102 THE BIEDS OF OXFORDSHIEE. 



in the same category with some other species whose right 

 to inclusion is considered doubtful by the compiler. 



The Broughton specimen was sold by Gunthrop to Mr. 

 Wyatt, the Banbury taxidermist, and by him to Mr. J. Whit- 

 aker, of Bainworth Lodge, near Mansfield, in whose collection 

 it now is, and to whose kindness I am indebted for a coloured 

 drawing of it, by Mr. S. L. Mosley, from which the plate 

 given as a frontispiece to this volume has been prepared by the 

 same artist. 



The notes in the Zoologist for 1881, pp. 432 and 471, 

 and for 1882, p. 431, have reference to this specimen. 



[The Red-billed Coenish Chough (P. gmculus) has not 

 occurred in Oxfordshire.] 



THE RAVEW. 



Comis corax. 

 The Raven is now quite extinct as a resident in this 

 county, and even as a casual visitor its occurrence has, as 

 far as I know, only been noticed in one instance of late years. 

 Writing from Weston-on-the-Green in 1849, the Messrs. 

 Matthews say that it was then seldom seen, adding that 

 ' a few years ago five passed over this place in company, and 

 single specimens are still occasionally met with. In 1834 

 four young birds were taken fi'om a nest near Oxford ' 

 [Zoologist, p. 2598). Mr. C. E. Ruck-Keene informs me that 

 he has a specimen which was shot at Swyncombe in 1841 

 {in lit.). In former days the Raven must have been a common 

 bird, and the name ' Raven Hill,^ occurring near Deddington, 

 seems to denote a former famous breeding haunt. A Raven 

 was shot at Astrop, about a mile over the Northamptonshire 

 boundary, near Adderbury, about the year 1877^ but the last 

 Raven kUled in Oxfordshire of which I am aware was shown., 

 to me in March, 1888, at Burford, near to which place it was 

 shot in the winter three years previously. 



