14 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



thatch coping of kitchen garden wall ; feathers only just sprouting. 

 The shells of some of the Robin's eggs lie at the foot of the wall. 



17th. — A young Cuckoo (the third this year) about the 

 garden; my man says it appeared on the 15th. 



23rd. — Saw a Barred Woodpecker. The last young Cuckoo 

 has emerged and frequents the garden. 



August 3rd. — A young Cuckoo still with us. 



22nd. — Many Swifts; very noisy. 



23rd.— Some Swifts. 



September 4th. — A big flock of Peewits. 



7th. — Many Missel Thrushes about the fields, in small flocks. 

 I shot a very heavy Red-legged Partridge at Milcomb ; it was an 

 old male, one of three very wild birds. Although in moult, and 

 the spaniel in retrieving it (it was a runner) pulled out nearly all 

 its tail, it weighed only a shade under 20 oz. I find that 17 J oz. 

 or 18 oz. is a good weight for a full-plumaged November bird. 



Partridges showing a pure white horseshoe have been much 

 more common of late than was the case ten years ago. These 

 birds are usually (? always) females. The following examples 

 came under my own notice this year and in the previous autumn. 



Moulted young one, sex not noted down, pure white horseshoe, 

 Sept. 15th, 1896. Three females killed at Milcomb and Barford, 

 January 4th, 15th, and 25th, 1897, two with pure white horse- 

 shoes, and the third white just marked with a few brown spots. 

 Female with pure white shoe, October 15th. Female with large 

 pure white shoe, November Gth. Female with small patch of 

 brown on white shoe, November 9th. Another the same day, 

 sex not noted, pure white shoe. Birds with the horseshoe 

 chestnut and white mixed are often met with. 



12th. — A Grey Wagtail by the Sorbrook at Bodicote. 



18th. — About 8 a.m. (the sun just coming through the mist) 

 a cloud of Swallows flew up above the roof in a mass, and went 

 up high in the air ; distinctly fewer to be seen about the village 

 afterwards. 



21st. — Many Meadow Pipits (migrants) in the roots to-day 

 and yesterday. 



30th. — A Turtle Dove at South Newington. 



October 13th. — A good many House Martins and only one 

 Swallow. 



