 

 within the netting, and three below it. One pair began a nest actually upon the 

 netting : the clay was laid upon the string inside and added to, layer upon layer, until 

 at last I had it taken away, and the net tied up more closely, fearful lest others should 

 follow the example. I suppose the birds would have steadied the nest a little before its 

 completion, by cementing the top against the roof, as they must have done, I think, had 

 they been allowed to carry their works high enough. A second pair built within the 

 net, but not upon it ; these I sent away at the same time as the last. A third pair 

 began a nest on the top of an outside shutter, as it was folded back against the wall, 

 but the moving of the shutter to close it soon sent them away. The fourth and fifth 

 pairs commenced building against the face of the wall, without any covering over 

 head, or support at the side ; but the two foundations being apparently too close toge- 

 ther, one pair soon desisted, while the other continued working until I had the nest 

 removed. Determined to succeed in my experiment, I had the place well rubbed with 

 soap, and I have not been troubled any more. I observed that the martins contrived 

 to roost for a night or two at, or close by, the spot where they afterwards built. I trust 

 they have all obtained comfortable homes elsewhere ; at all events, there are plenty 

 of them flying merrily around. — Id. 



Note on the Grey Wagtail (Motacilla Boarula). March 1st, 1844. Not having 

 seen the grey wagtail for a few days, I began to fancy it had migrated to the north, 

 but I saw it again to-day, running along the water by the road-side. There were 

 several here in the winter, but only this one apparently now remains. One came 

 earlier than the rest, last autumn, and paid constant visits to a window in my house 

 all the winter, for what purpose I am still ignorant, notwithstanding much attention 

 [see Zool. 136, 140, 230, 358], and probably it is the same that continues here 

 later than the others, for I observe it in its old haunts, where I never saw any besides 

 it. I have marked Sept. 27th as the time the first M. Boarula made its appearance in 

 the autumn. There is no note of my having seen it after March 1st in the present 

 year. — Id. 



