ORNITHOLOGY OF OXFORDSHIRE. 67 



which, having been shot as it came down wind, fell a long way 

 from the guns. The Partridge being a big one seemed to be too 

 heavy for the Tiercel, which could not rise with it (although it 

 could just carry it along), and had to let it go. 



21st. — Obtained a most beautiful example of Leach's Petrel 

 in the flesh, which was picked up dead between Bodicote and 

 Adderbury on the 19th. When uninjured the plumage of this 

 bird looks as if it had a soft grey " bloom " on it. I was also 

 shown a Spotted Crake, shot near Banbury on the 9th inst. 



24th. — News of a strange bird caught by the clap -netting 

 boys in a tall hedge on the night of the 22nd. I got possession 

 of it this evening, and found it was a Great Grey Shrike, inter- 

 mediate between Lanius excubitor and L. major, the white on the 

 secondaries only to be seen on raising the coverts. Unfortu- 

 nately, forty-eight hours of confinement with improper food had 

 been too much for it, and it died in the night. It was a male. 



29th. — Saw a young Barn-Owl, still retaining some down, 

 and the tail only half grown, which was sent to be stuffed a few 

 days ago. 



The coldest November within most people's recollection. 

 Twenty-three degrees of frost was registered on the banks of the 

 Cherwell on the 16th, and frost occurred on more than half the 

 nights of the month, while the day temperature very rarely 

 reached 50 deg. Less than an inch of rain fell, but the weather 

 was unusually foggy. 



December 1st. — A few Fieldfares and Redwings only; there 

 are no "haws" this year. A Blackbird a day or two ago ate 

 five berries of Cotoneaster simondsi. A Robin eats some of the 

 fowls' corn daily. 



3rd. — An increase in the number of Fieldfares and Redwings, 

 of which there are a fair number now. Goldfinches about the 

 fields. 



6th. — On Clattercote Reservoir there were about thirty Mallard 

 and about fifty Teal ; five Tufted Ducks, three or four Pochards, 

 and a fine adult male Golden-Eye. 



10th.— News from Mr. G. W. Bradshaw of a Little Owl shot 

 at Wyfold Court on the 7th November. 



12th. — Furious snow-storm from north. The train service 

 on our branch line broken down. 



