NOTES FROM NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. 465 



August 20th. First report of Grey Wagtail — very exceptionally 

 early for our neighbourhood. 



August 26th. About forty large Gulls passing high to S.W. 



August 28th. Mr. Hunt reports a string of eighty to one 

 hundred Curlews — or more probably Whimbrels— passing over to 

 S.W. high in air. 



September 8th. Professor A. Newton reported having seen a 

 Swift near Thorpe to-day. 



Sept. 9th. Mr. Hunt, whilst Partridge shooting on Pilton 

 to-day, fired a long shot at a passing flock of some twelve or 

 fifteen small birds, and brought down one of them, which proved 

 to be a young male of the Pigmy Curlew, Tringa suharqitata. 

 This is the first appearance of this species in our neighbour- 

 hood that has come to my knowledge. Four Teal at Aviary 

 Pond. 



Sej)t. 15th. A Quail was flushed in the same field on Wadenhoe 

 as that recorded in 'The Zoologist' for 1886 (p. 470). These 

 are the only two occurrences of this species (formerly not 

 uncommon) in our neighbourhood that have come to my know- 

 ledge for several years past. 



Sept. 20th. The first Wigeon of the season seen on our decoy ; 

 two on 26th instant. 



October 1st. The first Grey Crow of the season reported. 



Oct. 2nd. Mr. Hunt reported the first Merlin of the season, 

 but on enquiry from the falconer he declared that he had seen 

 two or three of these little hawks, whilst exercising the young 

 Hobbies during the last ten days, without taking note of first 

 appearance. 



Oct. 7th. First report of Golden Plovers near Aldwinkle. 



Oct. 10th. First Woodcock of season, seen by Mr. Hunt in his 

 garden at Wadenhoe. With the exception of last year, when 

 I received authentic reports of Woodcocks seen in September, 

 and in all probability bred in the neighbourhood, the present 

 is the earliest record that I can find in journals and Lilford 

 game-books. 



Oct. 11th. Two large Gulls seen going southwards. Very 

 cold northerly wind, with heavy driving rain-squalls. 



Oct. 12th. A Gull, supposed to be Larus canus, found by our 

 shooting party on Tichmarsh, apparently very much exhausted, 

 and only capable of flying short distances. 



