270 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. x. 



Smew {Mergus albellus). A female was shot on Aqualate 

 Mei'e, near Newport, on February 1st. 



Brent Goose {Branta bernicla). One was shot out of four 

 at a spring in a stubble field three miles from Shrewsbury on 

 February 10th : this species rarely visits Shropshire, having 

 been recorded only five times previously. 



Kittiwake Gull (Rissa fridacfi/Ia). Three were on the 

 frozen Severn at Shre\\sbury from February 7th to Kith. 

 This gull., as a rule, only occurs here very occasionally when 

 driven in by gales. H. E. Forrest. 



UNUSUAL BIRDS IN BERKSHIRE. 



The following rather unusual visitors taken in Berkshire, 

 all about February 10th, 1917, are perhaps worth recording : 



Waxwing {Bombycilla garrulus) a male, at Binfield. 



Peregrine Falcon {Falco peregrinus) a female, at Moulsford. 



Shoveler {Spalula dypeata) a male, from the Kennet. 



Smew {Mergus albellus) a male, at Hardwick. 



Puffin {Fratercula arctica) one found in a garden at 

 Shinfield. Heatley Noble. 



The following may be added to the above : 



Pochard {Nyroca f. ferina), two shot out of a flock of 

 seven at Appleton on February 19th, 1917. 



Goldeneye {Bucephala c. clangula), an immature male 

 shot at Appleton on February 17th, 1917 ; also a female sent 

 in from Appleford on February 24th. F. C. R. Jourdain. 



UNUSUAL BIRDS IN OXFORDSHIRE IN 1915. 



Little Owl {Athene n. noctua). On May 28th, near Islip, I 

 saw one in the road. When I had approached to within a 

 few feet, it flew up into a big oak in the hedge and remained 

 there in full view, being remarkably tame and taking no 

 notice of two motors which passed. On the 30th I saw the 

 bird again in the same spot. It appeared to be getting beetles 

 in the road. On June 19th I saw another Little 0\\i near 

 Wood Eaton, but this individual was not so tame as the other. 



Cormorant {Phalacrocorax carbo). On October 31st I saw 

 a Cormorant fly up from the river between Sandford and 

 Nuneham. This bird seems to be seldom recorded in Oxford- 

 shire and the same may be said of the next. 



Grbenshank {Tringa nebularia). On May 29th one got 

 up near the river between Godstow and King's Weir, and, 

 rising to some height, went off down river. Soon afterwards 

 I saw (and heard) what must have been, I think, a different 

 individual flying round below Wytham Woods. 



Hugh G. Attlee. 



