Peacock: The Birds of North-West Lindsey. 201 



Red-spotted Bluethroat. Cyanecula suecica (Linn.). Has 

 been reported for Manton Common, and even as breeding- 

 there. I have no information, and Mr. Cordeaux was more 

 than doubtful. 



Redbreast. Erithacus rubecula (Linn.). Is common and pro- 

 tected by popular superstition in North Lindsey. It begins 

 to sing in autumn with the first clear frost and fall of the 

 leaf, and continues through the winter in fine open weather 

 in the afternoon. You never hear its song in the late 

 spring or summer when other birds break forth into music. 

 The nest has been found in Bottesford Parish in strange 

 places : in old boots and tin cans, in flower-pots and 

 watering-cans, in a pump-spout, and the 'bush 1 of a wagon- 

 wheel. A fish bass and pair of pattens hung against 

 a wall have been chosen as good situations. In 1889 

 a large meat can, lying in a hedge bottom, was occupied, 

 and the fearless little mother sat without signs of terror 

 while she was carried about from place to place and shown 

 to interested strangers. I permanently removed the tin for 

 safety from the spot w T here it was lying- into the Manor 

 garden, a distance of a hundred yards. The parent birds 

 remained faithful to their eggs and young. When fed on 

 the maggots of the common meat fly, Robins cast the skins 

 in pellets as Hawks and Owls reject bones and feathers. 

 All our native birds would be as confiding as the Redbreast 

 if they were as kindly treated as it is. 



Nightingale. Daulias Juscinia (Linn.). Has extended its 

 range of late years and is fairly common now. Thirty years 

 ago it w y as never heard. It was in Brumby Wood first 

 in 1888, and every year since, I believe. In 1893 the 

 Vicar in one week heard it in Man by, Div. 2, Thonock, 

 Div. 5, Tumby, Div. 10, and at Burton-by-Lincoln, Div. 6,. 

 in the woods. A rare visitor to South Kelsey, Div. 7, but 

 to Gainsborough neighbourhood frequently. 



Whitethroat. Sylvia cinerea (Bech.). Common. They sing- 

 more or less during the night, and are often locally called 

 ' Nightingales.' 



Lesser Whitethroat. Sylvia curruca (Linn.). Is at no 

 time common at Bottesford or in the Manby Woodlands. 

 Mr. Young says, ' Fairly numerous ; there is at least 

 a pair in most of the woods in the Market Rasen 

 district.' 



1902 June 1. 



