NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 
159 
On page 138 Mr. Westell refers to this subject. In addition to the usual 
song of the starlings — if such we may call it — I have frequently noticed starlings 
imitating other birds and sounds. One here so nearly imitates the wryneck as 
to deceive me occasionally until I listen for its other notes. I have also noticed 
starlings imitate hens cackling, and also house-sparrows. Locality also gives 
variety in the voices of starlings ; in South Warwickshire I consider their notes 
or song more musical than in this district. Starlings usually have two broods in 
my boxes in the season in the same nests, but so far this season I have not 
noticed second broods in any case. J. Hiam. 
Cuckoos and the Weather. — It is most unusual for the cuckoo to 
remain here so late in the season. Only once do I remember them staying so 
late, and that was in the cold summer of 1879, and then I heard one on July 13. 
It is generally understood that they become hoarse in July, but never did they 
sing more clearly or more continuously than now (July 5). There were three 
chasing one another here about 4 a.m., uttering their familiar cuck- cuck- cuck- 
coos. I counted the repetitions of one a few days ago, when he gave me his 
name 142 times without a break. I have not met with a cuckoo’s egg or a 
young bird this season so far. James IIiam. 
Astivood Bank, Redditch. 
Summer Migrants. — Perhaps some readers may like to compare notes on 
the arrivals of the summer migrants in other localities. The followdng is my list 
and dales: — April 16, ring ouzel ; 17, chiff-chaff ; 18, titlark and wryneck ; 19, 
willow-wren and swallow ; 22, nightingale, cuckoo, blackcap, and sandmartins ; 
23, housemartins, whitethroat, redstart, and lesser whitethroat ; 28, yellow 
wagtail ; 29, garden warbler. May 2, wood-wren and whinchat ; 3, swifts ; 
4, grasshopper lark ; 5, sedge warbler; 7, spotted flycatcher ; 15, corn bunting ; 
24, red-backed shrike. June 6, turtle-dove. James Hiam. 
Astivood Bank, Worcestershire. 
House Martins, Swallows, &c. — On page 138 Mr. W. F. Collier asks 
for information on the above subject. Here, I take much interest in these birds, 
and my observations are that the martins are about the usual ([uantity, about 
twenty-five nests opcupied by martins and a few by sparrows. I have on the 
house eighteen nests in a row within a space of about ten feet. Instead of 
knocking down the martins’ nests annually, I fix foundations, such as a nail or 
two, or a piece of an old file sharpened at the end and cut oft about one and 
a-half inches long and driven into the brickwork at the proper distance to build 
on, under the eaves ; this gives a foothold much appreciated and readily built on. 
Swallows are not as plentiful as they used to be, I have only one pair instead of 
four or five .some years ago. Sparrows are brutes to the poor martins, and I have 
•to shoot some to give the martins a chance ; nevertheless I have some eight or 
nine pairs about, with nests in bo.xes, tins, &c., placed in trees and under the 
eaves of buildings. On the whole, I have not had so many nests as u.sual this 
.season in boxes, tins, and other contrivances. One pair of robins reared two 
broods in tomato tins, while another pair did not feel inclined to accept my 
hospitality and lost their first brood, probably from rats, and in the second 
attempt only reared one young bird. In other houses I have had tree-sparrows, 
fly-catchers, marsh-tits, four pairs of starlings, and about the usual quantity of 
stock-doves, but the magpies, I believe, have been very destructive to the latter, 
and they also- destroyed a partridge’s nest with eighteen eggs which was most 
annoying, but as friends wanted young magpies for pets, I allowed them to rear 
three so as to accommodate them. Jame.s Hiam. 
The Wren’s Nest, Astwood Bank, Redditch, 
Queen Wasps. — Queen wasps have been unusually plentiful this spring, 
so that later on when the workers come out (as a few have done already) we may 
expect a plague in September. J. Hiam. 
Blackthorn. — A correspondent sends us an interesting object washed ashore 
at Slapton on the coast of South Devon and preserved by the cottagers under the 
very obvious name of Blackthorn, as a preservative against fiie ! It is a small, 
much-branched, smooth, polished, dark brown or black, horny sclerobasis of a 
