TUENSTONE — BLACK-WINGED STILT. 149 



November, 1874 (J. Gardner and W. Wyatt), and the Rev. A. 

 Matthews has seen an example in the late Mr. Forrest's shop 

 which was shot on the banks of the Isis at Oxford [in I'd.). 



THE OYSTER-CATCHER. ^ - 



Hcemaiopus ostralegus. 



The Oyster-catcher is a casual visitor from the coast. It is 

 included in the list of visitors in winter by the Messrs. Mat- 

 thews [Zoologist, p. 2535). One was shot on the Isis, at 

 Bablock Hithe Ferry, near Stanton Harcourt, about October, 

 1878 (H. A. Macpherson, MS^, another near Great Bourton 

 in September, 1852 (W. Wyatt), and a third specimen, in 

 Mr. G. Aruatt^s collection, was procured at Stanton Harcourt 

 on the 1 8th September, 1879. 



[The AvocET {Tiecvrvirostra avocetta). Dr. Lamb records that 

 six of these beautiful birds were killed at one shot while 

 swimming on a jDond at Sonning', near Reading-, in April, 1794 

 [Ornithologia Bercheria). Sonning is on the Thames, chiefly 

 in Berkshire, but partly in Oxon; and the occurrence is 

 mentioned here because the birds were procured very close to, 

 if not actually within, our borders.] 



THE BLACK- WINGED STILT. 



Hlnianfojms candklus. 



The Black-winged Stilt, an accidental visitor to this coun- 

 try from Southern Em-ope, has occurred twice in Oxfordshire. 

 Pennant, writing of the ' Long-legged Plover/ mentions one 

 ' shot a few years ago on Stanton Harcourt Common, near 

 Oxford.' {British Zoology, 181 3, vol. ii, p. loi.) Another, 

 killed at Shiplake, near Henley, was for some time in the 

 possession of Dr. Kirtland, who obtained it soon after its 

 capture, and afterwards passed into the collection of the Rev. 

 H. Roundell,, of Fringford {Zoologist, p. 2602). 



