NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 
155 
their young. The nest is built in a great variety of places, though most often 
among ivy against a wall. The three I have seen were at Karliegh, Addington, 
and Brighton, respectively. The first was among the ivy growing over an old 
oak trunk, and the others were on the side of a tree ; the bark in one spot had 
been stripped away, and below this it was loosened from the trunk. In the 
crevice between the bark and the trunk the birds had built. It is constructed 
late in May or early in June, and is a neat structure composed of moss and wool, 
and lined with hair and wool ; it is usually decorated on the outside with grass 
or the dried leaves of trees. The eggs are three or four in number, the ground 
colour is white, with a few small pinkish spots. It is when the young are hatched 
that the parental care is best shown. At Farleigh I saw a pair of these birds 
feeding their young with flies. The nest was placed on a stem of ivy growing 
against the trunk of an oak tree, and both the cock and hen were in constant 
motion. The three youngsters received visits at intervals of three or four minutes. 
In another instance, at Brighton, the three youngsters were a little older, and 
were almost ready to shift for themselves. The parents were catching flies, not 
only for themselves, but also for their young ; they were making rather more 
display than the others on the same fence, and challenging all comers with a 
“tack-tack.” From an ash tree in the neighbouring garden came a continuous 
shrill whistle, not bold or loud, but rather feeble. This was from the youngsters, 
and by watching I found three of them on a bough, high up in an ash tree. Both 
parents fed them very frequently, and they eagerly opened their mouths, showing 
the yellow interior ; the old birds made approximately three visits every two 
minutes. Although so careful and attentive to the wants of their young ones, 
the spotted flycatcher would do well to exercise a little more care in their move- 
ments around the nest. On two of the occasions I have found the nest 1 was 
led to it by the parents. The old birds are so bold and self-confident, that if an 
observer keeps quiet for five or six minutes near to where a pair are practising 
their art, it is quite likely that he will be rewarded by being shown the way to 
their rest. 
John E. S. Dallas. 
273. Scarcity of Nightingales. — In answer to the query from Buxted, 
as to the scarcity of nightingales this year, I think the scarcity is probably only 
local, as they have been more than usually abundant in this neighbourhood. Is 
it possible that the persistently inclement weather which we experienced last 
spring influenced the migration of some of our summer visitois, so that many ot 
the birds which would have proceeded inland, had the weather been less un- 
favourable, settled down in sheltered places near the coast. 
It would be interesting to have some more notes on this subject from places 
near the coast and also from inland stations in order to compare them. The 
wood warbler is also more plentiful than usual here. 
Arundel, Sussex. \V. S. Clkather. 
274. Honey-dew. — I should like to support Mr. Peter Hastie’s view as to 
’ the honey-dew on maple and lime trees. I have watched these trees for several 
years and have frequently hunted for the supposed authors of the mischief, but 
in vain. I have, however, noticed that these copious discharges of honey-dew 
are coincident with bad flowering years. They appear to me to indicate a 
pathological condition due to the natural outlet for the sugar through the flowers 
being impeded. This has been a splendid flowering year for the great maple 
(sycamore) and there is every indication of a good flowering year for limes, so I 
shall be able to test further the application of this theory. 
Stepney Borough Museum. K. M. Hall. 
275. Mr. Peter Hastie may be interested to know that on hot days I have 
noticed the upper surface of the leaves of Japanese anemone to be glistening with 
honey-dew when no aphides were visible after a minute search. I have also 
found the upper surface of lime leaves to be covered with the same glistening, 
sticky substance which, as a small child, I liked to lick. I am sure there are 
no aphides (to speak of) when the leaves are in this condition, and it is not 
always, if ever, found on leaves of plants which are infested with these plagues. 
I think that this substance exudes from the leaves in too rapid transpiration, and 
is not caused by in-ects, though doubtless they take advantage of it. 
Nassington Road, N.IV. L. E. Roberts. 
