Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 3 (1899).djvu/468

438 more they went over a swell in the down, where, with the glass, I could just see against the sky the head of one bird peeping at me over the ridge. When I followed, one sounded the alarm before I could see more of them, and they flew back to the old spot. A great undulating arable field, on a slope, its surface one mass of flints, held another pair. The cry of the Stone Curlew sounds to me cur-lwee or curl-wee, sometimes currr-lwee. A shrill sound, the second syllable drawn out and very sweet. Sometimes the cry is repeated several times quickly; this seems to be the "clamour." From the slight opportunity I have had of making observations, it seemed to me that the "clamour" was uttered when the bird was on the ground. Once, after a pair settled, one further on than the other, the former called, and the other bird ran up. When taking one of their quick runs (they go very fast) with sudden stops, they exchange an upright position for a stooping one, with the body nearly horizontal. I have seen Bustards run in just the same way. One bird was mobbed after settling, and after taking short runs, by Peewits, which stooped down and buffeted him; but he only ducked his head each time. I once (but not in England) came suddenly on a pair of Stone Curlews not ten yards from me. One struck a curious attitude, facing me (while the other ran up to it), and staring fixedly at me with its large beautiful yellow-irised eye.

May 2nd.—Reed Warbler at Oxford.

9th.—A Nightingale at Milcomb gorse. Swifts numerous here; not seen earlier.

12th.—Among the Rooks shot here were two with part of the lower mandible light-coloured, in one white, the other buffy white; another with a black bill had the whole of the chin-feathers white. Turtle Dove appeared.

14th.—Spotted Flycatcher appeared. These birds arrived at Bodicote on the 13th. The old nest over the drawing-room window there has been taken down, as it was in a very foul condition. The birds used it for four years, and reared two broods each year.

16th.—Spotted Flycatcher singing. The song was continuous, but low in tone; there was no attempt at a fixed strain, and the notes were just jerked out (but there were sweet notes here and there), and the song was distinctly Shrike-like in character.