NOTES AND QUERIES. 463 



great enough, for it only wavered in its flight for a moment after 

 being struck, and disappeared. I never saw it again. — T. Edmond- 

 ston Saxby (Halligarth, Baltasound, Shetland). 



Early Autumn Notes in Oxfordshire, in the Neighbourhood of 

 Witney, 1903.— 



Sept 17th. — * "A nest of the House-Martin, built against the 

 cornice of Mr. H. C. Habgood's house, containing young ones, who 

 took their departure a few days later." " At Ducklington observed two 

 more nests of Chelidon urbica, built in the usual manner under the 

 stone-slated eaves of a cottage, and containing young ones, to whom 

 the parents kept flying with food." " Surely this is very late ? " 



In the meadows: — "Put up a covey of three Partridges {Perdix 

 cinerea) in the grass." A poor apology for a covey, but the birds have 

 had a bad time of it this year. " Two Ring-Doves flew out of a moun- 

 tain-ash, but there appeared to be no berries at all." "I have never 

 seen more Lapwings than to-day in the meadows between Ducklington 

 and Witney. In the breeding season there would not be more than 

 about twenty pairs, but no doubt at this time of year they are further 

 augmented by migrants from the north ; at any rate, there were 

 several hundred there to-day, and, although so many, they were less 

 clamorous than one-quarter of that number would be in the breeding 

 time." " When taking to flight it seemed that the leader would utter 

 the well-known 'pee-wit' cry, and the remainder would immediately 

 and noiselessly follow." " When on the wing their flight is rather 

 peculiar." "Each individual flies as though he were suspended on a 

 wire, and keeps bobbing (hardly the word) up and down ; ' vacillating ' 

 does not describe it, neither does 'undulating.'" "Lapwing's beak- 

 marks noticeable in the soft marshy ground, which is more swampy 

 than usual owing to recent flooding." 



Sept. 18th. — "Cloudless sky in morning and heavy dew." " Thrushes 

 feeding on slugs on cabbage-leaves." 



Sept. 19th. — " Martins still in nest at Ducklington, and many Lap- 

 wings in the meadows." 



Sept. 22nd. — " Weather muggy and oppressive ; no sun, and little 

 rain; white mist from the meadows." Mr. Habgood has an excellent 

 garden, extending from the back of his 'house some five hundred yards 

 down to the Eiver Windrush. Here the prospect is exceedingly 

 pleasing. There is a grove of willows and black poplars growing on 



* Portions in inverted commas taken direct from note-book, as noted on 

 the spot. 



