NOTES AND QUERIES. 35 



hunger to take up its station hard by the trap in the apparent expecta- 

 tion that the genus Homo would retreat, and permit itself to be shot at 

 the second attempt. The bird — which is a very rare visitor here — has 

 been beautifully set up by Mr. Spary, the local taxidermist. — W. 

 Percival Westell (5, Glenferrie Eoad, St. Albans, Herts). 



Late Breeding of Barn-Owl (Strix flammea). — I have this week 

 (Dec. 4th, 1904) received for preservation an adult Barn-Owl and two 

 young. The latter, though well able to fly, had a quantity of down 

 still adhering to tips of the feathers. — Charles Jefferys (Tetbury, 

 Gloucestershire). 



Wood-Pigeons and Stock-Doves. — During the last eight years the 

 former species have decreased in a wonderful way in this part of Notts, 

 and I do not hesitate to say we have not one now where we had ten in 

 the early nineties ; but Stock-Doves have increased. Ten years ago I 

 only remember two or three pairs nesting, and little flocks of sixes and 

 sevens ; now they nest wherever they can find a suitable place, and 

 to-day (Jan. 3rd) I have seen in a field here a flock of between two and 

 three hundred — I should be inclined to say nearer three than two. I 

 have never seen such a flock before. The Grey Crow is decreasing in 

 this part of the county ; I have not seen more than twenty this winter, 

 and I have seen one hundred in a day years back. — J. Whitaker (Bain- 

 worth Lodge, Notts). 



Waterhens nesting late in the Season. — On the ornamental waters 

 of Weston Park, Sheffield, a brood of Waterhens (GalUnula chloropus) 

 were hatched out during the last week of August, 1904. The nest was 

 built on a clump of holly-branches, secured in the middle of a pond. 

 It was most interesting to watch how, in the absence of the parents, 

 one of the fully-fledged immature birds of an earlier brood would enter 

 the nest and view, with tender curiosity, its baby brothers and sisters. 

 Sometimes this bird would quit the nest before the return of one or 

 both parents, but even when it remained on, its presence was never 

 objected to. In fact, at one time I noted quite a large united family 

 gathering, consisting of both parents, a fully-grown immature plumed 

 bird, and a brood of nestlings, in the nest, with two other immature 

 birds swimming round it. The nestlings were fed assiduously for 

 some weeks by several members of the former brood, as well as by 

 their parents.— C. J. Patten (University College, Sheffield). 



Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) inland in Cheshire. — On a 

 spit of sand at Budworth Mere, near Northwich, I saw an Oyster- 

 catcher, consorting with a flock of Black-headed Gulls, on Dec. 4th, 



