350 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Lincolnshire, but it is not so in the “ broad-acred shire,”’ and long — 
may it be before its ‘‘ mournful, piercing, despairing cry” ceases 
to be a common country sound. 
On June 3rd, with Mr. James Backhouse, I watched on a 
certain fell, 2225 feet above the sea-level, at the distance of only 
five or six yards, a Dunlin brooding her just-hatched young; it was 
sleeting and bitterly cold, and the poor little birds must have 
wished they were back in the shell. There were a nice lot of the 
birds about, and the name they are known by in this district is 
“Jack Plover.” 
On the estate of a well-known Yorkshire naturalist, whose 
grounds are a perfect paradise of bird-life, and a haven of refuge 
to rare and common alike, the Nuthatch, Lesser Spotted Wood- 
pecker, and Hawfinch have bred this year; and what is of still 
greater interest, though the nest could not be found, the owner 
told me that the Crossbills, which are there all the year round, 
were seen carrying bits of bark, fir-needles, moss, wool, &c.; bat 
the covers are so dense that though every effort was made to trace 
the birds, the attempts hitherto have failed. 
The Turtle Dove is yearly increasing its range, and it breeds 
in parts of the county where a few years ago it was unknown. 
In secluded places the Goldfinch, locally known as ‘‘ Redcap,” 
still breeds not uncommonly, despite the fact that I knew of nearly 
forty being caught by one birdcatcher in less than a week one 
autumn. 
The Pied Flycatcher is by no means rare, and all the nests 
I have examined were lined with the leaves of Luzula campestris ~ 
or pilosa. In one valley I knew of a dozen pairs, but they each 
keep to their own district, and the nesting places are a good 
distance apart. I never found hair myself in a Pied Flycatcher’s — 
nest; they are very loosely put together and difficult to get out 
intact. 
The Grasshopper Warbler has been common. Most people 
consider it rare, but it is a very peculiar little bird and wants a — 
good deal of knowing. After a spell of cold weather they will — 
sometimes leave the district entirely, or, as they did in one locality 
this year, remain there but keep perfect silence. There is a good 
deal of art in finding their nests; my tutor therein, a past master — 
at the game, has found more Grasshopper Warblers’ nests than _ 
