Vol. xxx i.] 



64 



Mr. Read stated that he had found two nests of the Hedge- 

 Sparrow a few hundred yards apart, each of which contained 

 an egg of the Cuckoo, evidently laid by the same bird. 

 Both the Cuckoo's eggs had been addled by the frosts at the 

 end of May, the yolks being quite black. The Hedge- 

 Sparrows' eggs were quite fresh, and one nest which con- 

 tained two eggs when found had four two days later. It 

 seemed evident that the Cuckoo's eggs had been laid some 

 few days before those of the Hedge-Sparrows, and had 

 possibly remained on the ground and become frozen before 

 being deposited in the nests of their hosts. 



He further stated that he had found a second laving of 

 Starlings' eggs in two nests, from each of which a brood 

 had previously been hatched out. This was the first instance 

 he had ever met with of a second brood in a Starling's 

 nest. 



Mr. Read also remarked that for many years past he had 

 noticed that the last broods of the House-Martin on his 

 brother's premises in Somersetshire left their nests with 

 unfailing regularity on the last day of September or early the 

 following morning ; and, further, that as insect-life became 

 scarce at that time of the year, these broods were fed not 

 only by their own parents, but also by many other adult 

 birds, all working for the welfare of the community. The 

 young were thus well-nourished and able to leave the nest 

 in good condition in time for their autumn migration. 



The question of the double brood of Starlings raised an 

 interesting discussion, which was joined in by the Chairman, 

 Dr. Hartert, Mr. Meade-Waldo, and others. The general 

 opinion was that the second brood occasionally reared in a 

 nest was the offspring of different parents. 



Mr. E. Bidwell said that he did not believe that the 

 Starling was double-brooded, and in support of this state- 

 ment quoted the observatious of Mr. J. Whitaker at 

 Rainworth, who had put up ninety boxes for Starlings : 

 when every box was occupied there were sometimes two 



