96 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



many of our fields afford birds perfect seclusion. These are the 

 first I have seen in this parish during six summers' residence. 

 31st. — Heard that there were several nests of the Hawfinch in 

 Cornbury Park and the adjoining parts of Wychwood Forest this 

 year. In the house I noticed the following local specime ns : — 

 Scaup, 1868; Shoveller, male, Jan., 1871; Pochard; Golden-eye, 

 young male ; also a female Harrier with no label, which, as far as I 

 could see (the case being in a bad light), was a Marsh Harrier. 



August 2nd. — The Kev. J. Goodwin told me that one evening, 

 a day or two ago, he saw a Nightjar fly out of a tree at the edge 

 of Milcombe Gorse ; he knows the bird well in Norfolk. Here 

 the Nightjar is a rather rare bird, but Milcombe Gorse is a 

 suitable locality for it. 12th. — Mr. Goodwin told me of a pair of 

 Barred Woodpeckers which hatched out in a hole in an old 

 Portugal laurel, which they had hewn out when a branch had 

 been blown off and the wood was rotten, in a garden at Swerford 

 this year ; the young were seen running about the tree afterwards. 

 Early in July, while fishing in the Swere here, I saw a Barred 

 Woodpecker settle on a dead, barkless willow on the other side the 

 stream, and go into a hole. I crossed over, and as I approached 

 the tree the bird went out ; it was either a female or a young bird. 

 The hole was neatly cut out, quite round, and about the width of 

 my two first fingers. As I had never examined the nest of this 

 bird, I could not resist the temptation of cutting it out. I found 

 it went down six or seven inches. At the bottom was some 

 touch-wood and one wing-feather of the bird. I can hardly think 

 breeding had not commenced, and I do not know if this species 

 rears two broods ; perhaps the bird I saw was a young one going 

 in for shelter ; it was late afternoon and very cold. As usual 

 with Woodpeckers' nests, there was a quantity of chips below the 

 hole. 28th. — Observed a Common Sandpiper on the Cherwell at 

 Bodicote. The Swifts left on the 18th or 19th; they arrived on 

 May 7th, and have been exceptionally abundant this year. 



I left England on Sept. 2nd, 1892, and did not return until 

 June 30th following. The notes relating to the period between 

 these dates have been, save when otherwise stated, collected by 

 Mr. F. C. Aplin. 



A Manx Shearwater, with a slight pink tint on breast, was shot 

 at Bodicote on Sept. 3rd. A Puffin was caught alive in the canal 

 at Banbury on Oct. 18th. 



