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 BIRDS 107. Greenland Falcon. Fako candlcans Q. F. Gmelin) The only record is that of Garner, who states that it has been 'shot in Beaudesert Park' (p. 271). 1 08. Peregrine Falcon. Fako peregrinus, Tun stall. The Rolleston Hall collection contains an adult female shot at Beaudesert, probably the bird referred to by Garner as having been killed there in 1841. An adult cock shot near Codsall in 1897 ' s now ' n the possession of Mr. Heathley of Stoke-on-Trent. 109. Hobby. Fako subbuteo, Linn. A scarce summer visitor, but has been ob- served several times. Garner's MS notes contain a reference to one shot in Needwood Forest in 1847. In 1883 Dr. McAldowie saw a hobby take a swallow on the wing at Han ford near Stoke (Birds of Staffordshire, p. 95), and in the Rolleston Hall museum is a specimen which was shot in June 1890. Judging from the date this bird may have been breeding in the neighbourhood. Mr. R. H. Read shot a hobby at Lee Head near Maer in the summer of 1 88 1 (Report North Staff's Field Club, 1894, p. 48). 110. Merlin. Fako eesalon, Tunstall. A few pairs still breed on the moorlands in the north of the county, and stragglers are occasionally observed in other parts. Garner records merlins from Needwood Forest, Tean and Burton, and the Rolleston museum con- tains one shot on 15 October 1853 ln the churchyard (Nat. Hist, of Tutbury, p. 34). Sir O. Mosley in the same work describes it as ' not infrequently seen,' and in the Derby Museum is a skin from the Blurton collection. One was shot in 1891 at Swythamley, where it breeds, and a nest with eggs was found ' some years ago ' at Newcastle-under-Lyme (Birds of Staffordshire, p. 95). 111. Kestrel. Fako tinnunculus, Linn. Fairly common and a partial migrant. Not so plentiful as formerly but still nests regu- larly. A most useful bird in helping to keep down mice and voles. 112. Osprey. Pandion haliaetus (Linn.) An occasional visitant. Garner mentions specimens shot at Stafford and Burton ' a few years back,' and Sir O. Mosley observed one at Rolleston in 1841 (Nat. Hist, of Tutbury, p. 33). In the summer of 1860 Mr. Brown saw one near Burton which was afterwards shot lower down the Trent (Fauna of Burton, p. 227). Mr. R. W. Chase has an immature female in his collection shot near Lichfield 26 September 1 88 1, and another was seen for a week at Copmere in October 1882 (Birds of Staffordshire, p. 96). In January 1893 one was shot at Sneyd Green near Burslem (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1894, p. 42). 113. Cormorant. Phalacrocorax carbo (Linn.) A straggler to Aqualate on several occasions and has also been observed in the Trent valley. Dickenson in 1798 notes it as 'fre- quently seen in winter about Aqualate mere.' Sir O. Mosley says one was seen on the Trent and Dove about 20 years previously to 1863, and that he saw one fishing in the Dove ' be- tween 30 and 40 years ago' (Nat. Hist, of Tutbury, p. 57). Mr. E. Brown records another killed at Burton in 1838 (Fauna of Burton, p. 110), and one was killed during the winter of 1885 at the same place (Natur- alist''! World]. There is also a specimen at Swythamley shot in 1872 (Birds of Stafford- shire, p. 97). 114. Shag or Green Cormorant. Phalacro- corax graculus (Linn.) One shot at Burton weir by Mr. Charles Hanson 'some years ago' (1893) (Birds of Derbyshire, p. 152). Three were seen at the same place in September 1902 (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1903). 115. Gannet or Solan Goose. Sula bassana (Linn.) According to Garner, ' Occasional on the Trent and Dove; Aqualate.' Sir O. Mosley (Nat. Hist, of Tutbury, p. 57) mentions one killed at Yoxall on 8 November 1853, and in the same work Mr. Brown says it has twice been killed within a few miles of Tut- bury (p. no), but probably one of these cases refers to the Yoxall bird. One shot near Grindon, 1899. On 4 August 1900 two were seen at Clifton flying down the Dove valley (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1901). 1 1 6. Common Heron. Ardea cinerea, Linn. Locally, Yarn (Dickenson), Heronshaw (Plot), obs. A resident in fair numbers. Dr. Plot writing in 1686 says, 'and of unusual birds frequenting the water here are also divers kinds, some of them cloven footed and pisci- vorous though they build their nests on the tops of trees; as the Ardea cinerea, or common heron or heronshaw whereof I saw divers sitting on the tops of the highest trees in Norbury Park." Garner in his supplement (1860) mentions nests at Swythamley, Trent-