140 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



NOTES AND QUEEIES. 



AVES. 

 Early Arrival of the Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus rufus) in Cheshire. — 

 On March 19th — some ten days earlier than its song is usually heard 

 in Cheshire — a Chiffchaff was singing at midday in the shrubbery at 

 Oulton Park, where I watched it for some time at close quarters. — 

 Charles Oldham (Knutsford). 



Supernumerary Nests of the Wren (Troglodytes parvulus). — It is, 

 I think, probable that the unfinished Wrens' nests so commonly found 

 near those intended for the reception of the eggs are often, if not 

 usually, tenanted by the recently-fledged young, although I have not 

 noticed, in the nests that I have had under observation, the curious 

 haste to quit their original quarters displayed by the fledglings men- 

 tioned in Mr. Bentham's note (ante, p. 107). For some years I have 

 suspected that the explanation of the supernumerary nests is to be 

 found in the roosting habits of the Wren, but the explanation (if such, 

 indeed, it be) throws little light upon some other points to be mentioned 

 presently. Wrens are known to sleep in companies during the autumn 

 and winter in nests, or in such places as holes in walls, thatches, or 

 haystacks. Now, if we suppose that a pair of Wrens succeed in 

 rearing ten offspring in two broods, the family of twelve will require 

 two, or even three, nests in which to sleep during the winter if other 

 convenient situations are not available. On the other hand, the super- 

 numerary nests are often built before the one in which the eggs are 

 laid, and in some cases such nests appear to be unconnected with a 

 breeding nest. Further, the extra nests are always unlined, and often 

 mere shells of moss. I trust that readers of ' The Zoologist' will be 

 induced to pay attention to the interesting questions raised in Mr. 

 Bentham's note, and I venture to indicate a few points especially 

 worthy of investigation : — (i) If the deserted nest is not again used the 

 feather lining should be taken out and carefully examined for vermin, 

 excreta, &c. If a second brood is reared in the same nest as the first, 

 we have in this circumstance a sufficient reason why the first brood 

 should be provided with extra quarters, (ii) It should be noted 

 whether one of the extra nests is used at night by one or both the 

 birds before the period of incubation, (iii) In the absence of un- 

 finished nests, the vicinity should be examined for other sleeping 

 quarters. I may add that the singular habit of building supernumerary 



