BIRDS 1 1 7. Golden Eagle. Aquila chrysagtus (Linn.). Durnford in the Birds of Walney notes one occurrence of the golden eagle near Furness Abbey in 1815. 118. White-tailed Eagle. Haliaetus albkilla (Linn.). The present writer thinks that the white- tailed eagle may still probably breed from time to time somewhere on the heights of this or the neighbouring counties, for several immature specimens have been taken along the coast and at other places. One killed at Blundellsands in 1895 was brought to him in the flesh on 3 December, and is now preserved in the Lord Derby Museum in Liverpool. 119. Goshawk. Astur palumbarius (Linn.). The goshawk has twice been recorded from the county, in the years 1838 and 1863 respec- tively. (Mitchell, Birds of Lancashire, ed. 2, p. 127.) 1 20. Sparrow-Hawk. Accipiter nisus (Linn.). A resident and still fairly abundant notwith- standing the hostility of every gamekeeper towards it. 121. Kite. Milvus ictinus, Savigny. Locally, Gled. Formerly more frequently met with than now in Lancashire as elsewhere, where it nested, though rarely in the tall trees, among the Fells and in a few other favourable places. It does not appear to have been noted, however, during the last quarter of a century. [Swallow-tailed Kite. Elano'idesfurcatus (Linn.). A specimen from the Macclesfield Museum sold at Stevens' Auction Rooms in London in June 1 86 1 was said to have been shot on the Mersey in June 1843, but it may as well have escaped from captivity as been wafted to our shores by westerly winds. A very doubtful record, which is not sufEcient to qualify for the Lancashire register.] 122. Honey-Buzzard. Pernis apivorus (Linn.). An occasional summer visitor to Lancashire ; but it has not occurred for many years now. Two female specimens, one shot (in Knowsley Park by the Hon. E. G. Stanley) in October, 1818, and a second at Rainford in 1835, are preserved in the Lord Derby Museum, Liver- pool. [Greenland Falcon. Falco candicans (J, F. Gmelin). An insufficiently authenticated record exists of an adult specimen having been shot on a vessel coming into the port of Liverpool in the middle sixties. (Gregson, Proc. Hist. Soc. of Lancashire and Cheshire, 1865-6).] 123. Peregrine Falcon. stall. Falco peregrinus, Tun- A resident still in small numbers in the Fells, where amid their wild isolation a few broods are annually reared. One with a dunlin fast in its talons was taken by a fisherman on the marsh near Carnforth in 1900. It is not infrequently seen in some districts in spring. 124. Lanner Falcon. Falco feldeggii, Schl. A female was picked up newly shot on the sea-shore near Carnforth, in April 1902, after fre- quenting the district for some weeks. (Robinson, Zoologist, 1904, p. 75.) No record is forthcoming that the bird was an escape from confinement. 125. Hobby. Falco subbuteo (Linn.). An occasional spring and autumn migrant, now very rarely seen, though more frequent in former times, and for the last twenty-five years no occurrence has been recorded. A specimen shot at Knowsley is preserved in the Lord Derby Museum in Liverpool. 126. Merlin. Falco asalon, Tin%t9}i. A locally distributed resident nesting on the hill sides and high moors and visiting the low- lands but rarely, and usually chiefly in winter, and these generally young birds. A very beau- tiful partial albino, shot at Lower Darwen, near Blackburn, in October, 1 891, is preserved in the Lord Derby Museum, Liverpool. 127. Red-footed Falcon. Linn. Falco vespertinus. A rare straggler, observed in the county only three times, all in the year 1843, one from Heaton Park and two from Prestwich Clough — the latter record, however, leaves much to be desired in the way of authentication. 128. Kestrel. Falco tinnunculus, Linn. Locally, Windhover. A common resident, the best known and the oftenest seen of all our hawks, nesting in all suitable plantations, and often formerly among the coastal sandhills. It is still much persecuted by gamekeepers, although now it derives some indirect, rather than intentional, benefit (so far as its persecutors are concerned) from the Bird Protection Acts. 129. Osprey. Pandion halia'e'tus (Linn.). Locally, Fishing-hawk. A not infrequent spring and autumn visitor, frequenting our inland meres. 130. Cormorant. Phalacrocorax carbo (Linn.). Locally, Scarf. A resident ' common in these parts ' (according to Leigh) in 1 700, but not nesting within our 197
