Clarke : Notes on Birds in Dutch Brabant. IOj 



up, that he had observed a " hop " enter a hole in a tree, and that 

 he had made it a prisoner by stopping the hole with grass. 

 After a mile's walk we arrived at a garth composed entirely of 

 pollard oaks, about four or five feet high, and the lad pointed to a 

 hole, about two feet above the ground, in one of the oaks. We 

 removed the grass carefully, and placing a butterfly net over the 

 hole, endeavoured to make the bird leave by repeated blows and 

 kicks on the tree, but this proving unavailing, we set to work with 

 a chisel and chopper, and after a tough task were enabled to take 

 the bird out from the hole made. I need not relate what followed, 

 let this suffice — it is now in the collection of a Leeds friend. At 

 the bottom of the hollow was a premature egg, of a pale lavender- 

 white colour, in a broken condition. It had, no doubt, been laid 

 owing to fright, no sign of a nest being found. 



Turtle Dove. — Often seen ; too early for eggs. 

 Partridge. 



Golden Plover. — A pair in full breeding plumage was observed on 



two occasions. 

 Lapwing. 



Heron (Rif/a), — Very numerous in the marshes, but does not breed 

 near Valkenswaard. Adrian Mollen informed me that at Loo, in 

 Guelderland, there are 2000 nests annually^ 



Curlew {TFulj?, cillda). — Very numerous. Nesting on the heaths. 

 Redshank {Tareluur). — Not numerous. 



Wood Sandpiper. — Perhaps half-a-dozen pairs of .this species were 

 noticed. It hovers at a considerable height above the marshes, 

 uttering a short, oft-repeated, not unpleasant note, quite worthy of 

 being called a song. Two nests were taken — one on the 11th with 

 four eggs, and another on the 17th with two eggs. They were 

 found among the heather on the banks of the Tongreep. 



Black-tailed Godwit {Grutto). — Not at all numerous. Whilst searching 

 the Dommel marsh on the 16th, one got u|) at a great distance, and 

 flew away uttering its note " grutto, grutto." In the course of ten 

 minutes it returned, and our suspicions were aroused that it had a 

 nest. Getting out of sight for a few minutes, we allowed her time 



- to settle down. On our showing ourselves she again rose ; and 

 although we searched thoroughly, we were unable, owing to the 

 distance at which the bird rose from us, to find the nest. We got 

 concealed several times, but with the same rQsult, so decided to 



