200 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



down, the markings will be fairly conspicuous, like in Meliomis novm- 

 hollandim (White-bearded Honey-eater). Honey-eaters are a large 

 group, but if notice be taken it will soon be seen how the various 

 kinds are protected, mostly by the birds building in places which 

 assimilate with the colour of their backs, as before stated." 



In ' Annual Reports, Proceedings, &c. (vol. xv.) of the Barrow 

 Naturalists' Field Club ' is the report of a very interesting lecture by 

 Mr. Harper Gaythorpe on " The Blackbird in Furness : its Nesting 

 Habits." In his researches among published works, and from careful 

 observers, the lecturer stated that he had been unable to get any very 

 definite information as to which bird, the male or the female, was the 

 nest-builder, or whether both took part in building the nest. Out of 

 about three hundred " British Birds " referred to by the author of 

 ' Forty Years in a Moorland Parish,' he found that as to the building 

 of nests, fifty-six birds were referred to in connection with the nest, 

 thirty-five by its nest, eleven by their nest, eight by her nest, and only 

 two by his nest, the latter being the Blackbird and Ring-Ouzel. As 

 these remarks were entirely at variance with his own observations, the 

 lecturer thought it was very probable that locality had something to 

 do with the matter, and that the shyness and wariness of the Blackbird 

 prevented the male from assisting in the nest-building where the site 

 chosen by him was near to a dwelling, as in the case he brought 

 before them. 



Mr. Gaythorpe has proved himself a good recruit to the body of 

 '•bird-watchers," and the results of his prolonged observations are as 

 follows : — 



a. No nest-building was done after 7.30 a.m. 



b. The male bird did not assist in building the nest, but he chose 

 the site. 



c. He seldom sat on the eggs during incubation. 



d. But was most attentive to the young ones after they were four 

 days old. 



e. The eggs were hatched on the 14th day ; and 



/. After the same number of days the young ones could fly, and in 

 about four weeks could take care of themselves. 



We are glad to welcome the first number of ' The Field Naturalist's 

 Quarterly,' edited by our sometime contributor, Dr. Gerald Leighton. 

 It is addressed to all lovers of nature, rather than to more serious 

 students of zoology, and we trust will meet with a deserved success. 

 Messrs. Wm. Blackwood and Sons are the publishers, to whom we are 

 indebted for a copy of the publication. 



