28 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



fly ; these were no doubt a second brood, and the cause of all 

 the bother. 



Meadow-Pipits were common, and Linnets were in evidence. 

 Three young Carrion- Crows were hopping after each other as 

 they ascended the southern slope of the Down, and high over- 

 head Swifts circled, their mates no doubt in the fissures enjoying 

 the safety which the cliffs gave them. 



Sea holly was growing in places and the prostrate stems of 

 the musky heron's-bill put forth their small flowers amongst the 

 grass. 



A Pied Wagtail proved very confiding, and was a welcome 

 visitor as we rested for refreshment in the warm, shingly bay ; 

 it stumbled and ran over and between the stones, artfully getting 

 nearer to the crumbs thrown out as an inducement for its com- 

 pany. At first the tempting morsel was snatched and taken off 

 on the wing to be devoured somewhere out of sight, but very 

 soon the bird picked them up from within two yards of my feet, 

 and, running a yard or so more, swallowed them. When enough 

 had been eaten, it thoroughly cleaned itself, wing and tail feathers 

 were carefully preened as it perched upon a stone quite near, 

 and finally it flew away overhead on to the Down. 



Two Green Sandpipers were very active, and quickly worked 

 themselves out of sight down the river bank, and Song-Thrushes 

 and Missel-Thrushes were feeding on the flat, intersected land 

 lying between the river and the farmhouse. 



The Sheld-Duck is resident and common, nesting principally 

 on the southern side and choosing the shelter of the low bushes 

 and heather, so my informant told me, for nesting purposes, 

 rather than the rabbit-burrows. I think this habit must be 

 partly owing to the protection given them, for, on the sand-dunes 

 not far away, where the birds are numerous and people are more 

 frequent, a nest is seldom found outside a burrow. 



In the estuary of the Axe is a tiny rocky prominence known 

 as Black E-ock, so called from its sombre hue, and when the 

 tide is in the main portion becomes an island with a rugged 

 growth of grass on the top. On this islet were resting in various 

 attitudes Sheld-Ducks of all growths, from a few days old to 

 half-grown individuals, with old birds here and there. Lower 

 down on the seaweed near the water were forty-seven Oyster- 



