NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 
117 
leaving a pair of birds, evidently the original owners, in possession of the home. 
We of course rewarded their pertinacity by leaving them there. This was in 
April last year, but up to the present time no swallows have this year returned, 
although they have generally turned up during April. 
The Beacon, Morant's Court Hill, Sevenoaks. George Christie. 
Summer Migrants. — I heard the nightingale for the first lime this year 
on .April 28, in a northern suburb. Is this not somewhat early ? Is there any 
truth in the saying that the swallows come with the celandine? I saw the first 
swallow this evening, but only one, at a spot where I have always seen several 
before. The celandine I have been picking for the last fortnight or more. 
Stoke Nexvington, N., May 2, 1899. J. G. Bradford. 
The dates given in “The Naturalists’ Diary” are : Nightingale, April 24 ; 
swallow, March 23 ; Chelidonium, .April 3 — May 24, averaging May i. — Ed. N.H. 
Dates of Arrivals of Summer Migrants at Astwood Bank, 
Redditch 
1899. 
1898. 
Chiff-chaff 
.April 6 
April II 
Willow-wren 
>> J3 
9 
Titlaik 
„ 18 ... 
,, 15 
Redstart 
„ 19 ... 
,, 16 
Nightingale 
,, 20 
„ 16 
House-martin 
,, 20 ... 
,, 15 
Swallow 
,,24 
„ IS 
Sandmartin 
„ 25 ... 
May 26 
Cuckoo 
„ 25 ... 
April 16 
Blackcap 
,, 28 
23 
WTiitethroat 
,, 28 
,, 14 
Lesser whitethroat ,, 30 
,, 21 
Whin chat 
„ 30 • • 
„ 24 
A'ellow wagtail. 
May 1 
24 
Wood wren 
3 
May 8 
Sedgewarbler 
„ 7 
„ 8 
Swift 
7 
„ 8 
Garden warbler 
9 
April 28 
Corncrake 
not arrived 
28 
Flycatcher 
> > »> • • • 
May 3 
It will thus be seen that most of our little friends from some unknown cause 
have been a few days later than u.sual in making their appearance here, although 
some were reported in other districts some weeks before. As to the reports of 
cuckoos being heard on some “ warm ” day (as the reports usually read) in 
January or February, I take no notice of them, because the note is so easily 
imitated by boys or others that I look upon it as a stupid hoax to set someone 
writing to the press. 
Fieldfares still linger in flocks. I saw two flights on Sunday last (7lh) 
apparently reluctant to leave during such cold frosty weather as we have recently 
passed through, which I find has done immense damage to fruit crops. I find 
on referring to fieldfares in Gilbert White’s letter of December 20, 1770, the 
following : — “ Fieldfares and redwings disappear sooner or later, according as 
the warm weather c^mes on earlier or later, for I well remember, after that 
dreadful winter, 1739-40, that cold north-east winds continued to blow [such 
as we have lately experienced, — J. H.] on through April and May, and that these 
kinds of birds, what few remained of them, did not depart as usual, but were 
seen lingering about till the beginning of June.” 
I am in hopes that readers will take the season at hand 7 iow to prove the 
accuracy of young cuckoos getting both young birds and eggs on their backs and 
ejecting them. There is no difficulty hi proving it, if they will leave a cuckoo’s 
egg to hatch out and then follow it up and watch them. 
James Hiam. 
Robins’ Nests. — Two pairs of robins selected very singular nesting places 
this season in Maynooth College. Near the gate of the vegetable garden and 
