388 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Two varieties of the Stock Dove were shot on Shotover Hill, near 

 Oxford, about the first week in September ; one, a very pretty 

 variety, mottled with cream-colour, has been described in ' The 

 Field' (October) by Mr. J. Whitaker, in whose collection it now 

 is ; the other had nothing abnormal about it, except its primaries 

 and rectrices, which were of a nut-brown. A Curlew was shot at 

 Heyford during this month. A clutch of ten fresh eggs of the 

 Quail was taken at Standlake at the end of the month. 



October. — Mr. AVarner informs us that a Wheatear lingered 

 until the early part of the month, and was seen by him at Stand- 

 lake. A Redwing arrived in North Oxon on the 9th, and a 

 Fieldfare at Oxford on the 21st. A male Grey Phalarope, in 

 M.'s collection, was shot at Bletchingdon on the 18th. The 

 Brambling was first seen on the 30th near Oxford. During the 

 second week in the month large numbers of Common Terns 

 visited Oxford, and many of them were shot. On the 36th, M. 

 saw a Sedge Warbler close to the river above Oxford ; it tried to 

 sing, but could only manage a few notes, and looked the picture 

 of misery, as the wind was verj' cold. A beautiful variety of the 

 Ring Dove was shot near Banbury on the 27th, having been 

 observed about the place since the previous winter, when it 

 accompanied a large flock. The mantle and wings are dove- 

 coloured, mottled with a little white ; primaries light brown, 

 marked with white; tail brownish; lower back a delicate lavender, 

 otherwise normal. The man who shot it said it looked almost 

 white on the wing. It is now in Mr. Whitaker's collection. At 

 the end of the month we had a considerable flight of Snipe, about 

 forty full birds and two Jacks being flushed from one or two 

 meadows at Nell Bridge ; two days after, they had all departed. 

 Large numbers of Peewits on the 20th, and the meadows black 

 with Starlings. Some Teal also at that time. Two Pochards 

 had arrived at Clattercutt on the 30th, on which day a Crested 

 Grebe was seen in full winter dress. 



November. — A drake Shoveller was shot on Otmoor on the 12th, 

 where a good many Teal were bagged in the middle of the month. 



December. — A fine male of the white variety of the Pheasant 

 (with normal irides) was shot at Elsfield on the 21st. A fine 

 adult male Goldeneye and two in brown plumage, together with 

 twelve Tufted Ducks, four Pochards, and some thirty or forty 

 Wild Ducks, were seen on Clattercutt on the 11th. 



