98 
NATURE NOTES 
rest, apparently conscious that it attracts attention, and it seems never to have a 
mate. Yarrell (vol. ii., p. loo) writes of such varieties being “generally found 
to be smaller and weaker birds and continues, “ as these young birds increase 
in age, and gain constitutional powers, the secretions become perfect, and the 
plumage assumes its natural colours.” My experience of my friend, “white 
wings,” as the children call him, does not bear out the above remarks, for the 
bird appears just the same as it has always done, and it is certainly neither small 
nor weak. Lest he should be shot to adorn some woman’s hat, I will ask you to 
give neither name nor address. 
April <j, 1899. H. 
Strange Situation for Robin’s Nest. — An old salt jar, having been 
used to hold flowers for decorating a newly-made grave in our churchyard, was 
found yesterday, lying on its side under a small tree close by, containing a robin’s 
nest with three eggs. The nest is within a few yards of a public footpath through 
the churchyard, with seventy children passing to and fro to the school hard by. 
Whether the robin will bring up its family under the circumstances seems 
doubtful ! I have six thrushes’ nests in my garden ; but three made before the cold 
spell of last month have been deserted, apparently on account of the cold. 
Aprils, 1899. A. F. Curtis. 
Little Twitters. — The merry little chiffchaff has been late in arriving this 
spring, being first heard April 7, at Himbleton, Worcestershire. The last redwing 
I saw was one straggler on March 28, last year ; last seen March 29. Two pairs 
of robins have nests in tomato-tins in my garden, very snugly built and out of 
danger from ground enemies. Stock-doves were sitting in two houses put up in 
trees in my fields at the beginning of March, and one pair should be .soon leaving 
the nest. A pair of magpies have taken about five weeks to build a nest this 
spring. 
TIlc Wren's Nest, Redditch. J. Hiam. 
Wood-Pigeon. — The same observer who informed me that he had seen a 
wood-pigeon feeding its young on December 8 last, writes to say, that on his 
lawn a pair of wood-pigeons were reared and had flown on March ii. No doubt 
these had the same parents as the former brood. 
Market Weston, Thetjord. Edmund Thomas Daubenv. 
Hedge Sparrow. — On my lawn there is a hedge sparrow with a cream- 
coloured tail. This peculiarity is not likely to endanger its life here. 
Market Weston, 'J'hetford. Edmund Thomas Daubeny. 
Tameness of Birds. — The following true incidents may perhaps prove of 
interest. Not long ago, I was staying with a friend at Eastgate, Chichester, and 
while there had daily opportunity of witnessing an extraordin.ary confidence on 
the part of a robin. It was a young female bird, and had since the previous 
September voluntarily attached itself to the house, flying in and out of the 
windows whenever opened, and fearlessly taking crumbs from the lap or hand 
of any of the inmates. It invariably spent the night indoors, its favourite roosting 
pl.ace being an unused hall lamp, where a perch had been placed for its special 
delectation. About the hour of sunset it would appear in front of every window 
in succession, until attention having been attracted towards it, it at length 
obtained the desired admission. Then it would fly off to its lamp, and as a rule 
settle (juietly down for the night. Its exceeding tameness was perhaps the more 
extraordinary, as in the cour.se of the winter it had .somehow managed to injure 
its claw so badly it was that at last found necessary to amputate it ; but even 
this did not serve to destroy its friendly confidence in the human race. About a 
week ago it suddenly disappeared, and has not since been seen or heard of. 
Whether it is busily engaged in building a nest, or has fallen a victim to a 
hungry cat, or has (and such cases alas I do sometimes occur) been done to 
death by the other robins, is not so far revealed. Its fate is still a mystery. 
Perhaps your readers may be able to make some suggestion on the subject. 
28, St. Anhyns, Hove. R. V. nAI.l.AKii. 
