A HISTORY OF HEREFORDSHIRE county. A female was sent to Ashdown by Dr. Wal- ker of Weobly on 28 October, 1894, for preservation, and one or two specimens are reported to have been seen since 1899 (Pilley). In the spring of 1906 it nested in the neighbourhood of Ross. 100. Rough-legged Buzzard. Buteo lagopus (J. F. Gmelin). A rare autumnal visitor of which I can record only one instance, namely, one killed at Yatton Court, Kingsland, in November, 1879. I have, unfortu- nately, no information as to its capture or sex. 10 1. White- tailed Eagle. HaMeius albicilla {ISmn.) Although this must be deemed a rare visitor yet it seems to have occurred in this county on several occasions. A specimen was trapped at Hampton Court in the early fifties, and another was killed at Berrington, near Leominster, in 1875. The mag- nificent specimen in the Hereford Museum was first seen near Leominster, and shot in the dusk by a Mr. Gordon on 7 November, 1896, at Dinchope, near Craven Arms. It is a hen bird, probably in the third year from the colour of its tail, which is still brownish. This bird does not attain its full plumage until the sixth or seventh year, and in old birds the tail is white, whence its name. 102. Sparrow Hawk. Jccipiternisus {Lmn.). Locally, Pigeon Hawk. A common resident. Mr. Southall remarks that of all the birds of prey this and the kestrel are alone common in the county. As an instance of the dis- parity in size between the sexes of this bird, Mr. Blake mentions that of a pair shot from the nest in Gorsley Wood, the male weighed 5 oz. and the hen exactly double. 103. Kite. Milvus ictinus, Savigny. Locally, Glead, Glade, Gled, Red Kite, Fork- tailed Kite or Glead, Puttock, Crotchet- tailed Puttock. Formerly resident, but it is to be feared now extinct in the county. A pair in Ludlow Museum were shot some years ago at Brampton Bryan Park, where they nested. One was seen at Symond's Yat in 1884, another was killed at Strickstenning, Much Birch, and the last captured specimen was taken at Symond's Yat, and is now in the Hereford Museum. One was also seen between Adzor Coppice and Lawton's Hope in August, 1899. In 1884 Mr. Southall wrote that though formerly plentiful, this bird was then only seen at intervals. 104. Honey Buzzard. Pernis afivorus (Linn.). A summer migrant arriving in May and leaving in November. A pair of these birds was shot on Capt. McCalmont's estate at Bishopswood, near Ross, on 10 July, 1895, and sent to Ashdown for preservation, who mentions that he found a ridge of wax matter on the under mandible of the male. A nest was afterwards discovered in the neighbourhood contain- ing two eggs, both of which, however, were unfertile. One was trapped at Credenhill Camp about 1861. A male was killed at Queen's Wood, Gorsley, near Ross, and a female at Newent Wood, where it had nested and laid three eggs. Instances are recorded of this bird breeding at Whitfield in 1877 and 1880 ; and in the former year the young birds were taken and the female trapped. In 1 895 it bred at Bishop's Wood, Ross, when the eggs were taken and the old birds killed. The specimen in Hereford Museum was killed in Goodrich in 1879, and presented by Mr. Moffat of Goodrich. The late Mr. Skyrme also had a female with two eggs obtained in the county. From the above it will be seen that the county of Hereford is peculiarly adapted to its habits and re- quirements, and that if only it had a chance it might be observed every year. It is to be hoped, however, that for the future, as the love of birds seems increas- ing in the country, this beautiful visitant may be allowed to breed. 105. Peregrine Falcon. Falco peregrlnus, Tunstall. Locally, Hunting Hawk. Now a rare visitor only, but formerly bred in the county, when it seems to have been fairly often observed. In the museum at Hereford there are two specimens from Ross and two from Garnons. One was shot at Stoke Edith in 1855, one at Alton Court in 1857, one at Ross in 1865, and one at Leominster in 1866. Other records are a pair seen at Letton in 1883-4, one shot at Hele Court, Ross, in 1884, a fine female killed in the act of striking a pigeon on a meadow adjoining Llanwarne Court on 1 2 January, 1895, and another killed at Ross in 1889 ; this last- named specimen was preserved by Ashdown, who also purchased a very good male in the autumn of 1890 which was shot in the Lugg Meadows, and sold to the late Mr. Evans of Fownhope. Another female example was killed at Weobley in 1891 and duly preserved. Mr. Southall remarked in 1884 that this species had been well nigh outlawed, and was then of very rare occurrence. 106. Hobby. Falco subbHteo, Linn. This summer visitant, which arrives in May and leaves in September, although comparatively harmless, seems to have been accorded the same inhospitable reception in the county as other birds of prey, and is consequently rare. It occurs most years at Stoke Edith, and has been observed at Aconbury, Caplar, Haugh Wood, Bullingham, and Breinton. A pair nested on the Lever Hill, Kimbolton, and were shot, and the clutch of eggs is in the possession of Miss S. Hutchinson. A pair bred at Edvin's Wood, Brom- yard, in 1895, and Mr. Southall records its having bred near Hereford a few years previous to 1884. Two local specimens, both females, were received by Ashdown ; one in the winter of 1890, shot by Mr. Bellamy at Hampton Bishop, and another by Mr. Thompson at Dinedor in November, 1892. It is strange they both should have stayed so late in the year, though Mr. Howard Saunders remarks that many occurrences during our winter months are on record ; another specimen was killed near Ross in the spring of 1 893, and there are also several good county specimens in the museum. In 1895 Mr. Blathwayt reported that during the month of August his son had several times seen three hobbys in a wood in the neighbourhood of Bromyard. Another was killed in Penyard Wood, near Ross, by Mr. Thomas's keeper, and was preserved. About the middle of December, 1905, one was killed in Coldborough Wood, Yatton, by a Perry-stone shooting party, but, unfortunately, it was not preserved. '38
