THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 121 



amongst others a large number of yellowhammers, several starlings and jays, 

 and two whinchats. We also found a green woodpecker's nest, and heard 

 several turtle doves and a grasshopper warbler. 



We have seen it stated that the last-mentioned little bird sings while 

 hovering over the bush or clump of grass in which its nest is placed. Per- 

 haps it may do so sometimes (though the story is certainly on the face of it 

 improbable), but there is no doubt that it never does when we are about. 

 On this particular occasion we listened attentively and watched most care- 

 fully, but the little songster appeared to be merely creeping about in the bushes 

 in its usual fashion. I have reserved till last the most important occurrence 

 of the morning, which was that we saw a squiirel, the first we had observed 

 since we came to Lyndhurst. Alas ! that the keepers should leave us so few. 



A cold drizzle came on soon after we had returned to the house (about 

 7.15), which continued until half-past four in the afternoon, so that we did 

 little else during the day. We did get out for a short time in the evening, 

 but all we found was a larva of L. aureola, on the trunk of a beech near the 

 Kennels, which is, I believe, known as " Pretty Beech." 



On the 15th we visited Beaulieu Abbey, driving there by way of Matley 

 Passage, Tantany Woods, and Pennerley Gate, and returning by Hatchet 

 Gate, Lady Cross Lodge, and Brock enhurst. Close to Matley Passage we 

 saw a whinchat, and found a meadow pipit's nest (with eggs) in a bank. 

 We spent an hour or more in the afternoon in the neighbourhood of Hatchet 

 Pond, which is a pretty little " loch *' with clear water and a shingly bottom, 

 lying amongst the heather of Stockley Moor. Here we found a set of birds 

 entirely different to those we had hitherto been accustomed to see in the 

 Forest, crows, green plovers, and common gulls being numerous. There 

 were also a few ringed dotterel, and we were fortunate enough to find the 

 nest of a pair of these pretty birds. The nest was placed about thirty yards 

 from the edge of the pond, or) a piece of very bare ground, on which the 

 heather had lately been burned and had only just begun to sprout again. It 

 ■ was composed of white pebbles (which were plentiful all round), the size of 

 • the pebbles gradually diminishing towards its centre. There was, however, 

 in the middle of the nest, one rather large pebble which prevented the eggs 

 being arranged symmetrically plover fashion, as it appeared was intended. 

 By the edge of the pond we found Ranunculus flammula growing, and 

 amongst the heather Drosera intermedia and rotundifolia, and Galhim saxa- 

 tile. These last two plants seem to grow plentifully on all the moors and 

 and heaths in the Forest. In other respects the day was uneventful, for a 

 strong, cold, north-west wind prevented any insects from being on the wing, 

 and we had no time for larva beating. 



