2982 Birds. 



across the road in the forest, it almost seems to be suspended in the 

 air, or to be dancing in the sunshine, as I have seen fire-flies dance 

 on the Pincian Hill at Rome on a warm spring evening. 



Snowy Owl (Surnia nyctea). Once, and once only, I caught sight 

 of this beautiful and very rare owl, as I was riding at 10 o'clock, p.m. 

 through a thick wood : he came very near me, as he flew past, but so 

 noiselessly, that I was not aware of his approach till I saw him steal- 

 ing away. I was returning from a two days' shooting excursion on a 

 fjeld, my gun thrown over my shoulder, and I very tired and quite 

 unprepared for a shot ; but at sight of the snowy owl, all my energies 

 revived ; I soon jumped from my horse and went in pursuit. It was 

 to no purpose ; I never saw him again. 



Alfred Charles Smith. 



Old Park, Devizes, 



November 8, 1850. 



(To be continued). 



Birds of Oxfordshire. By the Rev. A. Matthews. 



(Continued from page 2740). 



Since the publication of our list of the ornithological productions 

 of this county and its neighbourhood, two additional species have oc- 

 curred, both belonging to the class of occasional visitors. 



Masked Gull (Larus capistratus). An immature specimen of this 

 bird was shot close to the town of Newbury several years ago, and is 

 at the present time in the collection of the Bishop of Oxford. 



Water Ouzel (Cinclus aquations). This species was observed on 

 the bank of the river Cherwell, near Weston-on-the-Green, on the 6th 

 of May, in the present year, 1850, by Mr. Willoughby Beauchamp. 



During the last spring and summer months, the following have 

 been the only Ornithological occurrences worthy of notice. 



On the 13th of April a pair of Hoopoes were seen near Risborough, 

 in Buckinghamshire ; one of them was killed, but the other effected 

 its escape. When first seen they were in a ditch by the roadside ; 

 the manner in which they were employed was not noticed. 



A young specimen of the great northern diver was taken in the 

 same neighbourhood on the 9th of May. This bird had dropped 

 during the night in a dec]) ditch, and unable to extricate himself, lay 



