ORNITHOLOGY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. 



2ii 



experience, almost invariably followed by a gale of wind, but this 

 instance proved to be an exception to the rule. 



29th. Thirteen geese reported to me as going southerly over 

 Thorpe Waterville. 



30th. The decoy-man reported having seen nine swans on 

 25th, and eight yesterday ; from his account, I am convinced that 

 the greater number of these birds, if not all of them, were Bewick's 

 Swans. Mr. F. A. Irby, who was staying with us at Lilford, 

 reported a flock of swans near Aldwincle to-day. 



February. 



1st. About a dozen geese seen near Thorpe Waterville. 



2nd. My son, who left Lilford for London this morning, 

 telegraphed to me from Northampton : " Swans on flood between 

 Ringstead and Higham Ferrers." I heard from the Rev. J. T. 

 Watson, of Woodford, as follows: — ''About a dozen Swans came 

 here rather more than a fortnight ago, and seem to have settled 

 down." The decoy-man reported twelve swans near the decoy 

 on 31st ult. 



5th. In reply to an enquiry about the Swans at Woodford, 

 I to-day received a letter from Mr. Watson above mentioned, to 

 the following effect : — " I have just been looking at the Swans 

 through the best telescope that I can get, but I cannot be certain 

 about the colour of their bills. I feel, however, pretty certain 

 that they are light yellow and black. There are two grey birds, 

 all the rest are white. When they fly, I am told (though I have 

 not heard them myself) that they utter a short, sharp cry, ' like 

 a baby crying.' " 



8th. The decoy-man told me that when he last saw the Swans, 

 on 31st ult. (cf. supra), they flew low over the decoy and settled 

 on the river near a spot that we call " Snipe-corner," about a long 

 mile below Thrapston by water. They made what he describes 

 as " a hidjus nize," something like a flock of tame geese, and 

 eventually waddled out of the river on to the flooded meadow, 

 and began to graze ; they allowed him to get within about 200 

 yards, when they took wing, and flew up the valley of the river. 

 Two of the twelve had a good deal of grey about them. I heard 

 from Mr. H. H. Slater, above mentioned, that he saw four Swans, 

 of which two were grey, from the train near Ringstead yesterday. 

 Wood Pigeons are carrying about building materials. 



