ORNITHOLOGY OF OXFORDSHIRE. 7 



May 10th. — Mr. Fowier told me that he saw several Lesser 

 Redpolls in Christ Church meadow this morning. I saw one 

 there in the afternoon. Mr. Trench, of Lincoln College, told 

 me he heard Stone Curlews passing over Lincoln College, calling, 

 about 11 p.m. last night. He is well acquainted with the bird. 



11th.— Swift and Whinchat. 



12th. — Mistle- Thrush has been in song constantly up to this 

 date ; more than one sing in or close to the garden. I never 

 heard it in better form than it was this morning. At times one 

 bird sings a few notes in the manner of a Song-Thrush, but the 

 song usually consists only of the rollicking strain, followed some- 

 times by a few confused shrill hard notes, lower in tone. 



13th. — Several of the twenty-eight young Rooks shot to-day 

 had more or less white chins, and some had part of the under 

 mandible yellowish white, one almost entirely so. I always 

 notice this variation at this particular rookery. 



15th. — Spotted Flycatcher and Turtle-Dove. 



16th. — A few Nightingales visited the immediate neighbour- 

 hood this season. Two or three pairs are established on the 

 Grove estate, and a nest was taken later on in Bloxham Gate 

 spinney (a nest at the bottom of the plantation last year got off 

 safely) ; one was heard at Milton on the 28th April, and I heard 

 one near Lower Worton to-day. Mr. Charles Jeffreys informs 

 me that he has preserved a Peregrine Falcon which was shot at 

 Kirtlington on the 16th February. 



18th. — A Redstart has a nest and seven eggs in one of the 

 new nesting-boxes here. 



June 6th. — Heard the Mistle-Thrush singing. It sang regu- 

 larly and daily until the end of May. 



7th. — A Mistle-Thrush perched on the house-roof ridge. The 

 next day it settled on the stable-roof. 



8th. — Heard Nightingale at South Newington. 



15th to 4th July. — Away from home. 



July 8th. — Goldfinches have been seen feeding young lately 

 in my man's garden, which adjoins mine. 



21st. — In consequence of the very dry weather, Starlings, 

 Robins, and Warblers (Garden Warblers and Lesser Whitethroats 

 chiefly, with some Blackcaps) have been destructive to red cur- 

 rants, and Blackbirds and Song-Thrushes to gooseberries. 



