Page:The New Forest - its history and its scenery.djvu/332

 birds along the south-east coast of the Forest in Gilpin's time (vol. II. pp. 172, 302, third edition), but are now becoming rare; and Mr. More, in his excellent account of the birds of the Isle of Wight, doubts whether more than one or two pairs now annually breed in the Island.

Thus the Forest possesses in all seventy-two residents. The common buzzard, the merlin, the henharrier, the three owls, and as many woodpeckers, with the nuthatch and the stockdove, well indicate its woody and heathy character. Upon comparing this with Mr. More's list of the residents of the Isle of Wight, we find that the Forest possesses fourteen more than that Island. The principal additions consist, as might be expected, of the common buzzard, black-grouse, green and great and lesser spotted woodpeckers, common snipe, and woodcock, although by the way the last, to my knowledge, breeds in the Island, as also probably the little grebe.

The summer visitors are arranged by the date of the arrival of the main body, drawn partly from Mr. Rake's and my own observations. In a few cases, as a further criterion, I have given the dates of their nesting spread over the last four years.

. (Sylvia rufa. Lath.) Arrives about the middle and end of March. Common.

. (Sylvia ænanthe. Lath.) Follows very close after the chiffchaff; but the bird is scarce.

. (Hirundo riparia, Lath.) In 1862, Mr. Rake saw some specimens near Fordingbridge on March 15th, about a week earlier than usual.

. (Hirundo urbica, Lin.) Arrives with the sandmartin about the end of March, though sometimes both are seen a little earlier.

. (Hirundo rustica, Lin.)

. (Yunx torquilla, Lin.) Generally to be heard about the end of March and beginning of April. Known in the Forest as the "Little Eten bird;" and from its cry the "Weet bird." Mr. Rake both heard and saw one as late as Dec. 5, 1861.

. (Sylvia phœnicurus, Lath.) Beginning of April.

. (Œdienæmus crepitans, Tem.) It is possible that some may remain to breed.

. (Sylvia luscinia, Lath.) About the middle of May their nests are mostly found in the Forest.

. (Cuculus canorus, Lin.) May 26 and June 1 are the dates when I have found its eggs placed, in one case, at Baishley, in a hedge sparrow's, and in the other, on Beaulieu Common, in a titlark's nest.

. (Sylvia atricapilla, Lath.) Arrives about the beginning and middle of April.

. (Motacilla campestris, Pall.) Known in the New Forest as the "Barley bird," as it appears about the time barley is sown. Probably does not breed.

. (Sylvia locustella, Lath.) Breeds in the young plantations, but is by no means common.

. (Sylvia Phragmitis, Bechst.) Very scarce. 310