BIRDS 95. Marsh-Harrier. Circus aeruginosus (Linn.). Locally, Moor-Buzzard. Mr. Babington (Potter, op. cit. App.) recorded one seen and another killed at Buddon Wood in 1841, by the keeper of Mr. G. J. D. Butler Danvers. Harley said Adams told him that he used to take it in his vermin traps very frequently before the inclosure of Charnwood Forest (1811), and the species used to be met with more recently about the wild, gorsy land lying above Whitwick, called the ' Waste,' whence he had seen specimens brought, but even in his time it was growing rarer. 96. Hen-Harrier. Circus cyantus (Linn.). Locally, Blue Hawk. Mr. Babington (Potter, op. cit. App. 66) recorded one seen at Thringstone in 1841, and Harley said that he once winged a partridge in barley-stubble, and on the dog attempting to retrieve it the ' blue hawk ' carried it away, notwithstanding the discharge of the gun and the shouts of the bystanders. He further stated on the authority of Adams, the keeper, that it used to nest in Charnwood Forest regularly before the inclosure, as also in other parts of the county. 97. Montagu's Harrier. Circus cineraceus (Montagu). This is a new record for the county, and is founded on a stuffed specimen I purchased from Pinchen for the museum in 1893, which he stated had been shot at Heath Farm, Earl Shilion, some years ago. 98. Buzzard. Buteo vulgaris, Leach. Of accidental occurrence, but formerly resident. According to Mr. Babington (Potter, op. cit. App. 65), two were shot near Charnwood Heath in 1839, one of which came into the possession of Mr. Thomas Gisborne, the other of Mr. Kirby Fenton. One was killed in Dalby Wood in 1879 (Widdowson). Har- ley appears to have taken its eggs in the outwoods skirting Charnwood, probably in the exact spot where, as he wrote, ' the species used to nestle in some lofty Scottish fir-trees situated on a rising knoll or rounded eminence in the lower parts of the outwoods near to the brook which passes thereby, and flows onward through the town of Loughborough.' According to Harley it appeared to breed also at Bardon, Belvoir, Donington, Gopsall, Martinshaw, and at Oakley and Piper Woods, but was increasingly rare. Mr. W. T. Everard wrote on 15 Aug., 1899: 'I believe the buzzard was shot in the winter of 1 876. I am writing from memory, as I have no note of the date. I re- member quite well that the snow was on the ground, when my father's groom, Edwin Middleton, came and told me that a rare bird was feeding at some bullock troughs in a field adjoining Bardon Hill House (the field where the new church is built) and thinking it would make a nice addition to any collection of birds, we took our guns and stalked him. I believe that Edwin Middleton fired the actual shot.' 99. Rough-Legged Buzzard. Buteo lagofus (J. F. Gmelin). A winter visitant of accidental occurrence. Harley recorded that in the autumn and winter of 1 8 3 9-40 no less than thirty were procured in this county and Nottinghamshire. Of these, five were captured in Charnwood Forest, and three others in Bradgate Park. One of the latter a female shot on 1 2 Nov., 1839 was examined by Harley. In its crop were found rabbits' fur, pieces of flesh, small bones, and the feet of what appeared to be the field-mouse. In the stomach were rabbits' fur and small bones mixed with animal matter. Another (a male) captured by Adams in the grounds at Bradgate two days afterwards was found on examination to contain some elytra of beetles. Probably the third is the one in the ' Bickley collec- tion,' Leicester Museum, which was shot in Bradgate Park, 15 Nov., 1839. There is another in the Bickley collection which the late Mr. Widdowson believed to have Jseen shot at Stathern Hills. Mr. N. C. Curzon, Lockington Hall, writes : 'A rough-legged buzzard was shot here in November, 1 876.' One was reported in the Field of 21 Feb., 1880, thus : ' It may interest some of your readers to know that I shot a rough-legged buzzard last night, while waiting for wood-pigeons in a small covert near Ashby-de-la- Zouch. H. G.' Mr. T. Andrew of King's Stand, Leicester Forest East, informs me that he shot a rough-legged buzzard at that place in November, 1888. Mr. W. Whitaker shot one at Thornton on 2 Nov. 1891, and the late Dr. Macaulay stated that Pinchen, who skinned it, said it was a female. Mr. G. Frisby writing in November, 1906, says : ' Two independent witnesses claim to have seen this bird, although unfortunately I have missed it. Mr. W. Moss twice at Loughborough, and a good observer once at Quorn.' 100. Golden Eagle. Aqulla chrysaetus (Linn.). Recorded in the field of 16 November, 1895, by Mr. H. S. Davenport, as having been seen at Skef- fington, 24 Oct., 1895. 101. White-tailed Eagle. Hallaetus alblcllla (Linn.). Locally, Cinerous Eagle (the young). Of rare and accidental occurrence. H.irley, in his fair-copied MS., wrote : ' A fine example was captured by Mr. Adams in Bradgate Park on 26 December, 1840.' In Babington's list of birds (see Potter upon the occurrence of the golden eagle) Harley states that this refers to the present species, and further, that the speci- men was in the possession of the late Lord Stamford. Probably Potter is incorrect as to date also, and the late Rev. Churchill Babington told me he was not re- sponsible for its insertion. The latter recorded a specimen killed at Swannington by Mr. William Burton (Potter, op. cit. App. 65). The late Dr. Macaulay saw one which was shot by Sir G. Beau- mont's keeper at Coleorton, 6 Nov., 1879 (Mid. Nat. 1882, p. 62). It was seen some days before it was killed, feeding on a rabbit. The same authority also recorded that in the autumn of 1 88 1 Sir G. Beau- mont observed an eagle soaring over his grounds, but at too great a distance to distinguish the species. The late Mr. Widdowson reported one taken at Stapleford Park, but I have no particulars, and so cannot vouch for its accuracy. loz. Gos-Hawk. Astur falumbarlus (Linn.). Now extinct in the county and very rarely visits Britain. Harley wrote : 'As regards the distribution of the Gos-hawk in Leicestershire, I may remark that it used to occur not unfrequently in our woodlands and forest wilds, but of late years it has become ex- ceedingly rare.' He stated that it had been captured '35
