ORNITHOLOGY OF OXFORDSHIRE. 327 



drought, which lasted above five months and ended with this 

 month, was most destructive to vegetation, some trees and 

 shrubs dying. The ground had cracks into which a man could 

 put his foot, and two feet" deep. In the five months, May to 

 September, only just over five and a half inches of rain fell 

 at Banbury, and still less at some places round there. 



October 10th. — Swallows and Martins appear to have gone ; 

 one of the latter here to-day, none the last two days. 



11th. — Wild Geese reported flying over. 



12th. — One Swallow. 



14th. — Eedwings. 



27th.~ Fieldfares. 



November 8th. — Little Owl shot at Horley in mistake for a 

 Woodcock, from the same spot in a fence where one was flushed 

 within a day or two of this date last year. Expanse of wings, 

 2l£ in. ; weight nearly 7 oz. 



12th. — Blackbird singing a little in low tone. 



30th. — At 3.5 p.m. flock of about one hundred and fifty Field- 

 fares flew over, followed in five or ten minutes by a big flock 

 estimated at four or five hundred; going S.E. Air still, south, 

 dull and cloudy. Very few (and of Eedwings also) about here 

 since they came, the crops of haws being small and irregular. 



December 19th. — A Lark sang. 



20th. — Winter aconite flowering. 



Year closed with the still, dark, dry weather White speaks of. 

 Wren, Song- and Mistle-Thrushes, Robin, Hedge- Sparrow, Star- 

 ling, and Great and Goal Tits singing. 



1912. 



January 1st. — A great deal of bird song, and a Blackbird sang. 



13th. — For the first time this season I noticed a few Bram- 

 blings about the fields. No beech-mast last autumn, but a 

 record crop of acorns. 



27th. — Saw a Short-eared Owl in a tall tree near Banbury, 

 into which it had been driven. It was alarmed, and its little 

 ears could be clearly seen against the sky. 



29th. — Two small Swans flew over the garden low down ; 

 adult. I caught sight of a flash of yellow on their beaks. Severe 

 weather lately. 



