( 91 ) 



NOTES ON THE OENITHOLOGY OF OXFOEDSHIEE, 

 1892 and 1893. 



By Oliver V. Aplin. 



Where no other locality is mentioned, these notes refer to 

 the parish of Bloxham. 



1892. 



Jan. 24th. — After severe weather, with snow and frosts most 

 of the month, the weather became mild about this date. A Chaf- 

 finch sang both parts of his song many times, but both parts much 

 curtailed. Afterwards heard from Mr. Fowler that Chaffinches 

 were heard at Swansea the same morning. 30th. — Flock of Ring 

 Doves, a hundred at least, in clover lea at Barford. 31st. — Yellow 

 Bunting and Linnet singing. Received news from Mr. A. W. S. 

 Fisher, Winchester College, that he saw on Jan. 1st, in a small 

 spinney near Godstow, one mile and a half from Oxford, a small 

 hawk, with pointed wings and a long narrow tail, fly out of a tree. 

 It flew over his and his brother's heads and settled on a tree 

 further on. The sun was low and shining full on the hawk's belly 

 as it flew about thirty or forty feet above their heads, and its under 

 plumage appeared to both of them to be black, no bars or markings 

 being visible. He afterwards identified it at the Museum as Falco 

 vespertinus. Also had news from Mr. W. M. Foster-Melliar that 

 he had heard of a Peregrine Falcon being shot at Rousham. It 

 was believed to have come after the flocks of Ring Doves at 

 Tackley Heath. 



Feb. 3rd.— Examined at Mr. Wyatt's a local pied Blackbird, 

 recently received — a very old glossy black male, with brilliant 

 orange bill, head much and rather evenly mottled with pure white ; 

 the only other white about it was on one or two feathers about 

 the under tail-coverts and thighs. I think that, after the head, 

 the thighs are the parts which most commonly show white. 

 13th. — Put up a covey of Red-legged Partridges, and afterwards 

 watched them for some time in the middle of a ploughed field. 

 They were evidently pairing and were very noisy, calling loudly, 

 " chuck chuck chuckar, chuckar-chuck." Grey Partridges have 

 been paired since the last few days of January. 20th. — Still 

 great numbers of Wood Pigeons on the clover. 



March 12th.— Red-legged Partridges paired. Found to-day 



