ORNITHOLOGY OF OXFORDSHIRE. 329 
many small hatchings. The male was singing three days before, 
but to-day I only heard the high clear ‘‘ whit.” 
9th.—A Linnet’s with five eggs in an ivy-covered arch in the 
garden—a curious position. 
18th.—The Redshanks are reported as breeding at their old 
place, and others a few miles lower down the river. Others have 
been seen on Otmoor, and one of them, which I afterwards saw, 
was shot about the latter end of May. 
A very cold and cloudy and rather wet month. In the 
longest evenings the birds sometimes left off singing twenty-five 
minutes before their usual time. Red-backed Shrikes have bred 
or been seen about their three or four usual haunts here. 
July 11th.—The weather this month, so far, almost wintry. 
15th.—Saw at Oxford a locally taken Reed-Warbler’s nest 
containing three eggs, and a Cuckoo’s with a distinct bluish 
tinge in the ground colour. 
17th.—In the flat uplands north of Wroxton saw a female 
and a male (not one pair) Red-backed Shrike. Many Corn- 
Buntings about there. Mistle-Thrushes flocked. 
19th.—Two Nuthatches at Great Tew. Chiffchaff still sings. 
A flock of Starlings descended early one morning this summer 
on a patch of strawberries just ready to gather near the station 
here, and cleared them all off. 
28th.—A Nuthatch in the big oak here. It is now a long 
time since any were seen here. 
About two inches of rain fell on thirteen days this month. 
August 6th.—Song-Thrush sang, 4 a.m. 
8th.—Young Bullfinches now about the garden. The old 
birds, I believe, have bred both in front and at the back of the 
house. Last year there was a nest in a box-bush. 
10th.—Among the swarm of Swifts in the air this evening it 
was easy to detect young birds by their shorter, less curved, and 
proportionately broader wings. 
11th.—Great numbers of Swifts on the wing. 
13th.—Many Garden Warblers in garden now. They cer- 
tainly are eating insects and caterpillars as well as fruit. 
17th.—Some diminution in the number of Swifts, but still 
quite a number here. Coal-Tit with spring note. 
19th.—About a score of Swifts. Harvest began here-- oats. 
