The Sexual Displays of Swallows

01 May 1941 Comments Main paper THE quantitative aspects of the reproduction of the Swallow (Hirundo r. rustica) have been intensively studied in the enquiries of the British Trust for Ornithology (antea, Vol. XXIX, pp. 3-21, Vol. XXX, pp. 98-116) and in many other surveys; but there re...
Read More

Nest-Sanitation

01 May 1941 Comments Main paper Faeces carried; no data for first few days ; at a late stage young defaecate from the opening ; if deposited on " doorstep " they are carried; if they fall clear they are left, even if conspicuous (B.H.R., R.G.A., A.H.M.C). [Voided at entrance of nest and...
Read More

Notes

01 May 1941 Comments Notes WHEN reading Mr. D. Lack's article on the Chaffinch (antea, p. 216), I was particularly interested in the paragraph on " female song." Just over a year ago (early in March, 1940) I heard at Brent Park, Hendon, a bird singing, which I did not recognize at...
Read More

Seventeenth-Century "Poultry"

01 May 1941 Comments Main paper has recently come to my notice a 26-page pamphlet by Adam Shewring, entitled The Plain-dealing Poulterer, and published in London in 1699. The author in his preface states that he has " thought it good after my many years experience, and knowledge gotten ...
Read More

Letters

01 December 1937 Comments Letters SIRS,--In his article (antea, p . 137) Mr. George Brown notes t h a t a Robin {Erithacus r. melophilus) "appeared t o take quite an interest in the Blackbird's efiorts" before a looking-glass, b u t itself never displayed. Since I read this article a Robi...
Read More

Reviews

01 December 1937 Comments Reviews More Songs of Wild Birds. By E. M. Nicholson and Ludwig Koch. (H. F . & G. Witherby.) Gramophone Records and Illustrated. 15s. PERHAPS the best thing t h a t can be said of these three new double records of British Bird songs is t h a t they are even bett...
Read More

Notes

01 December 1937 Comments Notes I FIRST noticed a Sky-Lark (Alauda a. arvensis) building amongst rough grass on the West Lancashire Golf Course on June 12th, 1937. The nest then consisted of a hollow in black earth with a partial rim and bottom lining of dry grass, Once when the hen wa...
Read More

Notes on Outer Hebridean birds

01 December 1937 Comments Main paper SINCE Colonel Meinertzhagen pointed out (Ibis, 1934, pp. 52-61) that the Outer Hebrides present a particularly interesting feature of geographical variation in certain species, several short notes have amplified details. My own studies of the subject have...
Read More

Kittiwakes as shore-birds

01 December 1937 Comments Main paper staying at Seascale, Cumberland, in August, 1937, I discovered a place on the coast at Sellafield, where quantities of sea-birds were always to be seen. In addition to thousands of Curlews and Oyster-catchers and many Redshanks, Lapwings, Turnstones and o...
Read More

Letters

01 November 1937 Comments Letters SIRS,--With reference t o Mr. L. Parmenter's notes on t h e above subject (antea, p p . 152-3) t h e following observations m a y be of interest :-- On J a n u a r y 24th, 1936, a sunny morning with a fresh easterly wind blowing, there were 17 Goosanders ...
Read More

Stay at the forefront of British birding by taking out a subscription to British Birds.

Subscribe Now