NOTES ON OXFORDSHIRE ORNITHOLOGY. 453 



have often heard old country folks talk of them as Black 

 Geese. 



Whooper Swan (Cygnus musicus). — Visits us in severe win- 

 ters, and sometimes in considerable numbers, but they never 

 remain long, as the gunners scare them away. 



Common Scoter (CEdemia nigra), Velvet Scoter (CE. fusca). 

 Have occurred several times. About twelve years ago six of the 

 latter were shot in one week. The last was shot not long ago. 



Goosander (Mergus merganser). — Two or three have been 

 procured. 



Ked-breasted Merganser (M. serrator). — One was found 

 floating dead on the river. [This species is, I think, less com- 

 mon inland than either the Goosander or the Smew.] 



Eed-necked Grebe (Podicipes rubricollis) . — Met with on a 

 few occasions on the river in winter. I had one, shot at Green- 

 lands [Berks], some years ago. 



Red-throated Diver (Colymbus septentrionalis). — Scarcely a 

 winter passes without one or more being shot on our reach. 

 With us they are known as Speckled Loons. 



Little Auk (Mergulus alle). — One was caught at the end of 

 December, 1866, in a small wood at Peppard Common. It used 

 to feed in the early mornings on a large horsepond. An old 

 shepherd saw it every morning for a week or more, flying to and 

 from the pond and wood. Eventually he caught it, half-starved, 

 with his hands. The weather was very severe. The winter of 

 1866-7 was long and severe. [Part of this sounds suspiciously 

 like a " tale " of the old shepherd's.] 



Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo). — I have known them shot, 

 at Bolny, Shiplake, Magpie Eyot, Medmenham, and Marlow, in 

 the winter. [The last two in Bucks.] 



Black Tern (Hydrochelidon nigra). — Three or four instances 

 of its occurrence. [If a careful watch was kept this bird would 

 probably prove to be an annual visitor to the Thames in this 

 county. On June 29th this year (1903) I happened to visit 

 Bampton, and walked down to the river. There I saw an adult 

 Black Tern hawking up and down over the river. I watched it 

 for half an hour, and left it there. This was many miles above 

 Henley, just below where the Isis first touches Oxfordshire.] 



