160 Anderson : Bird-Notes from Lea, near Gairisborotigh. 



grisoki). The Swifts (Cypselus apus) appeared again this morn- 

 ing - . I have never seen them since the 8th, it has been so wet 

 and cold. Starlings (Sturrms vulgaris) hatched. 



24th May. A Swift (Cypselus apus) found lying on the 

 gravel in front of the house by the gardener this morning. It 

 could not rise, and died at night. .The Robin (Erithacus 

 rubecula) which has reared one brood in a nest in a little 

 wooden house on the potting shed, is laying again in the same 

 place. 



26th May. Heard of a Kingfisher (Alcedo ispida)'s nest in 

 the brickwork of the landing-stage at Knaith ; the first I have 

 ever heard of about here. Unfortunately the Trent, which is 

 abnormally high just now, has risen above the hole, so that this 

 attempt will come to nothing, and I fear the birds will be driven 

 away. 



30th May. Had a splendid day's birds' nesting with a col- 

 lecting friend. Found nests of Hedge Sparrow {Accentor 

 modularis), Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), Greenfinch (Ligurinus 

 chloris), Long-tailed Tit (Acredula rosea), Greater Whitethroat 

 (Sylvia sylvia), Garden Warbler (S. hortensis), Willow Wren 

 (Phylloscopus trochilus), Wood Pigeon (Columba paliunbus), and 

 heaps of Blackbirds' (Turdus merulci) and Thrushes' (T. musicus). 

 One of the Hedge Sparrows' nests was tenanted by a very 

 young Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) and two addled eggs. The 

 Long-tailed Tits' was full of nearly full-fledged dead young- 

 ones. One old Blackbird was sitting hard on a very elementary 

 nest with nothing in it. 



31st May. Visited the breeding-place of the Black-headed 

 Gulls (Larus ridibundus) at Twigmoor, near Brigg — a splendid 

 sight. The Gulls were mostly sitting, a good many just hatch- 

 ing, some quite small young, and a few big ones. My friend 

 got a good series of nine eggs, including one tiny one, which, 

 but for its blunter shape, might have passed for a Snipe's. Two 

 Coot (Fulica atra) y s eggs were also obtained, and a pair of 

 Sheldrakes (Tadorna tadorna) noted, which must have had 

 young close by, to judge from their anxious movements. The 

 grounds of Scawby Hall were also visited, where we put a 

 Hawfinch (Coccothraustes vulgaris) off her nest in the top of 

 a young holly, quite un-get-at-able. 



1st June. Again nesting in Norbury Hill. Found a Bull- 

 finch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) 's nest with eggs and another Garden 

 Warbler (Sylvia horte7isis)'s in some nettles ; also a Chififchaff 

 {Phylloscopus rufusYs nest, perfectly round and made of dead 



Naturalist, 



