122 THE BIRDS OF OXFORDSHIRE. 



late years. The Rev. Murray A. Mathew informs me that 

 it was very common about Oxford in his time (1855-60), 

 and that he took its nest close to Magdalen Bridge {m lit., 

 June 15th, 1886), but the Rev. H. A. Macpherson (1877-82) 

 notes it as by no means plentiful in that neighbourhood. 

 In the north of the county, in my own experience, it is 

 certainly less often heard than was the case some years ago. 

 Although accurately described by an old keeper to Mr. 

 W. Warde Fowler [A Year with the Birch, p. 104), he has 

 failed to detect the Wryneck about Kingham, but I casually 

 observed one by the roadside near Enstone in June, 1883. 

 On the other hand, it appears to be not uncommon at Stand- 

 lake, where it is a regular visitor, appearing about the second 

 week in April, and being locally known by a name often 

 bestowed upon it in various parts of the country, namely, 

 ' Cuckooes mate '' (Warner, MS.). At Cuddesdon also, as Mr. 

 H. Gale informs me, it is tolerably common. 



THE RING DOVE. ^ "^ 



Columha iMlumhus. 



The Ring" Dove, or Woodpigeon, is a common and slightly 

 increasing resident, breeding alike in woods and spinneys, and 

 in hedgerow timber and isolated thorn-bushes, at various 

 elevations ; a nest on Hanwell Heath was placed in a low 

 hawthorn not more than three feet from the ground. 



In winter considerable migratory flocks occur ; two such on 

 the 30th January, 1886, winging their way to roost in the 

 woods at Aynho in Northamptonshire, must have numbered 

 two hundred birds at least in each. These flocks are some- 

 times seen well on into spring. As late as the i8th April, in 

 1887, I observed at Hook Norton a flock of fifty, which were 

 doubtless passing migrants ; our home birds being paired before 

 that date, and eggs having been found in some years as early 

 as the last week in the previous month. 



Varieties of the Ring Dove are not common. In February, 



