356 WHITLOCK : MANX SHEARWATER NEAR NOTTINGHAM. 



perhaps be described as a not unmusical jerky chatter. The female 

 bird is shy and silent, and not so often seen as the male, except 

 during incubation. They are rather late breeders; I seldom find 

 nests containing eggs before the first week in June, sometimes even 

 later. The site usually chosen is some willow twig about 5 ft. or 6 ft. 

 from the ground, but I have seen them placed as high as 20 ft. in a 

 tall willow-bush, as well as in a clump of nettle- or hemlock-stalks 

 but a few inches from the earth. 



The nests are very compact and neat structures. Compared with 

 those of the Sedge Warbler they are very small. The latter usually 

 measure some 5 in. across, whilst the former measure but 3 in. 

 Outwardly they are constructed of dark-coloured grasses, fine roots, 

 bits of moss, and a little wool and spider-cocoons. The cup, which 

 is rather broader at the base than at the rim, is lined with fine, round, 

 and lighter-coloured grasses, the rim being generally finished off with 

 this material. So firmly are the nests bound to the supporting stalks 

 or twigs that it is impossible to take one without cutting them away. 

 The eggs, from three to five in number, vary in ground colour from 

 pale French grey to light brown ; the underlying spots are iron grey. 

 The conspicuous spots or blotches which sometimes nearly cover 

 the egg vary from greyish green to dark brown. Some eggs, in 

 addition, have conspicuous black dots on the broader end. It is 

 surprising how rapidly the nests are constructed. Some years ago 

 a pair built where they were much disturbed by boys, and I know 

 that three nests were taken, each containing eggs, in as many 

 weeks. 



The young birds are hatched in about twelve days, and the 

 parents may then be observed busily searching the willows and 

 herbage for small insects, with which to feed their brood. 



On the wing the Reed Warbler may readily be distinguished 

 from the Sedge Warbler by its more attenuated appearance, and 

 its stouter head and broader tail. The flight is straight, but not 

 long sustamed. I have found Cuckoo's eggs in the nest of this 

 bird. 



No doubt the time of arrival, number of eggs, etc., varies with 

 locality, but these notes are only intended to apply to the Mid-Trent 

 and tributaries. . ' 



Attcnboroicgh, November ^t/i, 1888. 



ATO TE— ORNITHOL OGY. 



Manx Shearwater near Nottingham. — A fine mature bird of this species 

 {Puffi.)itis anglonivi) was picked up alive at Bestwood, about the last week in 

 August. — F. B. Whitlock, Basford near Nottingham, Nov. 5th, 1888. 



Naturalist, 



