448 TEE ZOOLOGIST. 



obtaining them for nae, learnt their historj r . At the death of 

 the owner of the collection it passed to a relative at Newcastle- 

 on-Tyne, who kindly presented the Reedlings to me through 

 Mr. Mellersh, in order that these interesting Oxfordshire ex- 

 amples might again find a place in their native county.] 



Waxwing (Ampelis garrulus). — Occasionally obtained. I have 

 a pair which were shot in the Marlow Road, near the spring 

 opposite Fawley Court House. [Just in Oxon.] 



Wood-Lark (Alauda arborea). — Occurs in small numbers, 

 and I have frequently had their eggs. They nest early, in the 

 beginning of March. They keep in small families of seven or 

 eight in winter. [The Messrs. Matthews' observations, relating 

 to the wooded Chilterns a few miles to the north, agree with 

 these remarks (vide Zool. pp. 2597 and 2736).] 



Snow-Bunting (Plectrophanes nivalis): — Visits our neigh- 

 bourhood in hard winters, and I have seen several that have been 

 shot here. They have always been in the tawny state of plumage. 

 Our country boys know them as Snow Flecks. " The more 

 severe the frost, the more Snow-Buntings " (" Sketch"). 



Cirl-Bunting (Emberiza cirlus). I have frequently met with 

 it in our immediate neighbourhood, and in two or three instances 

 with the nest and eggs. The last I had was from Norman, the 

 keeper at Henley Park, who shot the hen from the nest, and 

 brought it to me. 



Tree-Sparrow (Passer montanus) . — Frequent. Breeds mostly 

 in old pollard-willows. 



Hawfinch (Coccothranstes vulgaris). — Breeds yearly at Hen- 

 ley Park, Bix, Shiplake Bottom, Harpsden Court, Holmewoods, 

 Peppard, and Upper Assendon. Have had eggs from all these 

 localities. [In the ' Birds of Oxfordshire,' p. 92, I indicated 

 " the thicker portions of the Chiltern woods, where the hornbeam 

 (the seeds of which are a favourite food of this bird) is a native, 

 .... as likely to harbour the Hawfinch in some plenty."] 



Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) . — Hewer told me he once had 

 the nest and eggs from Swyncombe. [Hewer was the birdstuffer 

 at Henley, who had the Oxfordshire Honey-Buzzards' eggs men- 

 tioned in the ' Ootheca Wolleyana,' one of which is figured by 

 Hewitson in the third edition of ' Eggs of British Birds,' 1856. 

 It is rather strange that Stubbs does not mention these eggs.] 



