14 
NATURE NOTES 
there for some years, although at one time I used to see them 
regularly every spring. 
I saw my first London swallow on April 15. On the 20th 
my sister heard the willow wren in Kensington Gardens, and 
there were quite a number of them singing on the morning of the 
2 1 st. Another dabchick visited the Serpentine on April 24, but 
did not stay long ; this was the day on which I had seen the 
first brood of young ducks in 1896, this year I did not see them 
till the 25th — a day later. 
During the last week of April nightingales seem to have 
passed through London. At about half past two on the after- 
noon of April 27, I received a note from my friend, Mr. George 
Henderson, written from his chambers in Old Square, Lincoln’s 
Inn. I don’t think I have ever been more surprised than I was at 
the contents of that note ; on opening it I read — “ A nightingale 
is now singing in the small garden at the south side of this 
room.” No time was lost in getting to that garden, but the bird 
had become silent, and all search for it was fruitless. The 
garden in question is very small, near to Chancery Lane, and 
with high houses close to it on three sides, on the fourth side 
there is a low building between it and New Square, Lincoln’s 
Inn — a most extraordinary place for a nightingale to select in 
which to pour forth his soul. Mr. Henderson is an observer of 
birds, and there can be no doubt of the accuracy of his identifi- 
cation ; moreover, the bird was both seen and heard by other 
persons, and its presence created quite a sensation in the 
neighbourhood. 
A correspondent of the St. James’s Gazette on April 28, who 
signed himself “ J. F. C.,” stated that he had heard a nightingale 
singing in Kensal Green Cemetery on the 26th. Mr. F. W. Ashley, 
F.Z.S., also informs me that the nightingale was to be seen 
in the Garden of Devonshire House, Piccadilly, on April 22 
and 23. 
On April 24 Mr. Ashley tells me he saw a pair of whinchats 
in Green Park. On May 2 my sister saw a cuckoo in Kensing- 
ton Gardens, and on the 10th I heard two more summer birds, 
the garden warbler and the reed warbler ; the latter was singing 
near the Row in a lilac, a shrub to which this species is very 
partial. 
The spotted flycatcher was to be seen in Hyde Park on May 
18, on which day I also heard the lesser whitethroat. 
In his “ Memories of the Months,” Sir Herbert Maxwell 
refers to the wonderful change which comes over the mallard after 
the nesting season. As is well known, when the duties of this 
season are over the drakes of most species lose their beautiful 
plumage and acquire a plumage more or less resembling that of 
the duck. They remain in “ eclipse,” as this state has been 
termed, till the autumn moult restores their beauty to them. 
Sir Herbert observes that this change of plumage has been 
overlooked by many persons, “ which is the more remarkable 
