McLean : Effect of the Storms of igoj on Bird Lfe. 357 



One pair of King-fishers, which I had known to build in a certain 

 hole for three years running, had to find a hole hig-her up the 

 bank ; whether they were washed out of their orig-inal nesting- 

 place, or chose the higher position with instinctive foresight, 

 I cannot say. Sand Martins, too, made fresh holes ; one so 

 near the surface that my foot went through as I walked over it, 

 and many within six inches of the top. 



Many Water Hens built in trees overhanging the streams ; 

 two or three I found fully twelve feet above the water, and 

 many some distance away from the stream side. One I noticed 

 built among some rushes about eighteen inches above ordinary 

 high-water mark, was raised no less than three times in a week, 

 and would be quite two feet nine inches above the surface of the 

 water during an ordinary flood ; but even then nest and eggs 

 were swept away. Such labour and care deserved a better fate. 



A most pitiful case came under my notice on the 15th of May. 

 As I was walking by the side of the river Nidd, which was very 

 high, in many cases sweeping over its banks, I saw something 

 floating down on the surface of the water. As it got nearer 

 I saw it was a Wagtail's nest, evidently just dislodged from 

 some ledge by the river-side. I could see one or two naked 

 young ones in it, and flying backwards and forwards in a state 

 of great agitation and distress w^as one of the old Wagtails. 

 Just below the stream swept with great force over a rocky bed, 

 and no doubt the poor little sailors there found a watery grave. 

 I know many suff'ered a like fate. 



A pair of Great Tits had their nest in a hole in some pro- 

 jecting tree roots, and there I found six newly-hatched birds 

 completely covered with water. The same hole had been used 

 for several years, and the young had got safely away. 



Another rather remarkable case was a Blackbird's nest built 

 in the hollow formed by the fork of three branches, and the eggs, 

 four in number, were completely immersed in water. Several 

 Thrushes' nests I also found forsaken, and the mud-lined nests 

 containing water sufficient to cover the eggs. Large numbers 

 of those birds building on the ground, such as Skylarks, 

 Meadow Pipits, Tree Pipits, Willow Wrens, Chiffchaff's, had 

 their nests, eggs, and young destroyed by the incessant rain- 

 storms. 



Pheasant, Partridge, and Grouse also suffered severely ; 

 and those which were hatched were not free from the ill eff'ects 

 of the wet, for many hundreds died from gapes resulting from 

 being continually wet and cold. 



1904 December i. 



