481 
Lath occurrence of Fieldfares. About the middle of May 
a largo Hock of fieldfares appeared at Sherringham (no doubt 
corning from the south), and remained about the park for several 
clays. After the main body had left, a straggler was seen by Mr. 
11. M. Upcher on the 2nd of Juno. 
Little Owl. On the 9th of May one of these small owls 
( Cnrinc nnctua ) was brought to mo in the flesh, having been shot 
by a gamekeeper at Haverland; but having since ascertained that 
several of the same species were turned off not long since on Lord 
Kimberley’s estate, near Wymondham, it is impossible to decide if 
this individual had strayed from that neighbourhood, or had 
occurred as a genuine migrant. 
Holden Oriole. T am informed, on T believe reliable authority, 
that early in the spring a pair of these birds were seen on the 
Caister road, near Yarmouth, flying in and out of a plantation by 
the wayside', ono bird striking the observer as particularly brilliant 
in colour as they flitted on in front of his vehicle, thus affording 
him a good opportunity of determining a species so attractive in 
plumage as not to be easily mistaken. 
Strange nesting-place of the Brambling. The bramhlin" 
O 
has never nested in my aviary till this year, although pairing has 
taken place and household preparations been shown by the desul- 
tory carrying about of building materials. This year, however, 
one hen brambling was more demonstrative than usual in this way, 
and, to my great surprise, selected a site for her nest at the foot of, 
and not in, a small fir tree placed on ono of the borders of the 
aviary. After the manner of a skylark, she formed a hollow in 
the dusty soil, and then carefully lined it with hair, moss, and 
wool, after which she laid one egg and sat on it for a day or two, 
when it disappeared ; destroyed probably by mice, or other birds, 
as my skylarks’ eggs almost invariably are, in a similar position ; 
and from that time she deserted her nest, which was soon pulled to 
pieces. It is the more strange that this strictly arboreal species 
should have selected such a spot for her nest, as a linnet was 
sitting on eggs in the fir bush above her head, and a hen chaffinch 
was doing her best to prompt her deficient instincts, by building 
in a bush opposite. 
