as early as January and February. The nest is nearly always placed behind loose bark on old trees, sometimes also under the eaves of a building.
35. Pied Wagtail. Motacilla lugubris, Temminck.
The pied wagtail, often called 'dishwasher,' is nowhere rare. Generally migratory, single pairs are nevertheless sometimes seen in most months of the year. At Great Marlow a pair nested last year (1901) in a very small birdcage standing empty out of doors. The eggs were found on May 28, and the young were safely hatched and flew on June 12 (H. H. Cocks in litt.).
36. White Wagtail. Motacilla alba, Linn.
E. Hartert observed a pair feeding its young on June 17, 1902, on the river Chess below Latimer. In the vicinity, not more than 300 or 400 yards away, M. lugubris was apparently nesting.
37. Yellow Wagtail. Motacilla raii (Bonaparte).
A regular summer bird wherever there are suitable meadows. Generally arriving about the middle of April. Very fond of grazing sheep and cattle, in the proximity of which it is nearly always found in autumn in search of insects.
38. Grey Wagtail. Motacilla melanope, Pallas.
(This species was named M. boarula by Linæus before Pallas named the eastern form M. melanope. The latter has a shorter tail and is to be called M. boarula melanope, the European form M. boarula, Linn.)
The grey wagtail is a somewhat rare bird in winter and autumn. We have seen it near Marsworth at those seasons; the Rev. H. D. Astley saw it near Chequers Court. On the banks of the Thames it has often been noticed. Clark Kennedy (p. 26) writes: ' I was rather surprised to be informed by the Rev. Bryant Burgess of Latimer, Chesham, that this wagtail annually makes its nest and rears its young on the river Chess, where it seems to be a summer visitor.' We have been on the look-out for this bird, but did not find it near Latimer.
39. Tree-Pipit. Anthus trivialis (Linn.).
Common all over the county.
40. Meadow-Pipit. Anthus pratensis (Linn.).
Not rare on lowland pastures. Mr. Crossman informs us that a few pairs are always to be found on Farnham Common, where they nest. We have found it nesting near Halton, Aylesbury, Buckingham, Castlethorpe, and Hartert saw it at Burnham Beeches. It is also common near Eton. The Rev. H. D. Astley has sometimes seen flocks on the hills during the autumn migration.
41 . Golden Oriole. Oriolus galbula, Linn.
A male was shot at Stoke Mandeville on May 19, 1897 (White, Field, 1879). Mr. Alfred Heneage Cocks writes (in litt.): 'This bird has been reported to have nested about three miles north from here in 1901, the nest and eggs having been taken; but I cannot answer for it personally.' Clark Kennedy writes (Birds of Berks and Bucks, p. 171): 'A nest of this bird is said to have been found near Burnham.'
42. Great Grey Shrike. Lanius excubitor, Linn.
A somewhat rare winter visitor. It was shot on January 8, 1778, near Dinton Hall. A female was shot near Wendover about the middle of November 1864, and a male on November 4 of the same year at Weston Turville (H. Harpur Crewe, Zoologist, 1865, p. 9416). 'In 1862 a fine male was shot by a son of the Rev. M. Gore, near the almshouses at Stoke. Some time ago, while looking over a collection of birds shot by Mr. G. Lillywhite of Eton Wick, Buckinghamshire, I was agreeably surprised to find a fine example of the great grey shrike. It was shot on the banks of the Thames, not far from Windsor, in the winter of 1865-6, and was stuffed by Mr. Drye of Eton. Another, in the collection of the Rev. Bryant Burgess, was killed a few years since at Hampden ' (Clark Kennedy, Birds of Bucks and Berks, p. 169). Hartert saw one in October 1895 near Halton.
43. Red-backed Shrike. Lanius collurio, Linn.
Found in summer in all parts of the county, though generally by no means as numerous as it might be. It mostly frequents tall uncut hedges, but does not breed where no tall hedges or other tall thorn-bushes offer it suitable breeding places. It is common near Eton, Eton Wick, etc. Mr. Grossman saw it frequently in many parts of south Bucks. The late Lionel Wiglesworth and Hartert found it not uncommon near Castlethorpe; the latter has seen it near Chesham, Cheddington, Buckingham, Aylesbury, Dinton and Newport Pagnell. The Rev. H. D. Astley
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