ORNITHOLOGY OF OXFORDSHIRE. 333 



16th. — Ray's Wagtail. Some migrant Meadow-Pipits perched 

 in trees, as I have often seen them do at this season ; these 

 are late. 



21st. — Tree-Pipit (in song on 26th). 



22nd. — News of a Grey Crow seen between here and Barford 

 as late as the 11th inst. A Green Woodpecker came out of an 

 old nest-hole which it was enlarging. 



23rd. — Clutch of five Carrion-Crow's eggs, almost fresh, and 

 a clutch of three half-incubated brought in. 



24th. — Two Common Sandpipers by canal near Cropredy. In 

 a day's Otter-hunting did not see a single Swallow. 



25th. — Saw the following Crows' nests climbed to : clutch of 

 three hard sat: three hatching; five, five, and four, I think fresh. 

 We gave up the attempt on two occupied nests, one of which was 

 high up in one of the tallest solitary oak trees I ever saw. All 

 these nests but one were in Bloxham parish. 



28th. — Put Wild Duck off nest in head of old low pollard 

 willow in Evenlode valley. Hedges late and not more advanced 

 than in first week of April in some years. Hardly any summer 

 birds about. 



29th. — Cuckoo reported at Bloxham Grove, and at Great 

 Tew the next day. I did not hear it this month. 



May 1st. — Cuckoo. 



3rd. — Examined a Hoopoe from Alkerton on April 13th, and 

 a Whimbrel obtained at Wroxton on the 27th. Also a remark- 

 ably fine Stoat just getting a fine gloss on its fur of almost a 

 purple shade. It was killed at Shenington on April 19th, and 

 weighed l£ lb. 



4th. — Lesser Whitethroat. 



6th. — Swifts here — about a dozen. Seen in Banbury yester- 

 day. 



7th. — Whitethroat, Sedge-Warbler, and House-Martin (plenty 

 of the last in Tadmarton village). 



8th. — Away in Wales until June 19th. 



About May 17th a canal-boat loaded with Hartshill stone 

 came into Banbury, and a pair of Pied Wagtails were seen 

 flitting about it as the men were unloading it. A nest with six 

 eggs was found. In the same month a truck of coal arrived at 

 the G.W.R. station in Banbury, in which was a Pied Wagtail's 



