50 THE BIRDS OF OXPOBDSHIRE. 



little latei'j and being seen in large flocks all through March, 

 and in smaller numbers often to the end of April; in 1880 

 I observed about a dozen Fieldfares as late as the 9th of May. 

 As a rule the Fieldfare is far more abundant in autumn and 

 spring than at midwinter, retiring further south at the 

 approach of severe weather; yet this rule is not without ex- 

 ceptions, and, as with the numbers which visit us in the first 

 instance, its abundance or scarcity at the latter season is most 

 irregular and quite irrespective of the nature of the season. 

 For instance, in the exceptionally n\ild weather in 1882 I did 

 not see one from the opening of the year until the latter part 

 of March ; and on the other hand, during very severe frost in 

 January, 1886, one of the largest flocks I ever remember to 

 have met with was in the habit of resorting to Clattercote 

 Reservoir, to drink at one or two unfrozen holes, the ice 

 around being quite discoloured by them. 



During the excessively severe weather in the first half of 

 March, 1886, Fieldfares suffered greatly, and many could be 

 caught by the hand, too weak to fly. The supply of haws 

 being almost exhausted, they had great difficulty in obtaining 

 food, and might be seen greedily feeding on the half -rotten 

 swedes in the sheep-pens. At such times great numbers 

 are shot and exposed for sale by the game-dealers, but they 

 soon become so thin as to be almost worthless, and in February, 

 1888, they were hawked about by men who asked only one 

 shilling the dozen for them. 



A curiously-coloured Fieldfare, the skin of which is now in 

 my possession, was killed near Banbmy on the 25th January, 

 1886. In this specimen, a female of the previous year, the 

 head and the lower part of the back are strongly tinged with 

 brown, while the usual grey of the upper tail-coverts is replaced 

 by deep chestnut brown. The groimd colour of the under 

 tail-coverts is a warm buff, almost nist colour, and the flank 

 feathers are of a somewhat deeper tint, with the usual dark 

 markings. The golden buff of the throat and breast is warmer 



