200 



The Naturalist. 



overlooking Marley. Both nests were built on tlie horizontal branches 

 of spruce firs, at some distance from the trunk ; the former nest was 

 built about three and the latter about twelve feet from the ground. 

 Although I must have known of scores of nests of this species, I never 

 before found a nest built in any other situation than on the ground. I 

 may here remark that the choice of the sites of the two nests already 

 referred to, was in no wise determined on account of any lack of more 

 suitable nesting places ; on the contrary, especially is this the case Vv^ith 

 Cranfield Wood, in the vicinage of which are heather-clad slopes which 

 afford a natural home, and where this bird breeds abundantly ; indeed 

 it would appear to be the metropolitan breeding haunt of the species for 

 this district. In recording these facts 1 may observe my desire is not to 

 be understood as having to chronicle a great " discovery " which may, 

 after all, turn out to be but a mare's nest. A larger experience or a 

 more extended field of investigation might have had the effect of modi- 

 fying my views (as it frequently does in the course of one's life) respect- 

 ing such like occurrences. — E. P. P. Butterfield. 



AuRiVAL OF SpriisG Migkants NEAR BiKGLEY. — In Sending you the 

 following dates of arrival of spring migrants, I thought it would not 

 perhaps be deemed irrelevant, if I placed the records for the years 1879 

 and 1881, which were preceded by exceptionally severe winters, side by 

 side for comparison with those of 1882, which is said to have been one of 

 the mildest on record. I ought perhaps to state that I am indebted to 

 my brother for many of the records for the present year, having myself 

 been precluded by other engagements of a less pleasing character, from 

 giving that continuous attention to any out-door ornithological observa- 



tions, without which such records are valueless. 







1879. 



1881. 



1882. 



Pied wagtail ... 





... March 3 



... February 18. 



Wheatear 



April 11 



... March 26 



... April 8. 



Ping Ouzel ... 



April 11 



... April 14 



... April 10. 



Willow warbler 



April 17 



... April 14 



... April 11. 



Sandmartin ... 



April 18 



... x^pril 21 



... April 16. 



Swallow 



April 22 



... April 24 



... April 16. 



Cuckoo 



April 22 





. . . May 4, very late. 



Pedstart 



April 26 



... April 20 



... April 21. 



Tree pipit 



April 26 



... April 16 



... April 21. 



Pay's wagtail... 



May 2, late 



... April 20 



... April 23. 



House martin... 



May 2 ... 



... April 24 



... April 15, only one 



Whinchat 



May 2 ... 



... April 30 



... May 6, late. 



Whitethroat ... 



May 3 ... 



... May 8 ... 



... April 29. 



Swift 



May 15 ... 



... May 18... 



... May 14. 



Wood warbler 



May 16... 



... Mayl ... 



... May 6. 



Blackcap 





... May 11, late 



... April 23. 



Garden warbler 





... May 11 ... 



... May 7, Bolton 



Nightjar 





... May 25 ... 



... May 27. [Woods. 



