324 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



27th. — Barred Woodpecker noisy in elm tree, and I think 

 has young out ; a brood reported in an orchard at Tadmarton 

 this spring. 



July 13th. — The Corn-Crake I heard was seen when the field 

 (clover) was cut a day or two ago. No nest was found, but the 

 young may have been hatched. 



16th. — A Peewit mobbed me as if it had small young. These 

 birds often get their eggs destroyed twice or more times (when 

 obstinately trying to breed in some field) by agricultural work. 

 Perhaps they finally hatch a very late brood. 



25th. — Common Sandpiper by the canal at Bodicote; the 

 hounds killed an Otter at King's Sutton. 



August 21st. — Swifts, I think, still here in full strength, 

 flying round and screaming loudly. Some young on the wing on 

 16th. Though we have more Swifts than last year, there are 

 not many, perhaps not half our average number. A cold summer. 

 The bulk of them must have left the next morning. Stray birds 

 seen until the 25th. 



September 3rd. — Counted up to one hundred and twenty-seven 

 Martins on my roof this morning, but there were more ; some 

 were often moving, and I think some had flown away earlier. 

 Three Land-Kails shot to-day out of standing barley. A few 

 Meadow-Pipits in roots ; this is very early for this migration. 



10th. — One Land-Piail. 



12th.— A few Pipits. 



30th.-Chiffchaff singing. 



October 1st. — Many Meadow-Pipits. 



10th. — A Cormorant — small and probably a Shag — flew over 

 the garden this morning low down, going N. 



19th. — News of a pair of Hobbies shot and nestling taken at 

 Wytham (on the Berks side of the river) this year, and an adult 

 male shot at Glympton this summer. Woodcock shot on or 

 before 17th. 



22nd. — Eedwings. 24th. — Fieldfares. 



November 8th. — A few days ago a Little Owl flushed from a 

 hedgebank at Horley. 



15th.— A great many Wood-Pigeons about here now. 



Nearly four inches of rain in November, and nearly six in 

 December, and great floods. 



