Birds. 2537 



congener, the Kentish plover (C. Cantianus), sometimes visit us during 

 the winter. The occurrence of the latter is, however, rare. 



Spotted Redshank (Totanus fuscus). Three specimens of this rare 

 and very elegant bird have been shot on Otmoor, in this county. The 

 first, a female, was killed in February, 1835; the other two, a male 

 and female, in the same month of the following year. 



Greenshank [Totanus glottis) . The greenshank is rarely found in 

 this part of the kingdom. A pair in our collection were killed near 

 Oxford, in January, 1838. Also " near Sunning, Berkshire, in De- 

 cember, ISOir— Dr. T. 



Ruff (Machetes pugnax). The ruff is often found here in the win- 

 ter, but we have never met with it in the summer plumage : we once 

 obtained a specimen of the male at the end of April, which still showed 

 no appearance of any change. 



Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola). Occasionally remains to breed 

 here. In addition to the three instances of this fact recorded by Mr. 

 Goatley (Zool. 2148), a fourth occurred some years since, in a wood 

 near Wootton, the seat of the Duke of Buckingham. 



Great Snipe (Scolopax major). A few specimens of the great snipe 

 have at different times been killed in this part of the country. The 

 last of these was shot on the banks of the Isis, close to the city of 

 Oxford, in 1839, by a servant of Worcester College. 



Common Snipe (Scolopax Gallinago). Dr. Tomkins informs us, on 

 the authority of the MSS. of Dr. Lamb, that this species and the jack 

 snipe also were formerly in the habit of breeding in the marshes near 

 Wokingham, Berkshire. Both are very abundant here throughout the 

 winter, the former sometimes arriving in vast numbers about the mid- 

 dle of August: in that month, in 1838, we witnessed the passage of a 

 flock which must have contained several thousands of these birds : 

 they were at the time proceeding in a southerly direction, at a tolera- 

 bly slow pace, and occupied a considerable time in passing. Towards 

 the end of November they generally become very fat : we have often 

 killed them at that time weighing from five to seven ounces each. 

 Worms, and (during frost) the small leeches and other animals com- 

 monly found among stones near the margin of rivulets, appear to be 

 their usual food. 



Curlew Sandpiper (Tringa subarquata). Several specimens of this 

 bird have been killed near Oxford during the winter. This remark 

 applies equally to the knot (T. canutus) and purple sandpiper (T ma- 

 ritima). 



Dunlin (Tringa variabilis). Is a common winter visitor in this part 



