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NOTES ON THE OENITHOLOGY OF OXFOEDSHIEE, 



1904. 



By 0. V. Aplin, F.L.S., M.B.O.U. 



(Concluded from p. 418.) 



May 1st. — A very nice May-day, and so far a really genial 

 and favourable spring. Pear and plum blossom well out. 



2nd. — A male Dotterel was shot from a small flock on a 

 ploughed field about a couple of miles to the north of Banbury. 

 I had an opportunity of examining it in the flesh. Legs and feet 

 flesh-brown ; iris dark brown ; bill blackish horn ; weight, 4 oz. 

 less a worn sixpence ; total length, 9*2 in. ; alar expanse, 18*6 in. ; 

 wing, from the carpal joint, 6*05 in. This is the only local 

 spring Dotterel I ever handled. I was afterwards told by a good 

 observer, who knew the Golden Plover well, that at the end of 

 April he saw a flock of about a dozen Plovers, which were no 

 doubt Dotterel, on the open high-lying arable land about the 

 " Merrymouth," above Fifield. They were described as wheel- 

 ing about low down near the ground, smaller than Golden 

 Plover, and greyer or bluer at a distance. 



10th. — News from Mr. W. Newton, of Crowmarsh Battle, 

 that he saw a Serin near there on the 5th, and had a good 

 chance of examining it while it was perched on the bare stem of 

 a young chestnut-tree. This bird is new to the county list. 



21st. — Mr. Newton saw a pair of White Wagtails on the banks 

 of the Thames near Crowmarsh. 



31st. — Pteturned home after a month's absence. Heard the 

 Corn- Crake from study window. 



June 3rd. — Some young Piooks still in the nests. Two fresh 

 Sparrow-Hawk's eggs taken in the Wayhouse meadows brought 

 in to-day ; a rare occurrence in this woodless parish. 



4th. — News from Mr. Calvert that he saw a Wheatear between 

 Langley and Fordwells on the 1st inst. This bird is rarely seen 

 in Oxon (except perhaps on the Chilterns) in summer. 



