BIRDS 96. Marsh-Harrier. Circus ceruginosus (Linn.) The late Mr. T. Cane informed me that he had observed this species about 1865 over " The Bogs " close to Luton, which was then a marshy swamp extending about a mile. One in his collection was killed there about 1870. Mr. A. Covington has also heard of this harrier being shot along the Ouse years ago, but has never seen a local specimen. 97. Hen-Harrier. Circus cyaneus (Linn.) Early in the last century this species evi- dently still nested in Bedfordshire. Mr. J. King can call to mind information given to him some fifty years ago by an old man, who remembered both the hen-harrier and the kite in this county. Mr. A. Covington's uncle, who lived at Keysoe, knew this bird well ; but it was not so common in that particular neighbourhood. Again an old farmer who lived at Colmworth used to speak of it as common in that parish in his boyhood days ; he had found its eggs on two or three occa- sions, and described their colour and the posi- tion of its nest. More recent records of its wanderings into the county are as follows : a female shot at Sutton Park in November 1865 ; another in the possession of Dr. Sprigge, which was shot between Roxton and Tempsford ; one in similar plumage in the possession of J. Clark, head keeper at Woburn, which I have examined, trapped at Potsgrove about August 1892 ; and another shot at Ickwell about 1880. 98. Buzzard. Buteo vulgaris, Leach. The early history of this bird in the county is generally associated with that of the kite, and where particulars are obtained of the one formerly nesting so probably will records also be found of the other. The most recent nesting of this species mentioned by Mr. A. Covington was at Putnoe Wood, where a hen bird was shot upon the nest by his in- formant ; in another instance, where a nest was situated in a clump of trees near Knight's Lane, Oakley, the hen bird was shot whilst leaving the nest and her three eggs. Occur- rences of this bird with us in later years are by no means rare, as it is still common in many localities of Wales and Scotland, whence it may occasionally wander to the midland counties. 99. Rough-legged Buzzard. Buteo lagopus (J. F. Gmelin) The inclusion of this species rests upon three occurrences only. One was shot at Luton in 1839 (Beds Mercury), another which I have recently examined was shot by Mr. P. Addington near Colmworth Wood in Novem- ber 1892, and the third, a male, was trapped by Mr. H. Gates at Sundon early in December 1894. It had been seen about for some two months previously and was caught while feeding on a rabbit. [Golden Eagle. Aquila chrysaetus (Linn.) The Rev. F. O. Morris states (Brit. Birds, vol. i. pt. i. ed. 4) that two of this species were seen in the neighbourhood of the park of Woburn Abbey, Beds, in the winter of 1820, and one of them was shot by Thomas Judge, the Duke of Bedford's gamekeeper ; another occurred in the same neighbourhood late in the autumn of 1844. I have failed to trace any particulars respecting either of these records, as no such specimens are pre- served at the abbey at the present day, nor is anything known of them.] 100. White-tailed Eaele. Halianus albicilla (Linn.) The following particulars of the occurrence of this eagle in the county are taken from the Field: 'On 15 March 1863 one was ob- served in the parish of Cardington. It was shot at, and its wing broken ; it was found to be blind in one eye, the cornea of the left eye being quite opaque. It was kept alive for a few days, eating portions of a lamb which were put into its mouth. When it was first taken the plumage appeared perfect, except the tail feathers, the ends of which were rather worn. The tail feathers were greyish in colour. It was added to the collec- tion of Mr. Barlow of Cambridge ' (Wm. Thumall, Bedford). What eventually be- came of the specimen I am unable to add, as the collection was dispersed by auction some twenty-five years ago. 1 01. Sparrow-Hawk. Accipiter nisus (Linn.) Fairly abundant, but undoubtedly a gra- dually decreasing species. It is very conser- vative in its nesting haunts, returning year after year to the same wood or spinney re- gardless of the constant persecution it may receive. When one of a pair is killed the other soon finds another mate, and they will take up the same quarters as before ; if both are killed, the locality will be selected the following year by another pair. The more wooded parts of the county are naturally their favourite breeding haunts, and in such localities as Stagsden, Turvey, Bromham, Bolnhurst, Thurleigh, and the range of woods from Southill to Clophill, it has been known to nest regularly for many years.
