NOTES AND QUERIES. 197 



Hooded Crows were too much in evidence for many a sportsman's 

 wounded quarry, and in some instances were very bold and crafty. 

 The Short-eared Owl has deserted us altogether, and it is several years 

 since I heard of one in this particular neighbourhood, although pre- 

 viously it was not uncommon in the winter time, and I have occasion- 

 ally seen it in the summer months ; the Siskin, too, does not visit us 

 so regularly as it did once ; the numbers of the Crossbill are very 

 uncertain, and do not frequent this neighbourhood so much as they 

 did formerly, when the fir woods were very extensive, giving both 

 shelter and food to this handsome species. On a part of the river 

 where the wildfowl are shot from "gazes" — (an interesting article on 

 this particular mode of shooting is published in a recent number of the 

 ' Cornhill Magazine,' from the pen of a well-known sportsman) — the 

 following birds were killed, from Nov. 28th to Feb. 15th, in five shoot- 

 ings, averaging five guns, viz. : — Wild Duck, 421 ; Wigeon, 99 ; Teal, 

 81 ; Tufted Duck, 34 ; Pochard, 8 ; Gadwall, 3 ; Shoveler, 1 ; White- 

 fronted Goose, 1; Coot, 176; Moorhen, 67. Thus it will be seen, 

 from the amount of slaughter, that a large number of fowl were on the 

 water, especially considering none were hand-reared, as was the case 

 some years ago ; and yet they were few compared with the vast flocks 

 frequenting the same locality thirty or forty years ago. At that time 

 such large bags were not made, and it may be the present systematic 

 mode of shooting is one small item in the general decrease, and I sup- 

 pose the improvement in firearms has a tendency in the same direction. 

 Otters : since my previous note (ante, p. 30), I have been informed 

 on very reliable authority that lower down the river a man shot three 

 large Otters, weighing respectively 21, 22, and 24 lb. — G. B. Coebin 

 (Eingwood). 



Winter Notes from Wye, Kent, 1906-7.— Nov. 12th.— Saw a Little 

 Auk killed the previous day near Crundale. 



21st. — A Swallow flying round the church in the morning. 



Dec. 11th — Three Green Sandpipers by a ditch near the Stour. 



Feb. 6th. — Watched a Buzzard sailing slowly over a wood near 

 Crundale ; it was very pale in colour. 



March 1st. — One Siskin in an alder by the river ; the only one seen 

 this winter. Redshanks returned to their breeding-ground. 



3rd. — Greenfinches began to become common again. 



12th-17th. — Lapwings passing northwards. 



18th. — Goldcrest returned, after two and half months' absence. 



21st. — Linnets arrived ; not seen since early December. Last 

 Hooded Crow seen, flying northwards. 



