ORNITHOLOGY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. 251 



who was present at the finding of this bird, wrote, "It had 

 doubtless been taken with bird-Hme, with which a twig close by 

 was covered." This bird was sent for me to London to be 

 preserved, and proved to be a young female. 



December 9th. I received a very handsome and peculiar 

 female hybrid of Common Mallard, Anas hoschas, and A-ustralian 

 Wild Duck, A. superciliosa, from our decoy. The upper plumage, 

 crown of head, back of neck, back, wings, and tail closely 

 resemble those of the Common Wild Duck, but the characteristic 

 buff superciliary streak of the Australian is strongly developed, 

 and the whole of the lower plumage from chin to tail are of a 

 rich creamy buff colour. I sent this interesting variety to the 

 Natural History Museum, South Kensington. I may mention 

 that I have for many years kept some of the Australian Wild 

 Ducks upon the aviary ponds at Lilford, and that many of our 

 Wild Ducks show "a strain" of that blood, but the specimen 

 above described is the first variety of the cross that has hitherto 

 come to my hands. 



Dec. 30. Under this date my decoyman wrote : — " I caught 

 seven Ducks on 29th, and left forty, and three Wigeon, in the 

 decoy. There were three Eed-headed Dunbirds, Fuligulaferina, 

 in the decoy on 24th." 



January 3rd, 1887. The Eev. W. Powys, Eector of Achurch, 

 wrote, " I have just seen a Snow Bunting in my field." My 

 falconer wrote : — " On December 27th a Peregrine Falcon soared 

 over the courtyard for five minutes ; her attention was taken up 

 with the Kites and Buzzards (in the home aviary) : she came 

 within half gun-shot of me. I afterwards saw her chasing the 

 Wild Ducks up and down the river." 



Jan. 3rd. The decoyman reported fifteen "Grey Geese" 

 (sp. ?), near Aldwinkle. 



Jan. 5th. "Great flights of Sky Larks going southwards; 

 snow seven or eight inches deep." — T. H. Burroughes, Biggin, 

 Oundle. 



Jan. 6th. Captain Vipan wrote to me from Sutton Bridge : — 

 " My punter last Monday came across a tvliite Mallard in a 

 bunch of about 100. To-day some thousands of Larks passed 

 over the Wash ; all seemed very tired. There were also a 

 good many Bramblings, one of which settled on my punter's 

 head, fell off on to the floor of punt, and afterwards flew off; 



