exactly as the Wood-Wren does, in order to pick off an insect from beneath a broad sycamore leaf.—Chas. Oldham (Alderley Edge).
Regularity of the Greenfinch in beginning his Song.—The following table of dates may be interesting as showing not only how regular this bird (Ligurinus chloris) is in opening his song, but how little he is affected in this respect by the weather. Chaffinches, Yellowhammers, and Blackbirds are also fairly regular, but vary, according to my experience, more than this strong and hardy species. The song here alluded to is the familiar longdrawn snore, which is usually accompanied from the first beginning by the equally familiar twitter:—
1893, Feb. 18th.— Fine and warm.
1894, Feb. 20th.—Very cold; thermometer 22° at 8 a.m.
1895, Feb. 17th.—Bitterly cold, with hard frost.
1896, Feb. 21st.—Warm and damp.
1897, Feb. 19th.—Fine and mild.
1898, Feb. 24th.—Mild, after a few cold days.
1899, Feb. 25th.—Fine, with cold wind and early frost.
All these observations have been made in Oxford, either in Christ Church Meadow, the Parks, or the Botanic Garden, and before 10 a.m. I may add that, in my opinion, based on many years of observation during January and February, our resident species are not affected in any degree by the temperature, either in regard to pairing or singing. —W. Warde Fowler (Lincoln College, Oxford).
Observations on the Habits of a Cuckoo during the Breeding Season.—The case came to my notice last summer, by hearing that a Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) had deposited her egg for a second time in a greenhouse at Gosden House; and, calling on Lady Sitwell, she very kindly took me to see the nest, in which the young Cuckoo was then sitting with open mouth, and evidently well cared for. The Wagtail's nest was in a flowerpot, not quite full of earth, which stood on a shelf about seven feet from the ground; but a short ladder stood by, on which it was easy to stand and look well on to the nest. I saw the gardener, and heard his long story, and I advised him to put it all in writing as soon as possible. He sent me eventually the following account, showing that he is much more observant than most of his class, who have peculiar opportunities for observing the habits of birds, and he deserves, I think, great credit for the record he has kept, which I trust will be supplemented by another visit this year of the same birds.—H.H. Godwin-Austen (Nore, Godalming).
"I found that the Water Wagtail had started making its nest again last year, in the early part of April. I did not disturb the nest in any way, and I found the old bird had laid four eggs, when she began to sit. One day, when she was off the nest, I looked in, and found that a Cuckoo had laid
