THE CIRL BUNTING IN GREAT BRITAIN* 127 



Bunting, I find, is a regular Worcestershire bird, especially on 

 the Malvern Hills. I have proof of its breeding at least once, and 

 possess half-a-dozen records from various quarters in the county" 

 (in litt). But Mr. Lionel Talbot, of Kidderminster, has never 

 to his knowledge seen it (in litt. 1891). 



Warwickshire.— Mr. F. K. Batcliff, of Brockenhurst, found 

 a nest about seven years ago at Great Alne, near Alcester. He 

 adds, " I do not think they are common there, as I only found 

 this nest" (in litt). In the last edition of Yarrell it is said to 

 breed in Warwickshire. Mr. F. C. Aplin saw a male close to 

 Brailes, June 13th, 1884. Mr. John Gardner, of Warwick, told 

 me in 1884 that he shot one at Iddlecote a year or two before 

 that date. He was well acquainted with the bird, and had stuffed 

 specimens in his collection. Mr. R. W. Chase tells me of two 

 taken by a birdcatcher at Northfield, Nov. 9th, 1888, and brought 

 to him alive (in litt.). 



Gloucestershire.— Mr. W. K. Mann writes from Clifton that 

 the Cirl Bunting occurs there, but is very rare. He, however, 

 meets with its nest nearly every year (in litt.). Mr. C. A. Witchell 

 writes, " Within a radius of ten miles of Stroud Cirl Buntings 

 are found, as nearly as I can guess, to the extent of one pair per 

 square mile" (in litt.). 



Oxfordshire. — In the Chiltern district of South Oxon the 

 Cirl Bunting is resident and fairly common, and it has been 

 observed as far along the range as Chinnor. A few specimens 

 have been recorded from the neighbourhood of Oxford. In the 

 north of the county two nests were taken near Bloxham by 

 Mr. C. M. Prior, which he believed belonged to this species. 

 Two pairs were seen near South Newington at the end of 

 May, 1885, and early in the same month, in 1889, I observed 

 a male in song close to Bloxham. In winter a female was shot 

 at the same place in December, 1878, and seven or eight from a 

 little flock of ten at Banbury in 1871. It is therefore probably 

 a resident in small numbers (vide ' Birds of Oxfordshire,' p. 83). 



Wiltshire. — The Rev. A. C. Smith wrote in 1888:— "In 

 addition to many notices of its occurrence in all parts of the 

 county, north and south, from various observers on whose accuracy 

 I can rely, I have repeatedly watched it in several localities 

 which it regularly haunts, and have not only killed it, but have 

 found its nest in the neighbourhood of Devizes." He mentions 



