NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 
119 
square yard seemed a fair average, and that would work out to a much larger 
total. Where the flowers were most crowded I put my hat down, and found that 
it covered fifty of them, which gave rather more than one to each square inch. 
The same field gave cowslips by hundreds. It lies upon magnesian limestone. 
At Abbotsbury, in Dorsetshire, I have seen pasture slopes on the lower parts of 
the downs look equally snow-like with the Ledsham meadow, and from the same 
cause. 
William Whitwell. 
Swallows. — I saw a swallow on April 9 near Worcester, sitting on a 
telegraph wire. I hope other members will mention when and where they first 
see one, as it is interesting to compare the different dates in different districts. 
Malvern. F. R. 
London Birds. — A pleasing example of how quickly that naturally shy 
and timid bird, the wood-pigeon, is becoming indifferent to the noise and crowds 
of London, can now be seen in the Green Park, Piccadilly, nearly opposite the 
Navy and Military Club. A pair of these birds have built their nest on the low 
branch of a tree growing directly over the pavement, within sight of passers by, 
and hardly beyond reach of stick or umbrella. They are at present sitting closely, 
and if undisturbed should within a week hatch out their young. Another pair 
of the same birds have successfully reared a couple of young ones in Berkeley 
Square. In Grosvenor Square, a blackbird can be heard singing any morning. 
He is a fine bird and walks about the roadway as fearlessly as a sparrow, but I 
have not seen his mate or any signs of a nest. A pair of starlings have taken 
possession of a disused letterbox in Bagshot Park, Surrey, and do not seem the 
least disturbed by the many pairs of curious eyes which look at them through the 
slit. 
F. W. Ashley. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
W. F. — Scurvy-grass (Cochlearia qfficitialis). 
L. M. — The specimens should have been numbered. The two Cruciferae are 
Farsetia incana and Lepidium Draba : the others are Euphorbia Enila and a 
species of Alkanna. 
A. R. — We do not know. 
H. D. G. — Stereum rugosum. 
A Correspondent (name mislaid). — The plant sent in a small box is 
Claytonia ahinoides. 
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