280 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



the laurels, but, so far as could be gathered from appearances, in only 

 two of the nests — placed on very thin boughs — had the birds been 

 fortunate enough to rear their young ; that nuisance — the irrepressible 

 boy — had been at work, and, though the rookery is close to the house, 

 and strictly protected by the owner, the nests, except in the two 

 cases above mentioned, had been robbed. One of the nests was 

 placed very low down — certainly not more than about ten or twelve 

 feet from the ground — and in this a Moor-hen (Gallinula chloropus) 

 had evidently brought up her brood ; a dead young one was on the 

 edge of the nest, and several pieces of broken egg-shells were in the 

 nest itself. There is a small pool of water close by, where for some 

 years a Moor-hen has been accustomed to place her nest. Some 

 little time ago the weeds and scrub round the pool were cleared away, 

 and there is no doubt that in consequence of her usual nesting place 

 being disturbed the bird availed herself of the empty, low-placed 

 Rooks' nest, in which to lay her eggs. — Thomas Parkin (High Wick- 

 ham, Hastings). 



Grey Plover in Birmingham. — On the 3rd October, 1899, several 

 specimens of Squatarola helvetica were observed within the boundaries 

 of the city, and one procured and brought to me. This will be read 

 with great interest in connection with Mr. J. H. Gurney's notes (Zool. 

 1900, p. 112) on the migratory rush of these birds to the east coast, 

 which lasted for ten days, and covered the date of the Birmingham 

 specimens. This is another valuable corroboration of my oft-repeated 

 assertion that Birmingham lies in the direct line of migration of birds 

 passing from east, to west, or south. — F. Coburn (Holloway Head, 

 Birmingham). 



