Peacock : The Birds of XortJi-ivest Lindsey. 273: 



In Poolthorn Covert, Cadney. there were ten nests in forty 

 square yarns of wood, in 1895, six nests in 1898, but far more 

 scattered over the whole Covert. At Howsham, close by, in 

 1900, forty chickens were carried off in three days from one lot 

 of fowls, by two crows, presumabh^ a pair, from Poolthorn 

 Covert. ' Common about Market Rasen, few being killed by 

 keepers,' Mr. Young says. 



Hooded Crow. — This is only with us as a winter migrant. 

 I have seen it as early as 7.9, 1889. The usual time is the last 

 week in October. The colours on this variety vary greatly. 

 Sometimes the grey is most marked, sometimes the black. 

 I have heard that Hooded and Carrion Crows have been known 

 to breed together in the Eastern Woods, and there was un- 

 doubtedly a case in South Lines. Personally I have never 

 met with such a combination. 



Rook. — Is far too common. New rookeries are being 

 formed all over North- West Lines. There is only a proper food 

 supply for a limited number of these birds, and the result is 

 they have become very much more destructive within the last 

 thirty-five years. Game, eggs, and young poultry, and all 

 farm produce suffer in proportion as this species increases. 

 I have seen a cream-coloured and a brown specimen, shot by 

 the late Tom Nicholson, of Greyingham Warren (Div. 5), in 

 185 1. In November 1899, the Vicar saw, from the railway, 

 three pure white specimens, in a huge ' cawing ' of migrants 

 he believed, in Usselby parish. A rookery is worth two shillings 

 per nest for the sport of young rook shooting. 



Sky-Lark. — Is very common, and very destructive in 

 wheat and spring corn fields. First nest in 1890, on the I7tli 

 of April, with two eggs. 



Wood-Lark. — Is very rarely found nesting in the Eastern 

 Woodlands. I have never seen it myself, but the Vicar, and 

 others have seen the bird during the breeding season. 



Swift. — Comes to us every season. Formerly they bred 

 in the tower of Bottesford Church, but not since its restoration 

 in 1870. They have for many years (1887), built annually 

 under the tiles of the roof of the house occupied by the Post- 

 master, Mr. James Kendal, at Ashby. Formerly they bred 

 under roof tiles at Yaddlethorpe, but in 1900 were using the 

 abandoned Sand-Martin's holes in the Liassic-drift gravel pit 

 there. This species is always called the Devilin in this district. 

 Nightjar. — Can hardly be called common now. It was 



igoS July I. 



