Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 2 (1898).djvu/160

128 Bishops Sutton; 14th, a Hawfinch from Basingstoke. With regard to the Kite, a species which Mr. Chalkley has not seen for twenty years, I certainly incline to his view that it is a bonâ fide wild bird. Although part of the tail-feathers are shot away, the remaining tail- and wing-feathers are not at all rubbed. Mr. Stares tells me he saw about ten Hooded Crows along the coast at Browndown, the first he has seen this autumn (Oct. 10th).

November was a very unsettled month, with a preponderating northeast wind. On the 3rd a good many Meadow Pipits came into the near water-meads, and I noticed a Carrion Crow among a great many Rooks, JackawsJackdaws [sic], and Starlings. It moved off immediately. The Jackdaws are fond of perching on the Cows' backs. On the 4th Mr. Lane Claypon reported a Herring Gull among the others in the water-meads. On the 8th a party of Dabchicks paid a visit to the near water-meads, but left the same day. On the 10th Peewits were still on the move, a party of four flying south down the valley; I saw another party on the 15th. I watched a Kestrel on this date playing in the most systematic manner. It pretended to be hunting for food, hovering for several minutes over nothing at all, and then swooping away to repeat the same operation at a distance. I watched this going on for quite half an hour; then I went away, after having satisfied myself that there was no animal against which these manoeuvres were directed. I left it still hovering. On the 22nd I noticed an increase in the number of Larks and Chaffinches in the near water-meads. On the 23rd I paid a visit to Fisher's Pond, and noticed that the Coots were still there. I also saw, in the wood bordering the pond, a great many Long-tailed and Blue Tits, and also a few Magpies. Mr. Stares sends me the following notes from Porchester:—"Nov. 3rd, saw a flock of Grey Plovers in Langston Harbour. 6th, shot a Quail on Portsdown Hill; it was a hen bird, and its crop contained plantain seeds. Whilst out waiting for Ducks at night on the mud-flats, I heard birds migrating over head, the calls of Fieldfares and Thrushes being especially distinct. 16th to 20th, good number of Wigeon about Portsmouth and Langston Harbours at night. 27th, very large flocks of Pigeons about the woods, mainly composed of Stock Doves and a few Ringed Doves among them." Mr. Stares was also informed of a Fire-crested Wren caught on board a steamer at Spithead, and a Spotted Crake killed by flying against telegraph wires in Portsmouth Dockyard.

December. The weather was cold and still for the first part of the month, but subsequently very wet. Mr. Lane Claypon tells me that Pied and Grey Wagtails remained numerous in the water-meads, while the Gulls were fairly constant, with occasional very large flocks (6th, 7th, 13th, 19th). On the 5th he reports an enormous flock of Starlings, on a ploughed field a mile south of the town; on the 9th a flock of Peewits going south, and a