NOTES AND QUERIES. 465 



The Sky-Lark was singing one day (the date is not forthcoming), 

 and this is the only time I heard it. Such birds as the Song-Thrush, 

 Blackbird, and Great Tit, who may, as a rule, be heard to resume their 

 notes about this time of the year, were silent. 



Notes on some late Nests. — At the beginning of this note I made 

 reference to the late nesting of the House-Martin, and queried my 

 observation, " Surely this is very late ? " On looking up old notes, I 

 find no entries of birds nesting so late in the year, except the Doves, 

 but no doubt cases often occur ; but it is not often that I have been in 

 the country in the month of September. Thinking, however, that 

 some concise notes on late nesting may prove interesting, I will venture 

 to record them. The instances as quoted are not all from personal 

 observation, but at the same time I may say they are on good authority. 



August nests in the county of Oxfordshire, more particularly the 

 district in the neighbourhood of Witney : — 



Turdus musicus. — Nest with young. 



Erithacus rubecula. — Nest with five eggs. 



Sylvia cinerea. — With " chipping " eggs or young. 



Acrocephalus streperus. — Once. The nest built in the usual way 

 among the reed-stems on the Kiver Isis, and containing three eggs. 



Accentor moduldris. — Nest with three eggs. 



Motacilla lugubris. — Nest with young. 



Anthits pratensis. — Nest with young. 



Chelidon urbica. — A great many instances of their nests containing 

 eggs, or young ones " cheeping " and clamouring for food. 



Carduelis elegans. — Twice ; one nest with four, the other with five, 

 eggs. 



Ligurinas chloris. — Many nests, with contents varying from slightly 

 incubated eggs ; to young ones. 



Passer domesticus. — Once with five eggs. 



P. montanus. — One nest with five eggs, and another with one. 



Emberiza miliaria. — Once only with young. 



E. citrinella. — More instances than any, varying from apparently 

 fresh eggs to young about to fly. The most curious nest of this species 

 I have ever seen, and found early in August. It was situated about 

 ten or twelve feet from the ground, built into a hollow in the " roof " 

 of a haystack ; the hen bird was entirely unsheltered as she sat. 



E. schozniclus. — One nest with three eggs. 



Corvus monedula. — Have repeatedly seen this species, apparently 

 nesting late, but have not verified it. 



C. frugilegm. — Not often occurring. The proof has generally 



