ORNITHOLOGY OF OXFORDSHIRE. 451 



16th. — While some of the many Song-Thrushes about are sing- 

 ing, others are silent and look foreign. A Mistle-Thrush sang. 



18th. — Nuthatch at Broughton. We see and hear none here 

 now. 



21st. — Season turned cold suddenly in the middle of the day, 

 and a great deal of snow fell at night. 



22nd.— Sharp frost. 



24th. — Very severe frost ; down to 15°, and only 20° at 

 10 a.m. Starlings here all day feeding on the poor watery 

 asparagus-berries. A flock of Bramblings, with Chaffinches, 

 under the beech-trees in and near the avenue at Bloxham 

 Grove, where the ground was comparatively free from snow, 

 feeding on the fallen mast, of which there is a good crop with 

 well-developed nuts this year. Bramblings are quick, active 

 foragers. Their usual call-note is a rather harsh, hard "chip," 

 " chzip," or " gep " (that of the Chaffinch sounds to me like 

 "yip"). One only occasionally hears the curious croaking 

 " weeeech," which, heard from the beech-trees, usually first an- 

 nounces that the Brambling has arrived. It is a difficult sound 

 to describe, as it seems to vary, and sometimes sounds like 

 " sweeeek " or " sweee-erk." 



26th. — Very severe frost. Thousands of small birds on the 

 snowy stubbles — Bramblings, Chaffinches, Tree- Sparrows, Lin- 

 nets, Yellowhammers, Greenfinches, and great flocks of Larks. 

 Some Corn-Buntings about, and a few Meadow-Pipits in the 

 sheep-folds. A "big hawk" (probably a female Peregrine) 

 upset a Partridge drive. 



. 27th. — So severe is the frost that the Sorbrook between 

 Bodicote and Lower Grove Mills bears crowds of skaters and 

 walkers. 



28th. — A slow thaw began, and the Hedge- Sparrow sang. A 

 single Golden Plover shot flying over Tadmarton Heath. 



December 5th. — Many Bramblings about, and Fieldfares have 

 been fairly numerous. 



7th. — Had news of a Hawfinch's nest found last summer in 

 the side brush of an elm on the lawn at the Grove. 



8th. — Fall of snow, but melted. The Song-Thrushes left 

 with the late frost, and the Grey Wagtails so conspicuously 

 numerous earlier in the autumn have disappeared. 



