RILEY fortune: ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. 



During 1885 I visited many parts of Northumberland and 

 Durham, and one of the most noticeable events was the great 

 influx of Pied Flycatchers ; we saw them in a great many parts, and 

 found the nests at the following places in May and June : near 

 I.ucker, in Northumberland, where we saw the birds for the first 

 time on May loth. The nest we found on May 31st; also at 

 Gosforth Park and Jesmond Dene (suburbs of Newcastle-on Tyne), 

 Shotley Bridge, and AVinlaton were also fovoured localities ; and we 

 also found it nesting on the estate of Lord Ravens worth, near 

 Gateshead-on-Tyne. The nests, with one exception, were built in 

 holes in trees, the exception being at Lucker, where the nest was 

 built in a hole in the wall of a cow-house. The nests were almost 

 entirely built of grasses, and, as Mr. Chapman mentions, they appear 

 to frequent the open parts in preference to the thickly covered 

 places. 



Near Ravensworth I also found the nest of the Reed Warbler 

 {Acrocephalus streperus) on June 8th. The nest and eggs I have in 

 my possession. 



The Redshank we also found nesting on the Hallington IMoors 

 in Northumberland, and we also obtained some eggs of the same 

 bird, from a fisherman at North Sunderland : they had been taken in 

 the neighbourhood. 



At Gosforth Park, where there are a good number of Swans 

 {Cygmcs olor)^ a female Hooper {Cygnus niiisicus) mated with a male 

 Mute Swan ; they built a nest, and either four or six eggs (the exact 

 number I forget) were laid. One of these eggs, I believe, was 

 obtained by Mr. John Hancock, and the others were taken by some 

 person unknown. A fine male Pochard {Fuligida ferina) was also 

 shot at Gosforth Park ; it is now in the possession of Mr. Hancock. 



A Woodcock's nest with four young ones was found on the 

 Ravensworth Estate, and another up the valley of the Derwent ; 

 this latter nest was taken, and the young exhibited for some time in 

 the rooms of the Literary and Philosophical Society at Newcastle. 



At Axwell Park, in the valley of the Derwent, the Hawfinch 

 nested, as it has now done for some years. 



A fine specimen of the Honey Buzzard, a male, was shot in 

 Northumberland during 1885, and sent to W. Charlton, of Newcastle, 

 for preservation, where I saw it. The note, with exact ' data,' I have 

 unfortunately misplaced. 



The Grasshopper Warbler nested at Burneside ; a friend of mine, 

 a well-known Newcastle oologist, obtained two sets of eggs from that 

 locality, and also a ' clutch ' of Magpies', containing the unusual 

 number of nine eggs. 



