AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 83 



often ill an old wall ; in fact, very much in the sort 

 of locality that we should look for a nest of the 

 Common Redstart. The eggs are of a very pale blue, 

 and generally five or six in number. Yarrell records 

 an instance of eight in a nest, but, from my acquaint- 

 ance with this species in Spain, I should consider 

 that number as very exceptional. The male has a 

 pleasant little song. I recommend my readers to 

 lookout for this little bird, which, though it may per- 

 haps not nest with us, I feel sure must pass through 

 our county on its migrations, and only requires 

 searching for. 



Since this article was written the following occur- 

 rences of this bird have come to my knowledge : — An 

 adult male shot near Ilarleston on May 1, 1883, and 

 kindly presented to me in 1891 by Mr. W. Tomalin. 

 One seen at AVilliamscote, in Oxfordshire, within a 

 mile of our county boundary, on July 26, 1884, by 

 Mr. O. V. Aplin. One shot and another seen in 

 Yardley Chase on May 3, 1887 (Mr. W. Tomalin). 

 The bird shot is now in the Northampton Museum. 

 An adult male w^as shot near Lilford on May 10, 

 1888, and is now in my possession. A male Pied 

 Flycatcher was shot at Farthinghoe on May 2, 1888 

 (O. V. Aplin). Lieut.-Col. C. I. Strong informed me 

 that he watched a male of this species for some time 

 in his garden at Thorpe Hall, near Peterborough, 

 on May 1, 1889. I received a report of the nesting 

 of this species at Harleston in 1886, but as my 

 informant only reported to me from a third person, I 

 hardly feel justified in recording this as an ascertained 

 fact. 



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