128 
W. BICKERTON-NOTES ON BIRDS 
Goldfinch ( Carduelis elegans). — I am extremely glad to be able 
to chronicle a continued increase, if only to a small extent, in the 
number of our goldfinches. Mr. F. Shillitoe (Hitchin) reports 
a “ slight increase.” Mr. E. Hartert states that “ goldfinches 
were seen more frequently than during recent years, but not 
during nesting season,” while Mr. T. Brown (Hatfield) reports that 
“ goldfinches are certainly more plentiful.” My own observations 
tend also in the same direction, for on four different occasions (one 
in January, two in February, and one in September) 1 have come 
across specimens in Cassiobury Park. On the first occasion a single 
specimen was seen feeding in company with redpolls and siskins in 
the alder-trees; on the second a party of four in a similar situation, 
and similarly associated ; on the third a small flock of about a dozen 
associated with tits and chaffinches were trying to extract seeds 
from the heads of thistles—long dead and dry, but still erect; while 
in September a party of three were seen similarly occupied, though 
naturally with much better results at that time of year. 
Siskin ( Chrysomitris spinus ) and Lesser Bedpoll ( Linota 
rufescens). —These birds were common enough in the winter months 
at the beginning of the year, but so far as the Watford district is 
concerned I did not see a specimen of either towards the close of 
the year (October to December). 
House-Sparrow ( Passer dowesticus). ■ —Mr. Gibbs reports that 
a nest of this species built in an old teapot was sent to the 
Museum. It had been found in a hedge at Sandridge. This is 
decidedly an unusual nesting-site for this most prolific species. 
Bullfinch ( Pyrrhula europcea). —Mr. F. Shillitoe reports that 
“numbers of bullfinches have been seen at Preston and elsewhere 
in the Hitchin district.” I have certainly seen them myself more 
frequently around Watford during 1903 than during any of the 
four preceding years. 
Starling ( Sturnus vulgaris). —This bird is universally reported 
to be on the increase, and so much so that it is becoming in some 
districts quite a pest to those woodland birds that nest in the holes 
of trees. Some of my correspondents go so far as to say that the 
increasing scarcity of the woodpeckers especially is due to their 
being dispossessed by starlings of the nesting-holes they have 
excavated in the trees. Thus Mr. T. Brown (Hatfield) reports: 
“Woodpeckers are scarcer owing probably to nesting-places being 
almost all occupied by starlings. Some eight or ten years ago 
I found numbers of woodpeckers’ nests, chiefly greater spotted, but 
for the last few years I have not seen one of that species.” The 
powers of mimicry of this ubiquitous and enterprising bird are well 
known to all observers. Mr. Barraud sends an interesting note on 
this: “We noticed last Summer that the starlings frequenting our 
garden (probably it was one particular bird) very frequently 
imitated the curious bubbling note of the hen cuckoo. At first we 
believed that one of the latter species was actually about the 
garden, but subsequently we caught the starling red-handed several 
times. The imitation was perfect. Another starling (or perhaps 
