174 
NATURE NOTES 
villages the vine monopolises the soil, and an excellent white 
wine is made, which suits an English palate perhaps better than 
the somewhat heavy ferruginous red wine mostly affected by the 
natives. Arrived at Palma, we picked up our luggage at the 
Grand Hotel and crossed over by the night boat to Barcelona. 
[To he continued.) 
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 
277. Tomtits. — A pair of Tomtits built their nest at the top of the lamp 
column at the corner of Market Hill and High Street, Maldon, Essex, and there 
they have reared four young ones, although the gas lamp has been lighted every 
night. The young tits are now fledged, and have made their debut into the 
world. Their efforts to leave home have proved a great attraction not only to 
school children, but to numbers of “ grown-ups.” The Mayor, a lover of birds, 
has taken great pains to see that they are not molested, and occasionally a 
gentleman in blue has dispersed young spectators. It was interesting to see a 
big lad tenderly pick up one of the tits which had fallen off the column, and 
climb up and restore it to the nest. The next moment the bird flew off into the 
churchyard. The birds now sit on the column quite unconcernedly, and the 
old ones fly to and call them from the trees in St. Peter’s churchyard. 
278. The Grand Duke and the Bird’s Nest.— A pleasing incident is 
related in the Standard from the racecourse at Keele Park, Staffordshire, where 
there were steeplechases recently. After the first day’s racing a lark’s nest, with 
three eggs, was discovered on the course near the winning-post, the ground all 
round it being marked by the hoofs of horses, by carriage wheels, and by crowds 
of people, who had thronged the course. The side of the nest had been cut by 
a wheel, but otherwise it was uninjured. 
Intelligence of this rather remarkable occurrence came to the ears of the Grand 
Duke Michael of Russia, who is residing at Keele Hall. The Duke thought it 
useless to remove the nest, and it remained throughout the second days’ racing, 
and again survived the ordeal. The peculiarity of the incident was heightened by 
the fact that, when examined yesterday, the nest contained three young larks, to 
which the parent birds were bringing food. The Duke has given orders that the 
birds, preserved as by a special dispensation of Providence, should be carefully 
guarded. 
279. Swallows’ Nests on Window-panes.— Vour correspondent of 
July states that he started the swallows building their mud-hut on the glass pane. 
A friend of mine owns a lovely specimen of a martin’s nest built wholly on the 
glass of a window. The birds had no assistance whatever. So unique was the 
subject that my friend had the glass pane cut out and framed the whole, and it is 
now in his lobby, where any one interested may see it. Recently Mr. Harvie 
Brown visited the locality, and so pleased was he that he had the frame and its 
contents, along with the owner, put under the camera, and no doubt in some of 
that author’s forthcoming volumes we shall see this unique specimen of bird 
architecture reproduced. The owner of the nest is Mr. John Milne, Auchinblae, 
Kincardineshire, a keen and observant naturalist. 
A. Nicoi. Si.MPSON, P'.Z.S. 
280. Lesser Redpole. — These birds breed here, and for weeks together 
may be seen eating the aphis on my plum-trees, which makes me think them 
useful little birds. They are so cheerful and lively as to be quite a feature in my 
garden during the spring and summer. 
August, 1905. Edmund Titos. Daudeny. 
281. Sparrows. — In their mischievous habit of picking flowers sparrows do 
not confine themselves to primroses and crocuses. Just now they amuse them- 
selves by destroying the first flowers on a large bed of seedling begonias, and 
prefer dark red blooms to any other colour. 
August, 1905. Edmund Tiios. Dauhkny. 
