NOTES FROM NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. 451 



just referred, was not a myth, but distinctly seen and described 

 to me by several persons, till Nov. 22nd. A Swallow, Hirundo 

 rustica, was seen at Achurch on Nov. 14th. 



Two birds seen by the Hon. Thomas Fitzwilliam, an expe- 

 rienced snipe-shooter, on Nov. 16th, were reported by him to us as 

 undoubtedly specimens of the Great or Solitary Snipe, Scolnpax 

 major. Mr. Fitzwilliam was out with his hounds, and flushed 

 these birds close to him, from a field of newly-sown wheat near 

 Barnwell. This is a very late appearance for this species in this 

 neighbourhood, in which it is at all seasons an uncommon bird. 



A Short-eared Owl, Strix hrachyoUis, was shot and brought to 

 us on Dec. 1st. Eight Wild Geese, Anser sp. ?, reported to us 

 as passing southwards on Dec. 2nd. A Green Sandpiper, Totanus 

 ochropus, was shot by Mr. George Hunt on our land near Clapton 

 on Dec. 4th. An adult female Peregrine Falcon reported to us 

 on Dec. 6th, by Mr. Hunt and one of our gamekeepers, as 

 haunting the river very near this house. I only record this for 

 the reason that both my informants were struck by the large size 

 and " blueness" of this individual. A Dunlin, Trhiga alpina, shot 

 "up the river," and brought to us, on Dec. 7th, by one of our game- 

 keepers. On the same day Mr. Hunt bagged thirteen Snipes, Scolo- 

 pax gallinago, two Jack Snipes, S.gallinula, six "Wild Ducks, Anas 

 boschas, three Teal, A.crecca, and an immature Common Gull, 

 Larus camis, on our property between this house and Thrapston. 



On Dec. 12th, an Oystercatcher, Hcsmatopus ostralegus, was 

 knocked down by a "large hawk" near Clapton, and shot by the 

 gamekeeper to Mr. Freeman ; this specimen was very kindly 

 presented to us by the Rev. E. Freeman, of Claj^ton Rectory. 



On Jan. 29th, 1884, we received, for identification, a stuffed 

 specimen of a young Puffin, Fratercula arctica, which was caught 

 alive at a cottage-door near Naseby Reservoir on the evening of 

 Dec. 12th, and reported to us, and recorded in local publications, 

 as a Little Auk, Mergulus alle. With reference to these last two 

 occurrences, I may mention that I find Dec. 12th, 1883, recorded 

 in my journal as " a wild stormy day, after a fierce gale and heavy 

 rain during the previous night." 



On Jan. 30th a very large and fine Bittern, Botaurus stellaris, 

 was brought to us, in the flesh, by Mr. S. Deacon, of Polebrook, 

 from whom we learned that the bird had been shot by a game- 

 keeper near Ashton, on the river below Oundle. 



