170 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



has frequently of late years seen this bird near Goodwood. 

 The late Mr. A. E. Knox, in February, 1838, noticed a small flock 

 near a newly cut hay-rick near Bognor. He shot a male and female, 

 and found their stomachs filled with hay-seeds (' Ornithological 

 Rambles '). Mr. P. J. Lothy shot a male from a flock of small birds 

 near Bury, close under the South Downs, about four miles from 

 Arundel, Dec. 31st, 1890, and another on April 26th, 1891, in the 

 same place. He also observed several between Preston and 

 Houghton, and secured specimens on Jan. 2nd, 1892 (in litt.). 



Hampshire. — The Rev. J. E. Kelsall ascertained from enquiries 

 that it is "resident, and almost, if not quite, universally dis- 

 tributed." He quotes authorities for its nesting in the New 

 Forest, near Romsey and Stockbridge, in the Isle of Wight (espe- 

 cially near the coast), on Portsdown, at Southwick and Rowner, 

 Botley, Selborne, and Alton, and for its occurrence in summer at 

 Andover and Basingstoke ; and in winter at Bishopstoke and 

 Alresford. He adds, " doubtless overlooked in E. central district 

 in spring" ('List of Birds of Hampshire,' 1890, p. 11). I have 

 seen the Cirl Bunting (as above mentioned) at Basingstoke, but 

 have never observed it during walks about the North Downs in the 

 neighbourhood of Highclere, although I always looked carefully 

 for it. I have also observed it near Ryde, Isle of Wight. Mr. J. 

 Young has found it " very common " in Hampshire. 



Dorsetshire. — Resident and not uncommon in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the coast. Mr. Mansel Pleydell mentions one shot 

 at Poxwell (Rev. 0. P. Cambridge), and of others procured at 

 Sherbourne (Aug. 2nd, 1882), Kimmeridge, Charmouth, Langton, 

 Blandford, and Ensbury near Wimborne. Also of one caught at 

 Weymouth, Dec. 23rd, 1870 ; two shot at Langton Maltravers in 

 August, 1884, and three seen on Houghton Stubbs, July 10th, 1886 ; 

 and of a nest and eggs in Warnwock Valley, Aug. 9th, 1877 (vide 

 ' Birds of Dorsetshire/ p. 43). On July 24th, 1889, I saw a hen 

 bird of this species near Pennsylvania Castle, Portland, where 

 are the only trees on the island. 



Somerset. — "Around Taunton and in West Somerset gene- 

 rally," writes the Rev. Murray A. Mathew, " it is a common bird. 

 I have seen a nest in a lane in the town of Taunton. In East 

 Somerset it is certainly rare. I never once met with it during 

 the seven years I resided at Weston-super-Mare. I have never 

 seen it here [Buckland Dinham, Frome], where we are within 



