436 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



to the lower neck, where it widened out, the grey being paler on the 



sides of the neck. A dark streak, from in front of the eye, extended 



backwards along the ear-coverts, but did not meet the markings on the 



nape. The bill was black. On the 21st I saw the bird again, and two 



days later it was seen by Mr. C. Oldham and Mr. J. J. Cash ; one of the 



farmer's sons noticed it for the last time on the 29th. I watched the 



bird on the two days for perhaps an hour and a half altogether, and 



during the whole of that time I never saw it still for more than a 



second or two ; it was constantly swimming or flying, the nights 



being generally short, though once or twice it flew for a long distance. 



As a rule it spent its time in the lily-beds, snapping at the insects 



which were flying over the water, or picking something up from the 



surface. When swimming it moved with the peculiar jerky action so 



characteristic of its family, darting first to one side, then to the other. 



Often it mounted on a lily-pad, ran across and slipped into the water 



on the other side, but I never saw it stand on a pad to rest, nor, while 



I watched it, did it go to the bank. On the 19th the bird took several 



short flights, flying from side to side, and snapping at insects in the 



air ; it reminded me a little of a Wagtail feeding on insects which are 



flying a foot or so above the ground, but I never saw it actually hover. 



It flitted rather than flew above the water. When on the wing it often 



uttered a low, short whistle, and when catching flies on the wing it 



generally allowed its legs to dangle beneath it, only gathering them up 



when it flew for some distance. The Grey Phalarope is a casual 



autumn visitor to Cheshire ; birds have been obtained in August and 



November, but the majority appear to have visited the county in 



September and October. On Sept. 28th, 1900, one was killed near 



Mobberley, but I have not heard of any occurrences of the species 



between that date and this. — T. A. Coward (Bowdon, Cheshire). 



Breeding Habits of Birds. — In reference to this subject (ante, 

 pp. 309 and 346) there seems yet plenty of room for further observa- 

 tion. Taking a midland county — as, for instance, Bedfordshire — I 

 have so far come to the following conclusions : — All species will lay at 

 least a second clutch of eggs should the first have been destroyed, but 

 if the second are also robbed, or for some reason deserted, with many 

 species a third laying is not attempted ; neither does this rule hold 

 good should the first laying have been hatched and the young but a 

 few days old before being destroyed. I have as yet no actual proof of 

 any species attempting to bring forth a third brood should two broods 

 already have been successfully reared during the season, although with 

 such early and late nesting species as Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, 



