VOL. X.] NOTES. 273 



informs me that he has seen Buzzards in the New Forest at 

 all times of the year for some years. F. C. R. JouRDAfN. 



WHITE STORK IN OXFORDSHIRE. 



On October 15th, 1916, Mss M. Price saw a White Stork 

 (Ciconia c. ciconia) in Port Meadow, near Oxford. She first 

 noticed it on the wing and saw it settle about a hundred yards 

 awa3^ It remained in view for about a quarter of an hour, 

 during which time Miss Price and a friend who accompanied 

 her had good opportunities of observing it, and noticing the 

 differences between it and a Heron which was in sight at the 

 same time. Miss Price is also familiar with the appearance 

 of the Stork in HoUand, so that there could be no possible 

 mistake as to its identity. When last seen it was flapping 

 slowly towards Wolvercote. F. C. R. Jourdain. 



" CONTINENTAL " WOOD-PIGEONS AND BLACKBIRDS. 



Sportsmen and others frequently state that '' Continental " 

 Wood -Pigeons can be distinguished from our home-bred birds. 

 The distinctions are usually ver}^ vaguely expressed, but 

 recently Mr. J. Whitaker has given a more detailed account 

 of the differences as noticed by him in birds shot on January 

 23rd {Field, 3. II. '17, p. 186). He states that the " Con- 

 tinental " birds are " duller " in plumage and have either no 

 white or very little on the side of the neck. Recently a 

 correspondent described the supposed continental bird in 

 much the same terms and sent me some of the primary- 

 coverts which were tipped with brown. These feathers 

 proved that this particular bird was undoubtedly a young 

 one not yet moulted into the first winter plumage when it 

 becomes practically like the adult. The want of white on the 

 neck also shows that these birds are young ones probably in 

 various stages of moult. Young Wood-Pigeons are frequently 

 very late with their first moult. I have one shot on February 

 14th, which is only half way through the moult and have seen 

 others in January and February and Mr. B. B. Riviere writes 

 me as foUows : '' When shooting Wood-Pigeons this winter, 

 I have been struck by the lateness of the moult from juvenile 

 to first winter plumage in this bird. The following are dates 

 on which birds in juvenile plumage were killed : — One on 

 December 16th, four on the 18th, two on the 30th; and one 

 on January 4th ; the three last were beginning to moult, 

 having a few new white-tipped feathers showing on the neck 

 patches." * Normally the juvenile seems to moult from 



* Since I wrote this note Dr. Riviere has published his observations 

 [Field, 17, II. '17, p. 263), and his conckisions coincide with mine. 



