NOTES AND QUERIES. 



75 



environs of Shrewsbury. One nest was within two miles of my 

 house. I photographed it in situ when it contained five eggs, and 

 after the young had flown took the nest, which is now in Shrews- 

 bury Museum. As a rule the Nightingale keeps to the Severn 

 Valley, but a few isolated pairs have been known to nest in other 

 parts of the county, e. g. at Onibury in 1905. — H. E. Forrest 

 (Shrewsbury). 



Nesting of the Nightingale (Daulias luscinia) in Staffordshire. — 



In reply to Mr. A. H. Duncalfe (ante, p. 29), the Nightingale occurs 

 most years in this county, and I have authentic records of its having 

 nested in the Eectory Gardens, Hamstall Ridware, in 1897, and at 

 Stramshall, near Uttoxeter, in 1904. — J ohn R. B. Masefield (Rose- 

 hill, Cheadle, Staffordshire). 



Breeding of Coal-Tit in Wilsden District. — A friend and I were 

 sitting down on the outskirts of Bingley Wood last summer when 

 our attention was attracted by seeing a Tit enter a hole in an old wall 

 at some distance from where we were sitting, and almost immediately 

 come out. Being uncertain whether it was a Marsh- or Coal-Tit, I 

 went and, sat down within about four feet of the hole, where, I pre- 

 sumed, would be a nest, when my friend protested that he would give 

 no guarantee to stay where he was until the old bird came near 

 enough for its identification. However, knowing fairly well the 

 habits of this species, I remained in my position. For some time the 

 parent, evidently the female — the male kept at a much greater dis- 

 tance — made several attempts to arrive at the nest, sometimes 

 hovering for many seconds near the hole leading to it, thus clearly 

 disclosing the grey patch on the nape characteristic of the Coal- 

 Tit, but only to retire to an adjacent oak, where it poured forth 

 a volley of notes, in tones scolding, minatory, and objurgatory. 

 Finally, however, it gained confidence and entered the nest, but 

 remained such a time on it that we were induced to have a peep at 

 the nest, but no sooner was this done than the bird resented the 

 intrusion by sparring and hissing in true Tit fashion. It is a singular 

 feature in the history of this species that it should be such a scarce 

 breeder in the district, only three nests having been recorded for over 

 forty years, all of which were built in holes in masonry. In the late 

 nineties I spent a few days between Grange and Windermere, and the 

 Coal-Tit was, next to the Willow- Warbler, the commonest breeding 

 species in early April ; three nests were built near my lodging, but, 

 curiously, all these were built in holes in the ground. — E. P. Butter- 

 field (Bank House, Wilsden). 



