A HISTORY OF LEICESTERSHIRE 78. Sky-lark. jflauJa arvensis, Linn. Resident and common, breeding in fields close to Leicester. Packs in flocks of many hundreds in winter, but in severe seasons appears to leave the Midlands, probably withdrawing farther south. Mr. Davenport states that it nests as early as the middle of March. The museum donation-book records a black variety from Belgrave, 31 March, 1860 (prob- ably fed on hemp seed). Mr. G. Frisby writes that on 24 June, 1906, he heard one singing sitting upon a wild plum tree. 79. Wood-lark. Aiauda arborea, Linn. I have no knowledge of this bird save that furnished by Harley, who said that ' it appears to be a permanent resident, but is seldom met with except in the more retired woodlands. Around Newton, Linford, Groby, and neighbouring districts the wood- lark occurs, but even in such places it is not abundant.' He further wrote : ' It nestles with us and builds on the ground in corn-fields and rough places near the sides of thick woods and plantations. Never congre- gates in the winter months, like the sky-lark, but re- mains solitary.' 80. Swift. Cypsclus opus (Linn.). Locally, Develin, Jack Squealer. A summer migrant nearly the last to arrive and the first to leave commonly distributed and breed- ing. Harley recorded that in 1842 the swift appeared on 6 May and left on 8 September, and that on 1 6 Aug., 1848, during cold and stormy weather, it withdrew, leaving not a single individual of the species where, only a few days before, they were abundant ; but on 24, 25, and 26 August numbers returned to his own parish and to a small village hard by. During the cold spring of 1886 a correspondent wrote to one of the Leicester papers, under date 1 5 May, stating that a man had been seen to pick up a swift in the street one day that week, and the writer had picked up another in a factory yard himself the following day, both birds being in an ex- hausted condition from cold and want of food. An immature male specimen was killed against the electric tram wires on London Road, Leicester, and was brought to the museum on 25 June, 1906, by Mr. J. Matthews. 8 1. White-bellied Swift or Alpine Swift. Cypselus melba (Linn.). This rare summer visitor has been quoted in nearly every work since 1839 as having occurred in Leicestershire, on what appears to me insufficient evidence. Harley was responsible for its insertion in the Leicester fauna, his exact words being : ' The author in his remarks on the fauna of the county of Leicestershire has this note affixed to a fly-leaf attached to Jenyn's manual of British vertebrated animals: "1839. September 23. Evening serene. Wind southwest. Time half-past-five. Observed a white-bellied swift cross my path, overhead near to the Fosse Lane toll gate. The bird was gliding gently through the soft air in a southerly direction and at a height of 20 yards from the ground, thus enabling me to identify it very correctly." ' 82. Nightjar. Caprimulgus eunpaeus, Linn. Locally, Fern Owl, Goatsucker. A summer migrant sparingly distributed and doubt- less breeding occasionally. Mr. Babington (Potter, op. cit. App. 66) reported it from rocky heaths about Sharpley, Kite Hill, &c. Harley recorded it from Bardon, Gopsall, Grace Dieu, Martinshaw, and Oakley, and stated that he had known examples shot so late as October and November. The late Mr. Wid- dowson wrote from Melton : ' Very few about here.' Mr. Ingram writes : ' Found every summer in Bel- voir Woods, but less numerous than formerly ; have not found its eggs.' Mr. T. B. Ellis writes : ' Rare, one or two generally at the " Brand." ' The museum donation-book records one from Ashby-de-la-Zouch, shot by Mr. H. T. Everard on 2 Sept., 1874, one from Birstall, 3 Sept., 1876, and one from Bel- grave, 26 May, 1877, the last two shot by Mr. G. Hall. One was killed by Harry Throsby with a catapult, in an orchard at Aylestone, 31 May, 1887. The late Dr. Macaulay saw one in the flesh which was shot at Laughton Hills about 1 876, and the Rev. A. Matthews saw one hawking outside Gumley Wood in the dusk on 10 May, 1882 ; he also stated that one was shot at Quorn on I Oct., 1889, by Mr. Farn- ham and was preserved. Mr. W. B. Farnham, writing from Quorn on 31 Aug., 1890, says : 'During the last three afternoons I have seen a pair of nightjars here on the railings of the park.' Mr. W. J. Horn reports one near his house at Market Harborough on 12 Aug., 1905. 83. Wryneck. Ijnx torj ullla, Linn. Locally, Cuckoo's Mate, Snake-bird. A summer migrant, sparingly distributed and less common than formerly. Harley wrote : ' It appears nowhere more common than around Foxton. The ash prevails there and, moreover, ant-hillocks abound to a much greater extent than in any other district known to us.' He further remarked that it nested in the county, breeding in holes in orchard and forest trees. According to the late Dr. Macaulay (MiJ.Nat. 1881, p. 255), a pair built in 1 88 1 in a garden at Kibworth and were not disturbed. Mr. F. Bouskell informs me that he saw this bird several times at Knighton, in May and June, 1889. The Rev. H. Parry writes that he found a nest at Kibworth containing six eggs which were hatched in due course, and the pair of birds returned in 1882, but one of them was shot before laying ; he further reports having found a nest with seven eggs at Horninghold in June, 1890. Mr. W. J. Horn writes in 1907 : 'In 1903 a pair nested in Market Harborough. 21 April, 1905, I saw one at Lubenham.' 84. Green Woodpecker. Gecinus viridis (Linn.). Locally, Rain-bird, Rind-tabberer or tapper, Wood-spite, Yaffle. Resident and generally distributed. I have pro- cured specimens from Anstey, Bradgate, Cropston, Kib- worth, &c., and a young male was shot so near to Leicester as Wigston Fields, on 17 Oct., 1887, by Mr. J. Waterfield. Mr. Davenport wrote that on 13 May, 1885, he found a green woodpecker's nest at Keythorpe, in a small hole in a tree not 3 ft. from the ground. On enlarging it he found nothing in it, but passing by five days later to his amazement the bird flew out again ; this time there were five eggs, on 2 2 May four more were laid, on the 27th two, and on 3 June three, making a total of fourteen. Writing again on 8 May, 1886, he says I 3 2
