282 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



28th. — Saw, at Mr. Bartlett's, an immature male Merlin, 

 shot at Tusmore in the early autumn of last year. A Grey Crow 

 reported as seen recently at Sibford. 



A Black-headed Gull and a Common Tern were, Mr. Tyrrell 

 tells me, shot on the canal near Banbury this month, and sent 

 to him to preserve. 



A rather dry, cold month ; hard frosts in the latter part. 



February. — Spring flowers very backward. 



4th. — Mistle-Thrush singing. Few Song-Thrushes about yet. 



5th. — Flock of two or three hundred Bramblings and Chaf- 

 finches on a ploughed field at Milcomb. The former were in the 

 majority, and among them were a good many males with dark 

 heads and mantles and white rumps. Fieldfares and Kedwings 

 continue rare. 



6th. — During a long afternoon after the Basset hounds I did 

 not see one of those birds. A good many Song-Thrushes have 

 returned. Lark singing for first time since late autumn. A 

 flock of about a score of Corn-Buntings on north side of Wroxton, 

 where they are always to be found in the breeding season — a 

 most local bird. 



9th. — Encouraged by a slight snow and rain, a Blackbird 

 sang. Hedge-Sparrow sings now. 



10th. — Nuthatch feeding on fat. 



14th. — I put twelve nuts in the Nuthatch-frame between 

 11 and 12 a.m., and found, at 3 p.m., that they had all been 

 taken. I think the birds hide most of them for future use when 

 they find a good supply. 



15th. — Four Bullfinches in a plum-tree at the same time — 

 poor buds ! 



17th. — Crows go about quietly in pairs now, unless two pairs 

 come together. Chaffinches sang a little. Country very dry. 



19th. — An Otter which has been about all the winter was 

 shot at Upper Grove Mill to-day. 



20th. — Severe weather. A very large flock of small birds 

 comprised House- and Tree-Sparrows, Yellow Buntings and 

 Greenfinches, with a few Chaffinches and Bramblings. 



21st. — The pair of Nuthatches we have here picked up from 

 the ground in front of my window a big handful of nuts in 

 less than a quarter of an hour ; most, perhaps all, of these 



