BIRDS 109. White-tailed Eagle. Ha/ia?tus albicilla (Linn.). The late Mr. Abel Smith had in his possession a specimen of this fine bird, which was obtained some years previously to 1877 at Sacombe. 1 1 0. Sparrow-Hawk. Accipiter nisus (Linn). This is probably the worst offender against the game laws, and deserves all it gets ; but at the same time it is always a pity that any indigenous species should be gradually exterminated, as this seems likely to be. In many districts in this county it is now a most unusual thing to see a sparrow- hawk. in. Kite. Milvus ictinus, Savigny. The red kite was no doubt at one time resident in Hertfordshire, but it has now so completely vanished that I am only able to mention one county specimen. This is in the collection at Munden, and was shot in that neighbourhood between 1840 and 1850. 112. Honey-Buzzard. Pe rnis apivorus (Linn.). There is also at Munden an example of this species which was obtained near there about the same time as the kite above referred to. In 1 88 1 a honey-buzzard was shot at Little Hadham on September 23rd while being mobbed by some rooks. It measured 53^ inches from tip to tip of its wings. On the 29th of the same month another was killed at Westmill Rectory, near Buntingford. 113. Peregrine Falcon. Falco peregrinus, Tunstall. As no doubt the sport of falconry will be dealt with elsewhere in the present work, I propose only to treat of this grand bird from a natural history point of view. At the present time the peregrine, which is essentially sporting in its instincts, in most cases meets with an inhospitable reception and finds its way into the taxidermist's hands. In the last twenty-five years it has been recorded in Hertfordshire on some fifteen occasions, but only in about four instances does it appear to have escaped destruction. In 1876 one was shot at Hexton, while in 1878 a pair were killed at Newnham near Baldock, where also a female, which measured 43 inches across the wings and weighed 4 lb., was killed on September 3Oth, 1897. In 1891 a male in fine plumage was obtained at Stoney Hills near Bengeo on September i8th, while another was shot at Bramfield near Hertford on November 23rd. A female, originally reported as a buzzard, was taken at the end of December, 1891, at Cole Green, and on March i6th, 1895, I saw a bird of this species, which from its size was presumably a female, stoop at a partridge at Pendley Manor near Tring. In August, 1891, a male was shot at Croxley Green, while Mr. Sutton of Northchurch has a fine example in his posses- sion, which was killed by a boy while attack- ing Mr. Sutton's fowls on August 6th, 1896. In the following year a peregrine was seen near Royston during the autumn, while one, which remained some days, was first observed near Elstree on December i6th. In 1899 a falcon was seen at Cokenach near Royston about the beginning of May. In addition to the above occurrences there are some few others of which full details are not forth- coming, Mr. Franklin of Sandridge owning one, which was obtained near there, while another was killed by a keeper named Pangbourne at Marshall's Wick, St. Albans. The late Norman Thrale also had two in his possession which were shot in Hertfordshire. 114. Hobby. Falco subbuteo, Linn. I am afraid that this little falcon is prac- tically extinct as a breeding species in this county ; in fact with one exception I am unable to enumerate any very recent occur- rences of the bird. That it used formerly to nest frequently with us is certain, as Mr. Joseph Nunn of Royston informed me that in the early forties it was comparatively com- mon in the neighbourhood of Kelshall in the north of the county; in 1849, however, the last specimen obtained in that parish was shot off the nest by a keeper. In 1879 a hobby was obtained in Hatfield Park, while in 1881 a nest containing four eggs was found in Moor Park. Mr. Latchmore of Hitchin also informed me that he had eggs which were taken some years ago near Stevenage. Mr. Norman Thrale mounted one of these birds which was shot near Portvale on September 1 7th, 1885, while Mr. F. M. Campbell owns one that was killed to the north of Cowheath Wood near Hoddesdon on July 3rd, 1887. The last record I have of this bird is rather a doubtful one : this was a hawk seen by myself on July 27th, 1899, which from its appearance and flight I am nearly positive was of this species, but of which I could not be absolutely sure on account of the light. 115. Merlin. Falco <esalon, Tunstall. This species has only occurred in Hertford- shire about half a dozen times. I am informed by Mr. Latchmore that it has been obtained near Hitchin, and this is confirmed by Mr. J. H. Tuke. At Tring four specimens have been taken, two birds in immature plumage 207
