440 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



26th. — One of my nephews at Bodicote reported that early 

 in the night of the 24th Wild Geese (cackling like tame Geese) 

 passed over low enough down for the swish of their wings to be 

 heard. I believe these early grey Geese are Grey-Lags. The 

 late Lord Lilford wrote : — " I can speak positively as to the 

 occasional passage of flocks of Grey-Lags over the neighbourhood 

 of Lilford in September and October from my intimate know- 

 ledge of their cries, which exactly resemble those of our farm- 

 yard and stubble Geese, who are no doubt lineally descended 

 from this species. These cries differ greatly from those of the 

 three other species of ' grey ' Geese that occasionally visit us late 

 in the season. . . . Many reports of their passage near home 

 annually reach me, and although I am well aware that the 

 present species is considered to be rare in our part of England, 

 I am nevertheless inclined to think that such reports in August, 

 September, and the first half of October are generally refer- 

 able to the Grey-Lag." (' Birds of Northamptonshire,' vol. ii. 

 p. 140.) 



September 16th. — Many Meadow Pipits in standing mustard. 



18th. — Many Pied Wagtails on the fresh ploughings. 



28th. — Many Meadow Pipits in slightly flooded meadow. Saw 

 two Turtle Doves ; a rather late date. 



30th. — Big flock of migratory Peewits. 



October 1st. — Close and warm. A Missel Thrush singing 

 fairly well. A rare occurrence in autumn. Blackbirds, abundant 

 for some weeks, are now extraordinarily numerous. 



10th. — A Grey Wagtail in the brook below the village. 



17th. — Meadow Pipits roosting on a high-lying barley-stubble, 

 with a great deal of sprouted shed corn ; they were not there early 

 in the afternoon. 



19th. — Grey Wagtail in the brook. 



20th. — A few Fieldfares. An immature Golden Plover shot 

 at Ascott-under-Wychwood by Mr. Calvert (in litt.). 



21st. — Mr. Darbey, of Oxford, informed me he had received 

 a good many locally-killed Gulls recently, and showed me 

 examples of the Herring Gull, Common Gull, and Kittiwake. 



29th. — Vast flock of Starlings on barley-stubble ; a little flock 

 of Meadow Pipits in roots late in the afternoon. A good many 

 Kedwings. It was reported in the ' Banbury Guardian ' that 



