230 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



were two holes, and she always came out of the left-hand one ; 

 so we crawled up the hill-side, amidst the mud and stones — 

 Metcalfe with the camera, and myself with a long hazel stick to 

 tap the tree with — but she must have been on the look-out, for 

 just as we got into position, and I was about to tap the tree, out 

 she came from the right-hand hole, and so disappointed us. I 

 found a Wild Duck's nest (Mallard) containing nineteen eggs. 

 On the 25th of the month I saw the first Swallow, and heard the 

 first Corncrake. The Cuckoo I did not hear till the 28th, on 

 which date I found a Sky-Lark's nest with three eggs. Metcalfe 

 got a lovely photo of a cock Lapwing, with crest erected, walking 

 up to the nest. 



On April 2nd, at 10.30 (Easter Sunday), a Noctule, or Great 

 Bat, was hawking about in the sunshine over my garden. 



May. 



On May 1st a fine male Dotterel flew against the telegraph- 

 wires at Kilnsea. 



3rd. — Found two Woodcocks' nests, four eggs in each just 

 hatching. Several pairs breed in this wood, and sit so close that 

 if one wants to move them they have to be poked off the nest 

 with a stick. They harmonize so beautifully with the surrounding 

 dead leaves and grass that they are most difficult to detect. One 

 was a much more golden-coloured bird than the other. 



6th. — Moore and I found several Redshanks' nests, and eight 

 Snipes'. Working with sixty feet of pneumatic tubing, Moore 

 got a beautiful photograph of a Snipe on her nest. We found 

 several Wild Ducks' nests, a Teal's, and a Shoveler's ; there were 

 four pairs of the latter birds in this locality, thanks to the pro- 

 tection now afforded them. The nests are most carefully con- 

 cealed in thick tussocks, and have a regular run in, a foot or 

 more in length, under the grass, from the place where the birds 

 alight. When lying down in cover we had two drakes, looking 

 lovely in the sunshine, fly within twenty yards of us. Several of 

 the Redshank's eggs had been destroyed by Carrion Crows. 

 Heard the Grasshopper Warbler, and saw several Adders. 



9th.— Dug out a nest of four young Moles, about half-grown. 



16th.— Green Woodpecker's nest containing two eggs ; Coal 

 Tit's, containing twelve eggs, well covered up ; all the Tits 



