ORNITHOLOGY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. 217 



throughout the day for more than a fortnight past. A Kestrel 

 lifted something from the lawn within twenty yards of me as 

 I sat in the shade, but in full view of the bird. 



21st. Under this date, Mr. W. J. Horn informed me that a 

 Quail's nest containing nine eggs was "mown out" on a field of 

 barley near Boughton, Northampton, on August 1st. 



26th. The decoy-man reports the first Snipe of the season at 

 the decoy-pool. 



27th. A considerable flight of Wild Geese passed over Barn- 

 well and Aldwincle between 12 and 1 p.m. My informants were 

 respectively Mr. H. Wickham and one of our gamekeepers, and 

 from their reports of the cries and the size of these geese, I have 

 not a doubt that they were Grey-lags. Several Curlews seen by 

 the gamekeeper just referred to. 



30th. A large slow-flying bird of prey reported by the falconer 

 as passing near the house at Lilford, hotly pursued by Rooks. 

 From his description, and one given by Lady Lilford, who saw 

 this bird on the next day, it must, I think, have been a Honey 

 Buzzard. The decoy-man to-day reported having seen the first 

 Teal of the season on the decoy-pool yesterday. 



September. 



1st. Mr. R. Stockburn, of Kettering, most obligingly despatched 

 a young Quail, shot by him near Loddington to-day, to me. 



2nd. I recognised distinctly the cry of a Tern high in air 

 above my boat, but could not see the bird. The falconer positively 

 affirms that he saw four Redwings to-day on Pilton. The haw- 

 berries are in great profusion, and as " forward" as they generally 

 are in the first fortnight of October, affording very welcome 

 sustenance to all Thrushes. My son told me of seeing an " old 

 blue Falcon " stoop at a Partridge near Tichmarsh to-day. 



6th. Appearance of Swallows in great numbers (cf. August 

 20th, supra). 



10th. First report of Grey Wagtail for the season, at Lilford 

 Locks. 



12th. Col. C. I. Strong sent me a young Ruff, in the flesh, 

 shot by him in Whittlesea Wash a day or two ago. 



13th. Swallows and House Martins in swarms about the 

 house at Lilford. 



16th. Having of late heard many reports of the scarcity of 



ZOOLOGIST, THIRD SERIES, VOL. XVIII. — JUNE, 1894. S 



