450 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



from one district to another is doubtful, except perhaps from the 

 higlier western lands during winter. In the "back country" to 

 the west tiie winter season is severe and well marked, but over 

 a great part of the colonj' the weather during that portion of the 

 year is open enough to allow them ample scope for getting their 

 living. In this district it remains with us all the year round. 

 In the old country I never observed the Skylark in full song 

 when perched. This habit is not very infrequent here ; I have 

 noticed it in Nelson, Akavoa, and in some places on Banks' 

 Peninsula. Taking up a position on a post or rail, gently 

 turning from side to side, now and then with a slight movement 

 of the wings, it indulges in song as joyous and powerful as when 

 ascending in spiral circles skj'ward. At Sumner it has been 

 observed singing whilst on the ground. Perhaps this may be 

 the beginning of a gradual development of a newly acquired 

 habit. It does not shun trees so much as in England. After 

 favourite plants it will freely enter gardens or orchards. I have 

 seen one perch on a dwarf kouliai tree {Sophora tetraptera, 

 Alton) by the roadside, near the Maori pah at Raupaki. One 

 may observe considerable variety in the coloration of the eggs : 

 whitish or grey-yellow, profusely speckled with brown of various 

 shades ; dull greyish with a green tinge, freckled or mottled 

 with ashen brown ; rich browu, abundantly marked with darker 

 shades, higlily varnished. A nest from the Ashburton district 

 contained eggs of pale dull pink, profusely speckled with reddish 

 brown ; tbese beautiful specimens differ from any I have seen. 

 Usually there are three in a nest. 



Ohiuitahi, N. Z., July 9, 1884. 



NOTES ON THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. 

 By tue Rt. Hon. Loud Lilfoud, F.L.S. 



Shortly after sending my last communication, dated Nov. 

 15th, 1883 to 'The Zoologist' (Zool. 1888, p. 502), I was laid 

 low by a severe attack of rheumatic gout, which kept me a close 

 prisoner to the house, and often to my bed, till the first week of 

 June, 1884 ; so that the following notes are, with few exceptions, 

 given on the authority of others. 



The Common Buzzard hinted at in the notes to which I have 



