94 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



7th. First report for the season of Green Sandpiper. 

 12th. A bird seen about the river above Lilford several times, 

 and minutely described to me by two persons well acquainted 

 with all our common species, can be nothing but a Greenshank, 

 a very rare bird in this part of Northamptonshire. Our common 

 river- side warblers are in very great abundance ; we see a few 

 more Water-hens than in last summer, but Kingfishers are 

 lamentably scarce. Mr. 0. V. Aplin informed me of pretty 

 positive evidence of the breeding of Great Crested Grebes this 

 summer on Byfield Reservoir. 



14th. Our Rooks, which have been, as usual, to a great extent 

 absent from their haunts hereabouts since the end of June, are 

 returning daily in great numbers. Song Thrushes collecting in 

 flocks about the willow-holts on the river. 



19th. Tawny Owls hooting constantly at mid-day. 



20th. Pied Woodpeckers very restless and noisy near the 

 boat-house at Lilford. 



31st. A Manx Shearwater was picked up in a corn-field near 

 Tichmarsh, and sent to me alive. I find in my note-book for the 

 previous day, " Fine, but with raging westerly gale." 



September. 



2nd. First Grey Wagtail of season in the flower-garden at 

 Lilford. 



3rd. I received from an obliging stranger at Higham Ferrers 

 a young Shag, perfectly uninjured and apparently healthy and 

 vigorous, with the information that it had been picked up near 

 that town. I may add that the weather since August 30th was 

 very stormy — westerly gales and driving showers. 



19th. A flock of Wild Geese passed southwards — the first 

 report for this season that reached me. I am convinced that the 

 majority of the Geese that pass over our district in August and 

 September are Greylags, but as they hardly ever settle on the 

 ground at these seasons, I have, of course, no proof to adduce, 

 with the exception of having occasionally heard their cry. 



23rd. I received a letter from the Rev. E. Sylvester, in reply 

 to my enquiries, in which he assured me that there was no 

 mistake in a story conveyed to me from him by Lady Lilford in 

 July last, to the effect that two pairs of Crossbills had nested and 

 reared their broods in his garden at Deene Rectory this last 



