164 
J. E. LITTLEBOY-NOTES ON BIKDS 
near a ditch, a robin’s nest, in which were two purely white eggs. 
He was able carefully to observe the hen bird, and he thinks from 
the appearance of the eggs that she had been sitting about a couple 
of days. He removed the white eggs, replacing them with two 
others taken from the deserted nest of a hedge-sparrow, and found 
that incubation was continued without interruption. Eobins seldom 
commence sitting until at least five eggs have been laid, and the 
fact that, in this case, incubation was commenced with only two, 
and that those two were of a purely white colour, is most curious. 
Eeferring to the song of the robin, Mr. Henry Lewis sends me the 
following note :—“ Eobins nest early in the year, and I believe 
that they also moult early. I have seen them in my garden in 
moulting condition by the middle of June, and they come into full 
song again early in the autumn.” That the song of the robin is 
heard throughout the autumn and winter months is well known. 
Wheatear, ( Saxicola (Enanthe ).—Mr. Henry Lewis informs me, 
on the authority of Mr. Hare, that a wheatear nested this season at 
Barton, near Hitchin, and that on the 21st of October several young 
birds were still to be seen in the neighbourhood. The wheatear is 
a regular summer migrant to the British Isles. It frequents, for 
the most part, wild open districts, and there is no reason why it 
should not select as its breeding-home the Earton Hills. It must, 
however, be stated that it appears to prefer Scotland and the North 
of England, and has generally been observed in Hertfordshire on 
its spring and autumn migrations. We were fortunate in being 
able to observe a pair of wheatears when driving over Amersham 
Common on the 11th of August. 
Blackcap ( Sylvia atricapilla) .—Blackcaps were unusually abun¬ 
dant, about the end of March and the beginning of April, in the 
neighbourhood of Hunton Bridge. I feel confident that I had at 
least a score in my own garden. 
Eing-Otjsel ( Turdus torquatus ).—I am pleased to be able to state 
that a ring-ousel paid us a visit on the 16th of September and 
remained for about twenty minutes on the lawn in front of my 
house. We watched for it on the following day, but were not 
fortunate enough again to see it. The ring-ousel is a spring and 
autumn visitant in Hertfordshire, it breeds in the north of England 
and Scotland, and then retires to spend its winter on the shores of 
the Mediterranean. 
Golden Okiole ( Oriolus galbula). —A golden oriole was shot on 
the 4th of June on the borders of Sherrards Park Wood, Digswell, 
near Welwyn, and has been mounted by Mr. Lloyd, of St. Albans. 
In the year 1881 I was able to report the nesting of the golden 
oriole in the parish of Amwell, near Ware, and I am pleased to be 
able to register its occurrence a second time. 
Chafeinch ( Fringilla codels ).—The Hon. Miss Albertine E. E. 
Grosvenor, of Moor Park, has sent me the following interesting 
anecdote respecting the chaffinch:—“ On the 11th of May a chaf¬ 
finch deposited an egg on a window-sill, about sixty feet from the 
ground, the sill being a stone slab 20 inches in width. The egg 
