sharp-pointed twig, and in falling the latter, being firmly fixed in the bird, was broken off from the main stem.—Basil W. Martin (Elm House, Hampstead).
Active Mimicry by the Chaffinch.—I recently observed the nest of a Chaffinch (Fringilla cœlebs) near my house, in a hedge by the turnpike-road, and built in a blackthorn-bush in full bloom. In order, I imagine, to make the nest as little distinguishable as possible from its surroundings, the birds had dotted it all over with small pieces of white paper; one fragment which I detached appeared to be blotting-paper. Passing the place a few days since I noticed that all the bloom had fallen from the bush, and that all the pieces of paper had been removed from the nest. This had not been disturbed, and contained eggs. It seems a fair inference that the birds recognized that their object in putting the scraps of paper about the nest was likely to be defeated when the blossom fell away, and accordingly removed them.—R.H. Ramsbotham (The Hall, Meole Brace, Shrewsbury).
Rose-coloured Pastor in Kent.—A fine adult male of the Rosecoloured Pastor (Pastor roseus) was obtained on May 14th last near Appledore, in Romney Marsh, Kent. It was sent for preservation to Mr. G. Bristow of this town, to whose kindness I am indebted for the privilege of examining the specimen in the flesh.—L.A. Curtis Edwards (31, Magdalen Road, St. Leonards-on-Sea).
[This record is an interesting one to ornithologists, but describes a distinct disregard to the laws relating to a close-time for birds.—Ed.][1]
The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopus minor).—I have read Mr. Stanley Lewis's note (ante, p. 184) with much interest, but I regret that I cannot support his suggestion that this Woodpecker produces its vibrating sounds by any exercise of the laryngeal muscles. In a note which I drew up for Dr. A.G. Butler, and which he printed at length in 'British Birds, their Nests and Eggs' (vol. iii. p. 29), I have discussed the subject. The method by which the vibratory sound is produced is, that the bird employs its bill to strike one particular piece of bark again and again with extraordinary rapidity. It is not peculiar to either sex. Both sexes are expert in the production of this curious effect. In 1894 it was my good fortune to acquire a pair of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. They lived in an aviary-cage beside my bed, and entertained me with their lively actions from break of day onwards. They knew me so intimately that they allowed me to follow their every movement. I wrote pages and pages about them with the birds at my side, when the majority of people were sleeping soundly. The male died in the following winter, but the female lived in my possession until she escaped through an open window in the
- ↑ One of the "Hastings Rarities"? (Wikisource-Ed.)
