ORNITHOLOGY OF OXFORDSHIRE. 65 



30th. — Saw a female Sparrow-Hawk, now a scarce bird just 

 here. 



September 1st. — Larvss of the Death's-head Moth are common 

 this year. 



The Landrail, which has of late years become very rare here 

 in the breeding season, and has indeed almost, if not quite, 

 ceased to breed just round here (I did not hear one this summer), 

 passes us on migration in the early autumn (probably from the 

 west), sometimes in considerable numbers. This year, in con- 

 sequence of there being some standing barley and oats (not too 

 much to " walk ") in the early part of the shooting season, we 

 had an opportunity of finding a good many, and I have the 

 following notes of them : — 



3rd. — Two shot and another seen. 4th. — Five flushed in a big 

 piece of tall strong oats ; as we had no dog working, it is highly 

 improbable that we flushed all the birds there were in it, for even 

 Red-legged Partridges lay well ! Two more put up from seeds 

 and barley. I was told of seven shot on the 2nd at Hook 

 Norton, six of them out of one piece of barley. 6th. — One re- 

 ported shot out of barley. 10th. — Six flushed (five of them from 

 six acres of barley on a hill). Several have been sent to the 

 stuffers by this date. 19th. — One reported seen. 24th. — Two 

 shot. Two of those killed on the 4th weighed 6f oz. and 7f oz. 

 respectively. Two on the 10th, 8 oz. and 8^ oz. All were, I 

 think, young birds. Iris clay-brown with a strong tinge of 

 olive-green. Bill, pinkish -horn ; culmen, darker and browner; 

 legs and feet, light born. Of the two shot on the 24th one was 

 a small bird weighing only 5 oz., although in good condition. 

 The other, I think, was an adult, and weighed 8 oz. 5 drams. 

 This bird was found in a field of long wheat-stubble, and I saw 

 it running before me down the drills ; it was not going very fast 

 and in a crouching attitude. I had to run in order to flush it. 

 I mention this because I never before saw a live Landrail on the 

 ground at this season. The stomachs of at least one of those 

 shot on the 10th contained six or eight grains of barley, and the 

 apparent remains of more, with mashed-up insects. Neither of 

 the birds shot on the 24th contained any corn, but their stomachs 

 were full of the remains of insects, chiefly beetles, and a good 

 many little stones, some nearly a quarter of an inch across. 



