ornithology of northamptonshire. 4 7 



June. 



6th. A Partridge is sitting on a nestful of eggs under a 

 tussock of pampas-grass, in the flower-garden, at not more than 

 twenty yards from our ground-floor windows, and within five 

 yards of much-frequented garden-seats. 



22nd. Five young Pied Woodpeckers brought to me from a 

 hole in an oak in Barnwell Wold ; one of these birds was weakly, 

 and soon died ; the others went on fairly well for some weeks, but, 

 one after another, began to droop, and were all set at liberty. 



27th. A young House Sparrow, of a uniform light chestnut- 

 colour, was caught in a rat-trap near the park-keeper's lodge at 

 Lilford. 



July. 



1st. I received two eggs of Nightjar (the first Northampton- 

 shire specimens that I have seen), from the same locality as the 

 young Woodpeckers above mentioned, where I am assured that 

 two pairs of the former species have bred this summer. 



4th. First report of Green Sandpiper for the season. 



11th. I received two Hawfinches, caught in the Rectory- 

 garden at Tichmarsh, and hear reports on all sides of the unusual 

 abundance of this species, and the ravages committed by the 

 birds amongst the green peas. 



13th. Our butler tells me that in a stroll by the river-side 

 near Achurch, this afternoon, he came across a brood of young 

 Common Sandpipers, just able to fly. This is the first positive 

 proof of the breeding of this species in our neighbourhood that 

 has come to my knowledge. 



14th. Very strong S.W. wind. An adult female Dabchick 

 was picked up in a sunken lane close to the house at Lilford, and 

 brought to me immediately, in a dying condition, having evidently 

 flown against some wire rabbit-netting that borders our lawn on 

 one side of the lane. 



15th. A male Shoveller on my small aviary-pond. I sent the 

 falconer to search for a Hobby's nest, in the wood often alluded 

 to in my previous communications to 'The Zoologist'; but 

 although a pair of these little falcons were there as usual, and 

 flew about shrieking over the tree-tops, he could not, in spite of 

 several stiff climbs up to various old nests of Carrion Crow and 

 Magpie, discover the nursery of the Hobbies. On 22nd inst. he 



