Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/182

158 shot, and four or five "Wild Geese" being seen, but I know not of what species; and I have been unable to obtain statistics of the other species killed on this shooting. Of the more uncommon species, most of those killed were, as is usual, in immature dress; but a few of the Pochards were especially fine, both in flesh and feather. Consequent upon the presence of the Wildfowl several Peregrine Falcons were in attendance, and I was told that on one of the day's shooting three of these noble birds were visible at the same time, and, I need not say, that death was meted out to two or three during the season. As a proof how tenaciously this bird will cling to a spot where food is abundant, the following fact will illustrate:—In the early part of the season a Peregrine Falcon was observed on various occasions taking toll of the Teal, &c., and eventually it was caught in a trap placed near a partly devoured quarry; the Falcon, however, managed to escape, leaving one of its legs in the trap, broken high up into the feathered portion. But with all its mutilation it still haunted the same locality, and some six weeks or two months later, when the "stump"-leg was completely healed, it was shot almost on the same spot as it had been trapped. It does seem a sin to kill these grand birds, for who that has seen one dash like "a bolt from the blue" amongst a flock of Teal in mid-air, when the word "scatter" is weak to describe the commotion; or watched the manner in which the Falcon tries to prevent its quarry, be it Duck or Teal, from descending into the stream below—who, I say, can forget the occurrence, although the drama was performed in less time than it takes to describe it?— (Ringwood, Hants).

Rare Birds in Nottinghamshire.—Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor): When driving over the forest to Edwinstowe, on March 13th, I saw a Shrike on a thorn-bush in the heather, and, as it was under one hundred yards, Mr. Aplin and myself had a good view of it through our glasses. On leaving the carriage and walking towards it, it flew to another bush, and again to another; it had a low dipping flight.

Snow-Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis): Within two hundred yards from seeing the Shrike, we almost drove over a very beautiful specimen of this bird; the horse was within a few yards before it rose, when its beautifully marked plumage attracted our notice. We watched it for some time feeding on the road; it moved by short runs, then a shuffling sort of run-hop, it was very tame, and at last flew round the carriage and settled on the road behind. This is the first Snow-Bunting I have seen alive in this county.

Goosanders (Mergus merganser): The same afternoon we saw, amongst other Ducks on Thoresby Lake, seven of these fine Ducks, three of which were old males in grand plumage. I might add that there were many hundreds of Ducks, &c., on this fine sheet of water, which comprises ninety acres in the middle of a two-thousand-acre Deer-park.— (Rainworth Lodge, Notts).