438 TEE ZOOLOGIST. 



more they went over a swell in the down, where, with the glass, 

 I could just see against the sky the head of one bird peeping at 

 me over the ridge. When I followed, one sounded the alarm 

 before I could see more of them, and they flew back to the old 

 spot. A great undulating arable field, on a slope, its surface one 

 mass of flints, held another pair. The cry of the Stone Curlew 

 sounds to me cur-lwee or curl-wee, sometimes currr-lwee. A shrill 

 sound, the second syllable drawn out and very sweet. Sometimes 

 the cry is repeated several times quickly ; this seems to be the 

 " clamour." From the slight opportunity I have had of making 

 observations, it seemed to me that the " clamour " was uttered 

 when the bird was on the ground. Once, after a pair settled, one 

 further on than the other, the former called, and the other bird 

 ran up. When taking one of their quick runs (they go very fast) 

 with sudden stops, they exchange an upright position for a 

 stooping one, with the body nearly horizontal. I have seen 

 Bustards run in just the same way. One bird was mobbed after 

 settling, and after taking short runs, by Peewits, which stooped 

 down and buffeted him ; but he only ducked his head each time. 

 I once (but not in England) came suddenly on a pair of Stone 

 Curlews not ten yards from me. One struck a curious attitude, 

 facing me (while the other ran up to it), and staring fixedly at 

 me with its large beautiful yellow-irised eye. 



May 2nd. — Reed Warbler at Oxford. 



9th. — A Nightingale at Milcomb gorse. Swifts numerous 

 here ; not seen earlier. 



12th. — Among the Eooks shot here were two with part of the 

 lower mandible light-coloured, in one white, the other buffy 

 white ; another with a black bill had the whole of the chin- 

 feathers white. Turtle Dove appeared. 



14th. — Spotted Flycatcher appeared. These birds arrived at 

 Bodicote on the 13th. The old nest over the drawing-room 

 window there has been taken down, as it was in a very foul con- 

 dition. The birds used it for four years, and reared two broods 

 each year. 



16th. — Spotted Flycatcher singing. The song was con- 

 tinuous, but low in tone ; there was no attempt at a fixed strain, 

 and the notes were just jerked out (but there were sweet notes here 

 and there), and the song was distinctly Shrike-like in character. 



