256 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



of water, but dropped it ; later it ate two which were put into its 

 basket with it. 



Great Crested Grebe. — One was shot on Otmoor in 

 January, 1889, and taken to Mr. Darbey, of Oxford. Mr. Fowler 

 and I visited Clattercote Keservoir on June 24th, 1890, and saw 

 one pair which had apparently lost their young, and another old 

 bird, whose mate was probably sitting. 



Sclavonian Grebe. — One was killed at Hook Norton at the 

 end of December, 1890. I saw it a few days later. 



Bittern. — One was shot near Bletchington about Dec. 25th, 

 1890. A good many Bitterns were recorded in * The Field' 

 about this time from various parts of the country. 



Wild Geese. — Mr. Foster Melliar saw, as he believes, seven 

 Wild Geese flying low over North Aston Hall on a foggy 

 evening at dusk on Nov. 23rd, 1889. On the evening of Sept. 

 21st, 1889, 1 am informed that a considerable flock of Geese were 

 seen flying over Banbury about 7 p.m. They passed from north 

 to south, wheeling round once or twice before going on. George 

 Brown, of Bodicote, a good wild-fowler, saw the Geese about 

 9 p.m. They came from the Cherwell Valley, and pitched on a 

 wheat-stubble in Bodicote parish ; when put up they went to 

 another stubble, and yet another, and then probably went on, for 

 when Brown (who had no gun that night) went out at daylight 

 the next morning he could not find them. More Geese were seen 

 over Banbury on the 23rd, about 8 p.m. They seemed bewildered 

 with the lights, and remained for some minutes flying round just 

 above the roofs of the houses. People who saw and heard them 

 said the calls resembled those of domestic geese somewhat. Mr. 

 Wyatt saw half-a-dozen Grey Geese in the valley at Williamscote 

 on Nov. 6th or 7th, 1889; A White-fronted Goose in nearly, if 

 not quite, adult dress, was shot at North Aston Mill, with another, 

 out of a skein of twent} r , on or about Dec. 14th, 1890. Mr. 

 Wyatt heard of Wild Geese in the Cherwell Valley near Croperdy, 

 in the second week in December. Three were shot in the valley 

 at Twyford, near Adderbury, in the third week in December, and 

 about the same time the shooter saw "gaggles" or " skeins" of 

 thirty-seven, seven and three. Those shot were unfortunately 

 plucked before I saw them, but from the colours, as described 

 to me, the dark slate-coloured "nail," yellow legs, and absence 

 of white on the face, there is no doubt that they were Bean Geese. 



