ORNITHOLOGY OF OXFORDSHIRE. 287 



29th. — Low part of village flooded. 



30th. — Examined in the flesh a Little Bittern picked up at 

 Somerton {vide Zool. 1909, 468). 



A cold, wet month, about four and a half inches of rain, 

 which fell on more than half the days of the month ; wind 

 usually from N. and N.W. 



July 1st. — Hay-meadows in the Cherwell Valley standing in 

 flood water — to be seen among the long grass. At the end of 

 June or early this month Mr. Calvert saw and heard "drumming" 

 Snipe at Minster Lovell (vide Zool. 1907, 325). 



9th. — Cuckoo heard for last time. 



10th. — The decrease in the numbers of our breeding Starlings 

 is very apparent. Not one nest on these premises this year. It 

 was in the years 1902-3-4 that they reached their greatest 

 strength ; in one of those years every box big enough (even 

 within four or five feet of the ground) and every hole under the 

 thatched eaves of buildings was filled ; and the new painting in 

 the yard ruined by them ! 



14th. — Starlings feeding young in nest in roof of the G.W.E. 

 station at Banbury : there has been no "run " on nesting-holes 

 this year, and this must without doubt have been a second 

 brood. It is too late to be a brood reared by a pair which had 

 merely lost their first eggs. 



22nd. — Young Bullfinches just out of nest have a wheezy, 

 creaking " peep." 



27th. — A great rain — nearly an inch. 



29th. — Eeport of Ked-backed Shrikes having bred in Ban- 

 bury Cemetery, and of the scarcity of Nightingales, Kedstarts 

 (especially) about Swerford. All the Warblers and most of the 

 summer birds, except Swallows and Martins and Cuckoos and 

 Turtle-Doves, are very scarce. Bedstarts have been remarkably 

 scarce for two or three years. 



A cool and wet month, often windy. Wind generally in the 

 west, and nearly four inches of rain. 



August 4th. — A female Bed-backed Shrike close to Bloxham 

 Station. 



7th. — Congregation of Martins and some Swallows on house 

 roof this morning. 



8th. — Garden-Warbler sang; this garden has lately been 



