354 TEE ZOOLOGIST. 



Nesting Notes from Sussex. — Linnet (Linota cannabina). May 

 23rd : I found a Linnet's nest built in a gorse bush about 3 ft. 

 from the ground. It was made of dry grass lined with sheep's wool 

 and a little hair, and contained three eggs. 24th : Another egg laid. 

 At the time of finding this nest I was not certain of its identity, so 

 I took one of these eggs. 27th : A fifth egg laid. Hen now sitting 

 on four eggs. 28th and 31st : I visited the nest on both these dates 

 and found the eggs safe. The nest is well hidden, but there is a 

 great danger of its being robbed, as there are so many about here 

 who are only too ready to rob and destroy nests. My fears were 

 realised to a certain extent on visiting the nest on June 2nd, when I 

 found the nest deserted though the eggs were in it. The latter were 

 quite cold. Whilst walking near the site of this nest on the 23rd 

 I crept into the gorse to look at the nest, when, to my surprise, I 

 noticed another nest at the same height from the ground in a similar 

 position, only a little further into the gorse patch. It contained two 

 eggs, and they felt cold to my touch, so I took one of them. Not 

 altogether satisfied with my conclusions, I looked at the nest the 

 following day (the 24th) and noticed that another egg had been laid. 

 I was unable to visit the nest again until the 27th, when it contained 

 five. 28th : Five eggs safe. July 1st : Eggs safe and hen sitting 

 close. 5th : The eggs were not hatched when I visited the nest this 

 evening. 9th : Three out of the five eggs hatched. The next evening 

 (the 10th) the fourth egg was hatched, but the fifth showed no signs 

 of life. 12th : The four youngsters are doing well. 23rd : When I 

 went to look at the nest this evening, there were three fully fledged 

 young in the nest and one egg. They were strong on the wing, and 

 flew off into the thicker parts of the gorse when I approached within 

 a yard of them. 28th: The remaining egg cold and the nest deserted. 



Blackbird (Turdus merula). May 26th: In a low bush, almost on 

 the ground, by the side of a ditch, near Westdean, I found a Black- 

 bird's nest containing four eggs. I knew of several Blackbirds' and 

 Thrushes' nests near this one which had been pulled down as soon 

 as the young appeared, and so I was fearful lest this one should 

 share a like fate ; but, contrary to my expectations, on going to the 

 nest on the 27th, I found the four eggs safe. 30th : Two of the eggs 

 were hatched when I looked at the nest this evening, the young birds 

 opening their beaks when I parted the leaves above their nest. The 

 third egg was just hatching. The shell was off the right side, and 

 the youngster was making convulsive movements with its only free 

 limb, namely, the right leg. It beat the air with this leg and then 

 drew it; back into the shell close to its body ; this it did at short 



