OCCASIONAL NOTES. 129 
the coasts to hunt for food on the salt marshes, and many had taken a 
longer flight to more southern countries. The few that remained behind 
suffered severely. One incident of the weather was the revelation that the 
Water Rail, locally termed “ Skitty,” was a common bird with us. In all 
the game-shops in Taunton these birds were hanging up in bunches, and 
one dealer told me that he was obliged to refuse to purchase any more, 
not finding any sale for them. ‘lhe shy and retiring Water Rail is so 
seldom brought to bag, and is so little known in consequence by the non- 
ornithological public, that I actually found one once hanging up in the bar 
of the Railway Hotel at Yatton, waiting for some one to say what the strange 
bird was. In November two birds were obtained near Taunton, in localities 
very different to their accustomed haunts. The first was a young Gannet, 
which was caught by the gardener at Monty’s Court on a pond; the 
second a young Puffin, shot on some flooded ground on North Curry Moor. 
Hawfinches appeared with us with the cold weather, as they usually do. 
While the snow was on the ground, the turnip-fields were attacked by 
numerous starving Ring Doves, among which were many Stock Doves, 
and I found the latter to be plump and in good condition, while the former 
were little more than bone and feather. In North Devon, Great Northern 
Divers were abundant at the commencement of the frost on the Taw, as 
were also many other species of wildfowl. Among those obtained, I saw 
some very perfect examples of the mallard Goldeneye. In the very cold 
weather during the middle of January there were many wild swans and wild 
geese on North Curry Moor. Mr. Foster, of North Curry, purchased a swan 
shot by one of the gunners, which I find to be Cygnus Bewickii, and I should 
think an adult bird.— Murray A. Maruew (Bishop's Lydeard). 
OrniTtHoLogicaL Notes FRoM OxFoRDsHIRE.—A Great Snipe was 
obtained near Bampton on tke 2nd September last. I am informed that 
five and twenty years ago, before the commons were drained, several were 
procured. One also was shot at Walkworth some years back. On the 8th 
December, when walking through a large stubble-field, I noticed a Snow 
Bunting in company with two Chaffinches. It is a very rare visitant to 
this county. When Snipe-shooting on the 14th December I procured a 
fine specimen of the Green Sandpiper. It was feeding on the banks of the 
Swere, a rapid stream in the northern part of Oxfordshire. It is more 
usual to meet with this species in August or early in September. The 
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is still of frequent occurrence with us. Within 
a week I noticed no less than three, probably all different examples, as the 
localities were some distance apart. This bird generally searches for food 
on the outer branches of trees, not on the trunk. A Water Rail was shot 
on December 14th, and two others were seen. A Widgeon was killed on 
the Cherwell on the 17th. Several large “strings” of Geese have been 
s 
