ORNITHOLOGY OF OXFORDSHIRE. 15 



drifting. Bullfinches eating plum-blossom buds. A number of 

 Bramblings with Chaffinches near Hook Norton reported yester- 

 day. Wind north. 



6th. — Sharp frost. Mr. Coombs, of Chipping Norton, showed 

 me a Buzzard, shot at Ditchley in the early autumn of last year ; 

 also a Crossbill — an adult orange-coloured bird—one of a dozen 

 which haunted some larches near that town in the winter of 

 1898-99. 



7th. — Very severe frost. Mistle-Thrush eating holly-berries 

 within a yard of my window. The berries are now nearly 

 finished ; last winter they were hardly touched. News from 

 Mr. Darby of a Grey Shrike shot at Nuneham on the 5th. 



8th.— Severe frost (14°), and only 19° at 10 a.m. 



11th. — Birds very tame. Mistle-Thrush eating berries of 

 Cotoneaster microphylla trained on house, and from another bush 

 in front of the dining-room window. 



12th. — I saw a Hedge-Sparrow eat some grains of wheat 

 given to the poultry. We have here a Hedge-Sparrow with one 

 or two of the outer primaries in one wing white ; these are con- 

 spicuous when it flies. 



13th. — Great numbers of birds come to be fed. Intense frost. 



14th. — Another deep snow last night. It lies about ten inches 

 deep on the lawn, and there are huge drifts. Mistle-Thrush 

 eating berries of Cotoneaster simondsi, which are seldom eaten 

 by birds. Book and Jackdaws with the other birds at the food 

 put out in the garden, and about a hundred Starlings this 

 morning. Where these have come from it is hard to say, for in 

 severe weather it is usually difficult to see half a dozen about the 

 village. They have gradually increased at the feeding-place from 

 day to day, and must have some means of communicating the 

 fact that food is to be had here to their fellows. 



15th. — Furious storm of rain and snow. 



17th. — Saw a big flock of Ducks flying over. 



19th. — Rapid thaw and heavy rain. Blackbird sings, and 

 Chaffinch. 



20th. — A flock of birds on a stubble consisted of about half 

 Bramblings (the males getting very dark), and the rest Chaf- 

 finches and Tree-Sparrows. Very big floods in the valleys. 



21st. — Ground white with fresh snow. 



