NOTES AND QUERIES. 383 



Leeds I have noticed it in the spring and autumn when it is migrating 

 up and down Airedale respectively ; a few also spend the winter a little 

 to the south of Leeds. In Wensleydale both the Pied and Yellow 

 Wagtails occur, but the Pied, though common, is far exceeded in 

 numbers by the Yellow Wagtail, which is very generally distributed ; 

 this is contrary to my experience of M. rati, round Leeds, where I have 

 found it to be local and far from common. — S. Hole (Rocky Bank, 

 Belle Vue Road, Leeds). 



Nesting of the Lesser Redpoll (Linota rufescens) in Kent. — My 

 inclination to place this species in the category of a rare breeding bird 

 for the county is based on many years' experience in ornithological 

 work among the birds of the hop-country, having resided there the 

 greater part of my life, and though having many friends still resident, 

 who have done likewise, it is a significant fact that not one of us had 

 a single authenticated record of these birds ever having bred. It has 

 now fallen to my lot to record three nests, all of which are of recent 

 date. The first of these was found on May 3rd, 1896, by Mr. R. Good- 

 child, of Farnborough, in one of his father's orchards, and was placed 

 high up in a large greengage tree, and contained three eggs ; this nest 

 I did not see in situ, but Mr. A. H. Meiklejohn was with me at the 

 time the nest was shown, and we had no difficulty in identifying the 

 nest and eggs, both of which were typical. On the eve of May 24th of 

 this year I received a telegram from Mr. T. Gillah, of Forest Hill, to the 

 effect that he had found a nest containing four eggs at Lower Sydenham 

 (not more than six miles from the heart of London). Losing no time, 

 I at once cycled over, meeting Mr. Gillah at Lower Sydenham Station, 

 who took me to the nest. This was placed in a small beech tree, 

 in a narrow strip of wood on the edge of a field, about fifteen feet from 

 the ground. The bird left the nest as I commenced to climb the tree, 

 and remained there for some time, giving me an excellent view of her. 

 We also visited another nest a short distance away. This was situated 

 in a small whitethorn, but unfortunately was forsaken. References 

 to this species for the county by past writers are so meagre that I have 

 not thought it worth while to refer to them. In conclusion, it is 

 curious that, having had no previous experience with this species, I 

 should find it breeding within a few miles of my own house. — Percy 

 F. Bunyard (57, Kidderminster Road, Croydon). 



An Albino Rook. — We have all read, in the ' Natural History of 

 Selborne,' of the two white Rooks " having their bills, legs, feet, and 

 claws milk-white," which were wantonly destroyed by a "booby of a 



