THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESENTED BY PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID
LORD LILFORD ON BIRDS
s> ,
.
% ^
ORD LILFORD
ON
BIRDS
BEING A COLLECTION OF INFORMAL AND UNPUBLISHED WRITINGS BY THE LATE PRESIDENT OF THE BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION WITH CONTRIBUTED PAPERS UPON FALCONRY AND OTTER HUNTING, HIS .
FAVOURITE SPORTS
EDITED BY
AUBYN TREVOR-BATTYE M.A., F.L.S., ETC. MEMBER OF THE BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION
AND ILLUSTRATED BY
ARCHIBALD THORBURN
IIUTCHINSON & CO -* -* Paternoster Row 190 3
London:
PRINTED BV
WATSON AND VIN'EY, LONDON AND AYLKSBURY.
!KLL,
ID.
< '
i
PREFACE ORNITHOLOGICALLY divisions, each with
The
its
own
particular appeal.
would be
or seen
of careful work
but
;
any voyage
None of
the
a
surely add delightful
narrow
in the
such
this,
natural
of birds
lists
models only as
if
valuable,
beyond
recorder must
their
natural
three
into
falls
Mediterranean Journals with their
obtained
as
book
this
companion interest
to
sea.
has
history
been
out
left
;
the
Editor has only ventured to remove (as not in any way material to the record) the greater part of the weather with purely personal or social references.
log,
Although the
names of some of the diaries
birds
have
were written, they are
easily
ornithologist
well
position
systematic
in
the
as
they
great
stand
majority
:
of
it
has
and
the
changed
scientific
since
the
recognisable
by an
therefore
seemed
instances
to
leave
them
unaltered.
The
letters
on
his
own
countryside
Si3668''
are,
it
is
true,
,
vi
PREFACE
t
almost
entirely
concerned
but
day
living
creatures has
;
our
all
every
how
same
sure
hand
of
home
to
thought
welcome
a
run
who keep the
under
is
in
years
an
Notes
record
at
;
first
this
interchange
brought
sufficiently
has been
devoted
country,
to
of experiences among
living birds.
unless
letters,
of dates
order
if it
?
Aviary
the
these
aviarist
were
always given
seemed
often
has
stated,
not
are
They
it
;
otherwise
is
it
from Lilford Hall.
written
the
;
'
'
for
nothing else than
All
where
to
applies
of
ways
us by the reflection that a periodical
successfully
those
the
records such as
careful
ends
it
awaits
master
a
of
knowledge
one of unfailing interest
is
begins with Gilbert White,
The
small occurrences of
the
grown from
and the subject
these,
with
better
to
group them about the leading subjects with which they are concerned.
An
opinion entitled to great respect was expressed to
the Editor, that otter hunting and falconry, favourite
sports,
general reader
;
that otter hunting
'
*
need some
might
everybody's
sport
uncommonly
obtains
;
and that
that,
the
despatched with the spear.
was
a
still
therefore otter
more
ventured
hunting,
and
has
the
indeed,
otter
write
the
to
not, like fox-hunting,
is it
still
a
been fortunate
idea
not
barbarously
was pointed out,
The
pursuit.
to
Lilford's
introduction
Falconry,
restricted
himself
is
Lord
short in
Editor
has
account of obtaining
a
PREFACE
Earle Freeman. all
Nearly
volume at
from the pen of the Rev. Gage
of falconry
description
are
vii
1
of
studies
the
pictures
which
of individual birds
illustrate
in
the
this
collection
Lilford.
Our
thanks are rendered to Mr. E. G. B.
for his help in reading
Meade-Waldo
through the proof-sheets, and
his
kind interest in the preparation of the book. 1
have
Author of Falconry:
much
find in a
pleasure
in
letter written
its
History,
quoting
by Lord
in
this
and
Claims,
Lilford to Mr.
Freeman
"
You have done more to keep English falconers in than any man now living. No such practical work been written on falconry
Practice.
connection a
this century."
LORD LILFORD'S FAVOURITE FLOWER.
passage in 1895
the right as
We we :
way
yours has
LORD LILFORD'S PUBLISHED WORKS. Coloured Figures of the British Birds.
The
First Edition
of this work, which was issued in parts
by subscription, commenced in
April,
in
1891
'Edition'
1891.
was decided
it
to
1885, and the second
in October,
really a misnomer;
is
admit a further
(or
so)
of
the
the
and,
Editions
were
of
opinion
were
many good
judges,
and
Second
and
ending
the
running
identical,
These
appeared.
yet
Thenceforward
improved.
actually
had
plates in
set of subscribers
only some eighteen
(at rather a higher rate of subscription)
retouched
when
for
First
together
simultaneously.
Notes on the Birds of Northamptonshire
and Neighbourhood.
Some
This book was published in 1895. the form
in
already appeared
But besides these books Lord variety of
Certain
chance
the following
list
notes is
the
in
articles
e.g.,
1860.
Notes on
the
name
birds
provinces
of
Montenegro.
the
Albania
(see
the
Ibis,
are
and
omitted,
include
elsewhere.
otherwise
:
Ibis.
of the Hon.
observed
literary labours
Field
believed to be complete
In
Under
the
had
for private circulation.
Lilford's
Zoologist, in
it
of communicated papers
below) and some had been printed
a
parts of
in
Thomas
the
proper,
L. Powys.
Ionian Epirus,
Islands,
and
Acarnania,
Pages i-io, 133-140, 228-239.
the
and
LORD L1LFORUS PUBLISHED WORKS
x
i
Under
the
name
of Lord Lilford.
1862.
On
1865.
(Francolinus vulgaris, Steph.). 352-356. Notes on the ornithology of Spain, 166-177,
the
extinction
in
Ditto
navioides).
Europe
1866,
of
common
the
173-187,
V. (Aquila
pi.
377-392,
francolin
pi.
X. (eggs
of Aquila pennata and Cyanopica cooki). 1873.
Letter on Calandrella brachydactyla
1880.
Letter on Larus audouini and other Spanish birds.
1883.
Letter
1884.
Rare birds
in
1887.
Notes
Mediterranean
and Numenius hudsonicus.
98.
on Otis tarda and other Spanish on
Andalucia.
birds.
480-483.
233.
124.
261-283,
ornithology,
pi.
VIII.
(Falco punicus).
1888.
Preface
Dr.
to
H.
F.
H.
Guillemard's
notes of a tour in Cyprus," 1887. 1889.
A
1892.
Letter on Turnix nigricollis.
f
the birds of Cyprus.
Under
the
the
name
305-350. 466.
Zoologist.
of the Hon. T. L. Powys.
Occurrence of the smew (Mergus shire.
1850.
94.
"
n st
In
1850.
"Ornithological
albellus)
in
Northampton-
2775.
Nest and eggs of the rose-coloured pastor (Pastor
roseus).
2968.
1851.
Occurrence of the Caspian tern near Lausanne. Note on birds entrapped at a magpie's nest.
1851.
Occurrence of black grouse and quails in Northamptonshire.
1852.
Note on the
1852.
Occurrence of the black redstart near Oxford.
1851.
3209,3210. 3275.
3278. kite
and buzzard trapped
at
Blenheim. 3476.
3388.
LORD LILFOR&S PUBLISHED WORKS 1852.
xi
Occurrence of the ring dotterel (Charadrius hiaticula) near Oxford.
3476. ibis in Ireland.
1852.
Occurrence of the glossy
1852.
The
1852.
Occurrence of the blue-throated warbler (Sylvia
1852.
Occurrence of the pratincole (Glareola torquata)
1854.
Occurrence of various birds
1854.
Note
1855.
Occurrence of the bittern and goosander
shore lark (Alauda
alpestris)
3477.
Devonshire.
breeding in
3707-
South Devon.
shire.
on
in
3709.
Devon-
in
3710.
the
late
of
in Oxfordshire.
abundance
of the
4165.
spotted
crake
(Crex
4165.
porzana).
and
suecica)
the
red-throated
diver
in
in
Northamptonshire,
Sound.
Plymouth
4762. 1855.
Occurrence of Buonaparte's Irish coast.
1
86 1.
Note
on
the
Islands.
gull
(Larus Buonapartit] on the
4762, 4809. alpine
7352.
Under
the
chough
as
(In Ibis II.
name
of
observed
Lord
Lilford.
Purple gallinule in Northamptonshire.
252.
1879.
Green shag
1879.
Manx
1880.
White-fronted goose in Northamptonshire.
1880.
Solitary snipe in Northamptonshire.
1
88 1.
Northamptonshire.
426.
shearwater in Northamptonshire.
426. 66.
444.
Ornithological notes from North Northamptonshire.
1881.
Roseate tern on the Norfolk
1882.
Ornithological notes from Northamptonshire.
-coast.
24, 61.
26. 16,
392.
26.
1883. 1883.
Ionian
the
136.)
1877.
in
in
Note
on
the
ornithology
466-468, 502.
of
Northamptonshire.
425-429,
LORD LILIfORUS PUBLISHED WORKS
xii
1883.
Common
1884.
Notes
scoter inland.
on
the
495.
ornithology
of Northamptonshire.
192-194,
450-4551885.
Notes on the ornithology of Northamptonshire.
1885.
Hoopoe
1886.
Notes on the ornithology of Northamptonshire and neighbour-
1887.
Notes on the ornithology of Northamptonshire and neighbour-
in
Northamptonshire.
hood.
465-471.
hood. 1887.
A
181-183.
259.
249-254, 45 2 -457-
London.
puffin in
263.
1888.
Magpies
1888.
Pallas's
1888.
Notes on the ornithology of Northamptonshire and neighbour-
1889.
Hawks devouring
1889.
Notes on the ornithology of Northamptonshire and neighbour-
attacking a weakly donkey.
sand grouse
hood.
in Spain.
184.
301.
456-466.
hood.
their prey
on the wing.
185.
422-430.
1890.
Large race of great grey shrike.
1891.
Notes on the ornithology of Northamptonshire.
1892.
108.
41-53.
201-210.
,,
Grus
1892.
Variety of
1893.
Notes on the ornithology of Northamptonshire and neighbour-
hood
cinerea in Spain.
for 1892.
265.
89-97.
and Sussex.
1893.
Purple gallinules in Norfolk
1894,
Notes on the ornithology of Northamptonshire and neighbour-^
hood 1894
for
1893.
147.
210-221.
Pheasant nesting in a
tree.
266. Proc. Zool. Soc.,
London,
1881-1890. 1882.
Exhibition
of,
and remarks upon, a skin of Emberiza
caught at Elstree reservoir. 1888.
Exhibition
of a
Spain.
248.
rustica,
721.
specimen of Aquila rapax from Southern
LORD LILFORD'S PUBLISHED WORKS Mammalia. 1884.
In the Zoologist.
Notes on Mammalia of Northamptonshire.
1885.
Dormouse
1886.
Albino badgers.
1887.
A
1887.
The bank
in
Northamptonshire. 363.
few words on European bats.
61-67.
vole in Northamptonshire.
463.
1891.
342.
1892.
The
20,
1894.
Barbastelle in Northamptonshire.
1894.
Barbastelle in Huntingdonshire.
polecat in
For the above C.M.Z.S., of the
list
Northamptonshire.
the Editor
is
Scientific Library
Prince of Bulgaria, Sophia.
was published
in the
428.
257.
Hedgehog v. rat. 453. The polecat in Northamptonshire.
1890.
xiii
224.
187.
395.
indebted to Dr. Paul Leverkiihn,
and
Institution of
His compilation of Lord
H.R.H. The
Lilford's papers
Ornith. Monatsschrift des Deutschen
Schutze der Vogelwelt^ XXI., 1896, No.
9, pp.
Vereins z.
262-264.
NOTE. The "
full
Coloured
volume,
is
title
of
Figures of
Lord the
Lilford's British
" Coloured Figures of
well-known book, always spoken of as and so referred to throughout this
Birds,"
the Birds of the British Islands."
CONTENTS CHAP
PAGE
LORD LILFORD'S PUBLISHED WORKS INTRODUCTION
I.
II.
........
THE SURROUNDINGS OF LORD LOCAL OBSERVATION
.
.
.
.
.
4
.11 36
......
90
IV.
NOTES ON ILLUSTRATIONS
VII.
.
.
i
....
PONDS, PADDOCKS, AND AVIARIES
VI.
HOME.
LILFORD'S
III.
V.
ix
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, AND SHOOTING NOTES FROM MEDITERRANEAN JOURNALS
.
.
.
98
.
.
146
TRIBUTES TO KNOWLEDGE, KINDNESS, AND SYMPATHIES
247
APPENDIX
I
272
APPENDIX
II
.
.
.
.
.
.
293
ILLUSTRATIONS LORD LILFORD
IN HIS
STUDY
Frontispiece
FISHING ON THE NENE
Facing page
4
STUDIES OF BIRDS IN THE COLLECTION AT LILFORD HALL THE TAME LAMMERGEIERS
Facing page
32
THE PINETUM
,,58
SANKEY AND GRIP
,,82
GOLDEN EAGLE'S NEST
IN
THE AVIARY
TRAINED GOSHAWK ON THE
...
,,94
FIST
,,114
HOBBY, WITH LEASH AND BLOCK
,,132
STANLEY'S ,CRANE
,,170
RUFFS FIGHTING
,,184
FLAMINGOES IN THE AVIARY POND
....
196
THE GREAT SKUAS
GREENLAND FALCON
,,214
,,
234
CORRIGENDUM Page
83.
Five lines from foot: for "are pendulous, and
have no
aftershaft
"
substitute
"are pendulous
but single, having no aftershaft."
LORD LILFORD ON BIRDS INTRODUCTION THOMAS LITTLETON,
1867 he was elected President of the
In
1833.
fourth Baron Lilford, was born in British
Ornithologists' Union, a position which he held until his in
death,
For
here.
said
history
of
the
written
by
one
this
That sister's
But in
Lilford
Lord
whose on
title
the
word, a
is
has
Lilford the
to
intimate
that need
all
biography
necessarily stands
affection,
the
;
long
years
in
acquired
a
large
was
memories
clear.
of
the
chair
store
of
of
an
exact
invalid,
and
less
Lord
absolute
must needs have for inquirers
same
too great to be missed.
a value
a
alone.
knowledge, which field
been
already
task
be
personal
days of his travels and activity, and no
in the
those
not
is
late
built
picture,
a
in
Such,
1896.
in
the
His, too, was a keen enthusiasm and a wide kindness
of heart
;
his
constant daily endeavour was to encourage
and (quite humbly and simply) to help others through what he himself had learnt. The more widely could he have been helpful the better would
interest in living creatures
.INTRODUCTION
2
have
been
assurance
that
he
It
pleased.
the
have
letters
the
in
is
been
of
certainty
this
which
contributed
herein appear.
The as
present
sportsman
own
in his
hands
command, kind
this
is,
also,
but primarily as naturalist
then, of
whose
words
been
has
it
may
till
very
now
gain, perhaps,
Be
revealed
was
graciousness
delayed
;
their
book of
yet a
not lose, in the perspective
may, all pains bestowed task are but an imperfect measure of the Editor's
that a few years give.
upon
his
true
admiration
this as
it
and grateful
for
memory
charming of naturalists and kindest of
We
as naturalist
Entrusted to the Editor's
informal writings.
with
Lord Lilford
book
should not
visit
him
at
Lilford
of
most
this
friends. till
we have been
with him in the Mediterranean which was his inspiration, or
we
miss the key to his later interests.
shall
For abroad.
this reason are
The
diaries
given parts of his old diaries when
were recorded on a yacht, the
letters
were written with crippled fingers which scarce could hold a pen.
These
strictly natural history extracts give necessarily
but an imperfect impression of
Though
all
them used
how
the letters really ran.
spontaneous and unstudied, those to think
who
them something more than
received
clear
:
they
seemed marked by a simple grace of diction which gave them a distinction quite their own. Our duty has been to pass on to others a naturalist's thought and work, and we have attempted nothing more. Yet,
as
one looks again over these pages,
one
cannot
INTRODUCTION wonder how
but
much
also
may
they
3
perhaps convey
of Lord Lilford's character and personality to those
know
did not
One
him.
cannot
tell
;
he was too
who little
self-conscious ever to pose, ever to attempt self-portraiture.
There were no mannerisms, seize
upon
'
'
for
genius
keen, accomplished
;
and with that one thing we
My
life-history
been an
idler,
anything
else,
the
lesson
consists
others."
in
is
I
that
the
the
good
real
that
will
end
In
To
Mrs.
the letters
all
:
summed
fear,
my own amusement
than
learned,
value
have,
by physical
of existence
we may Owen
I
I
up.
be
1
1
to
writes but one thing of himself,
soon
have
eccentricities
he was a sane, single-hearted,
devoted more to till
or
English gentleman.
we have had before us he "
conceits,
Visger.
able
suffering,
here to
below
do
for
CHAPTER
The Surroundings THE
Home
of Lord Lilford's
work of Lord
and
life
I
Lilford
was to
so
an extent inseparably related to his home, that to
necessary
view of a
The
town
nearest
way between in
this
from the point of
of any pretensions
Lilford
to
is
on the Midland Railway, about halffor Lilford Kettering and Peterborough lies
;
the north-west corner of Northamptonshire, on the
borders of what was once the
of
idea
great
seems
visitor.
Oundle, which
is
some
give
it
valley
of
the
river
Rockingham Nene,
which,
Forest. rising
It
is
near
in
the
Haddons, runs the length of the county, and crosses the to enter junction of Lincoln, Norfolk and Cambridge the Wash.
"Ours," c<
is
writes
Lord
a deep, slow-moving,
Lilford
(August
muddy, weedy
pike, perch, eels, roach, carp, tench, dace,
chubb, bleak and gudgeon, and 1
To
the Rev.
5th,
stream, producing
bream,
ruff,
very rarely a trout."
Canon
1860)
Tristram.
rudd,
LORD LILFORD'S HOME And "
:
never saw or heard of a barbel in any part of the
I
certainly not
Nene, I
again (January 23rd, 1889)
5
more or
own,
brooks
tributary
some twelve
less,
in
;
of Lilford, as
the neighbourhood
in
father's
my
of river and
miles
time
the
domain
systematically dragged for the whole length of our
February and March, and
in
inch of
it
have bottom-fished every
I
with every variety of bait at various times of
1840 and 1888, and never caught,
year between
of a
heard
was
river
barbel
in
:
I
believe
fish
except
fact,
produces every English river
seen, or
our
that
barbel,
river
grayling,
and possibly one or two fishes of the family Salmonid*. Perch have perhaps increased in number in our river, but In
my
2 Ibs.
and
certainly diminished in average size very palpably.
early
we used
days
fishing
to
catch
many of
but and 3-pounders were not very rare exceptional now to catch a perch of I Ib." over,
;
Northamptonshire
is
commonly spoken of
rather uninteresting county it
is
;
it
is
full
of charm.
and
but about Lilford, at any
rate,
and
is
closely
characteristically It
a
is
probably
its
botany
almost
and a
we
not very distinctive,
To
hilly
Dr. Albert Giinther.
is
country,
With
are not acquainted
;
though henbane
grows there (and not only on rubbish-heaps). 1
such
as
singularly fine timber.
the botany of this neighbourhood is
If not conspicuously
English,
rolling,
wooded with
quite
as a flat
neither the one nor the other.
striking,
is
it
Bladderwort
is
(Utricularia\ too,
found
and' bladderwort, as a gives
backwater of the Nene
natural! trap
for
organisms,
living
though not in reality very large, by means of sunk fences cunningly
at Lilford,
appears to be so
for,
;
merges insensibly into the surrounding country. supports some three hundred head of fallow deer. it
set,
;
to any stream.
interest
The park
in a
It
But the glory of the park is its growth of trees. One does not often see in the same area so many noble trees of
The elms
different kinds as here.
the chestnuts, as
fine
Lilford
;
it
Northamp-
have attained magnificent proportions, and
tonshire trees
as
characteristic
and oak are not
ash, beech
can
The box grows
be.
from being
far
strongly
at
appears to do there almost as well as on
its
they
forms a hedge on either side of the road that brings you to the gates, and gives a warm look
native chalk
to the coverts.
went
It
hills.
But
a visitor
to
Lilford, especially
if
he
May, would probably bear away with him memory of the hawthorns more than all of these, and
the
late
in
he would be right.
In
many
places
park and forest lands, thorns with seen
old giants these, but
in
England, in
larger
boles
may
old
be
commonly stunted and going
But very seldom do thorns run up so high as at Lilford, or fall over from the top so gracefully, or reach
back.
so
low and
far
with the
tips
of their
fingers,
and with
such a foam of bloom.
A is
country like
this,
of hollow elms and old oak woods,
always a favoured one for tree-loving birds
though, alas
!
LORD LILFORD'S HOME
7
they are not always protected with so strong a hand and
The
such loving interest as here.
and capricious bird long waited "Till 1
writes,
"
the
in its choice of
but nested here
for,
hawfinch, always a local
spring
of
we only knew
the
a breeding-place,
was
at last.
Lord Lilford
1870,"
year
the hawfinch in the neighbourhood
of Lilford as an occasional, and by no means a common,
On
winter visitor.
April 4th of the year just
named
I
observed some half-dozen or more of these birds haunting the old thorn bushes on our lawn for
some
days, but in spite of minute
most
in the
they remained about
;
and protracted search
we could not
likely localities
discover that they
attempted to nest with us, and they had
A
before the middle of April.
undoubtedly bred
not far
constantly observed
some of
garden.
and
In
off,
or
pair
all
disappeared
more, however,
July and August
for in
the species about our kitchen
very severe weather of December,
the
I
1870
1871, we were visited by very large flocks of haw-
finches
;
and
since
the
date
last
named some of
these
birds have nested regularly about our pleasure-grounds,
have become only too well cottagers
from
their
known
constant
and
to
and
our gardeners and
serious
depredations
amongst the green peas and other vegetables." Curiously enough, as against the establishment of hawfinches there 1
was
a
gradual falling off in the numbers of
The Birds of Northamptonshire,
i.,
185.
THE SURROUNDINGS OF
8
green
woodpeckers, a bird
was well adapted. possibly
connected
winters,
which
much
with
a
these
regarded of
the
birds
in
note upon them
" In the
Lord
first
but was severe
numbers as
ground, the
by they
other
hand,
parts of England
commonest
the
has
Lilford
district
very
great
many
Lilford
at
is
and
;
of
On
of doing.
habit
rare,
three
explain,
recurrence
the lesser spotted woodpecker, in as
to
difficult
the
habits
from feeding on the
the
in
is
kill
preventing them are
This
whose
to
this
species
interesting
l :
sunny days of February, and sometimes
even
earlier,
the
trees
closely
surrounding Lilford, often proceeding from
noise
produced by this species may be heard amongst the tall elms and other loud,
two or three birds intervals
noise
is
at the
from daylight
observation a
nor
is
it
formerly imagined, by in
crack
a
of
hammering or tapping follow.
till
From
dusk.
On
a
long
ourselves
calm
food,
has
as
close
that
this
the
rapid
rotten
vibration of the
bird's
but
wood,
or
supposed others
with
may
simply
human
action which the
day,
been
often
we with many
as
produced,
breeze, the sound then produced
a
light,
by
a
eye cannot
favouring
be heard at a distance
of quite half a mile, or even more." 1
and
at
and has nothing to do with intentional
of insect
and stated;
beak
same moment, and continued
we long ago convinced call,
disturbance
jarring
The Birds of Northamptonshire,
i.,
271.
LORD LILFORD'S HOME much
But,
more
still
the
to
owes to
as Lilford
and from the
woodlands,
This stream
Nene.
river
its
and by
highway
to
to visit
or stay near Lilford's coverts in
flying high
come from
way
follow
air,
over
sea,
inland
it
as
owes
it
a direct
is
come many
it
Perhaps the
seas.
9
and park.
birds
Some,
when they hobbies come that clue
a
they appear in the Lilford woods about the middle
:
of May, to lay their eggs in the old nests of the magpie or the carrion crow waits
the
for
concealment also
for the
Scandinavia in
hobby
of
is
a wise
woods
little
falcon,
and
make
in
leaf
to
Probably the redwings
and
fieldfares
clothing
sure.
an
keep
;
the
on the river when they cross from the autumn, and visit for food the Lilford eye
thorns.
Sandpipers
and
valley as
they come
south.
curlew
also
The
follow
river
the
Nene
in
many
brings
wildfowl, and from time to time an individual or two
uncommon
of an
Bewick's
January 1876 sixteen
thus, in
species:
swans came down near Lilford, and
for several
days
;
while
remained
the tufted duck, pochard,
and golden-eye are on the
list
of winter
scaup,
visitors.
Apropos of the different behaviour of wildfowl on the l wing, Lord Lilford writes :
"
I
(the
would place
noticed a peculiarity in the habits of this
gadwall)
at
the
sunset flight
circle cautiously several
before settling, the 1
teal
:
the
whilst
species
mallards
times around their feeding-
come dashing
The Birds of Northamptonshire,
ii.,
in
175.
over
the
LORD LILFORD'S HOME
io
tops of the reeds, and the shovellers drop in
small
parties,
the
gadwalls
came
straight
quietly
in
over at a con-
and without any preliminary circumvolualways turned suddenly and came pouring in from
siderable height, tion,
the direction opposite to that of their
first
approach."
These observations were made while sporting
in Epirus.
CHAPTER
II
Local Observation THE
letters
which follow speak for themselves.
They
are
instinct with the spirit of the old first-hand observers, the
of Gilbert White.
spirit
Remarks on the weather, on
the
hay crop, on spring and autumn migrations are followed
by observations on particular
ments with
little
the success of experi-
birds,
owls, or encouragement to friends
away
abroad.
He
was indeed the good genius of every would-be
ornithologist, generously giving, out of his great
knowledge
and experience, help and information on even the smallest points.
Anybody who heard
egg, saw bird
a '
'
fad
" write
doubtful or
a
species
new
bird " Lilford
Lord
a ;
'
new
note,
found
a
strange
anybody who had cause
'
came
to
a
new
him.
To
seemed to such persons as " inevitable as to others to write to the 'Times." And for all
his
with
to
shrewdness of folly
and
intellect, sense
gift
endeavour underlay
it,
of
satire,
of humour, impatience
ignorance,
was never rebuffed.
if
the
right
Such kindness
brought him an increasing volume of chance correspondence
;
LOCAL OBSERVATION
12
answered, unless he
yet his letters were always promptly
were absolutely
back on his
in
ill
bed.
It
is
and having even
this,
a
correspondence before one, to
such work,
have
so
minutely
look
to
very small fragment of reflect
on the resolution
and conscientiously
As was but
entailed.
now
wonderful
most regular himself, were keepers
natural,
correspondents were those who, like
done, must
his
of birds, or naturalists travelling in his old haunts.
"July
" Birds of at
kinds are numerous here this year, but
two-thirds of a wonderful hatch of partridges are
least
We
drowned. small
all
ibth, 1888.
have
number of
at least
swifts,
three times our usual
and the small waders,
lesser
very white-
throats, willow wrens, chifFchaffs, sedge and reed warblers
are in very great force. landrails."
The meadows
swarming with
are
*
"/ufy 31 j/, 1888. " is
The
finest
virtually
hatch of partridges on record in these parts
and a
crop
has
are passing over every night,
and
extinct,
fair
hay
gone
the
same way. "
Waders on
for
another week we
shall
have
if
the rain
many
snipes,
whimbrels, and possibly a ruff or two. " 2 tern and green sandpiper have already appeared.'
Black
goes
spotted
rails,
1
2
To To
E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. the same.
LOCAL OBSERVATION "
"
I
am
13
October \\th, 1888.
exceedingly obliged to you for yours of the I3th,
and the interesting information therein contained,
as well
on the sand-grouse in the Spurn district. do not know of one of these wanderers having been
as for the paper f'
I
killed in this
have good authority neighbourhood of three together,
for the appearance in this
and two
solitary
feet
my
The
Fieldfares,
woodcock
first
the
i8th,
I
of some twenty
felts
1
Bournemouth, October 315 f, 1888.
positively seen
first
than
earlier
September 29th.
I
of these passed
hanging from the weight of the clay adhering."
on October
"
first
informant within fifteen yards, with
"
"
I
The
individuals.
over the head of its
but
this year,
county
grey crow
in
any
near Lilford was
on October
ist.
record,
on
previous
have authentic information of a flock in
Cambridgeshire on September 5th.
have heard of the great
on several of the reservoirs
in
crested grebes
the
breeding
southern division of
our county for some years, and latterly on a large pond in
in
the
northern
Rutland."
division,
and
also
close
to
our frontier
2
"December cc
igth, 1889.
This has been a very peculiar autumn, in
extraordinary
of sharp frost
mildness. in
many 1 2
We
had snow and
places,
but
To John Cordeaux, To the same.
a
its
average
few
days
now foggy mornings, Esq.
H
LOCAL OBSERVATION
and generally bright, sunny afternoons.
I
have not heard
of any great number of woodcocks anywhere, but it has been a good autumn for visitors on the east coast. I
have heard of redbreasted fly-catchers, ortolans,
and
common
invasion of in
There was
several two-barred crossbills.
for
woods on the
coast
thousands, and
a great
Gibraltar
at
previously
where he was shooting,
A
Lilford alive on
Buffon's
November
L
windows and
far,
of
Campo de
the
tells
me
that all
skuaf was picked up near
st
and sent to me." "
have so
tens
in
Malaga, where they were There was a great catch
at
unknown.
but
all
in
many appeared
and
Seville
were small birds.
I
and Andalucia
the
;
of hawks at Valkenswaard,* but
"
a marvellous
King of Portugal told me three days they were passing over some pine
September and October
that
in Portugal
crossbills
fire-crest,
by living upstairs
a very big fireplace,
in a
January
J
6th, 1891.
room with double
managed
to keep myself,
Madeira blackcap, and one of the genus Andalucian Turnix, J which ornithologists nickname the
a
hoopoe,
a
'
1 To E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. * Valkenswaard a village in North Brabant
has long been
a
hawks when on passage, by means of See article on Falconry later on in this book.
favourite place for the capture of
decoys and a bow-net.
t Buffon's Skua (Stercorarius parasiticus). a
of
group
gained Buffon's \
the gulls,
known (from
their
by pursuit and robbery of other is
The
a characteristic Arctic species. quails.
This bird belongs to livelihood
gulls)
as
being largely 'robber gulls.'
LOCAL OBSERVATION hemipode,' in very small fishes find ashore,
in
so
it
good
health.
Burghley
piscivorous birds."
I
much
should very
principal object in view
my
female,
fear
I
it
like to is
a
me
me two
the
jump
baskets
l
"
u
tells
water that they
cold in the
proof of which he has brought
my
for
full
fair
15
December 17 th, 1891.
have your
otter,
mate and playfellow
would break her heart
to
but as for
my
part with him
must decline your offer with many thanks. I hear of very few woodcocks (we never have many) hereOur valley has been abouts, and singularly few snipes. again, so that I
more or
We
less
under water since the middle of October.
have had a good many ducks, and, for us, an unusual of teal. No end of fieldfares a good many arrived
lot
;
in September,
about
six
weeks
earlier
than usual."
2
"February 17 th, 1892.
"
You
for after
are
some
doing better out of
this
country at present
ten days of lovely mild weather, with
pigeons cooing, rooks building, and thrushes in
full
;
woodsong,
on Monday last, I5th, we had a fall of six inches of snow on the level, and last night the thermometer in our kitchen garden registered 30 degrees Gibraltar, etc.,
Cork Woods,
are delightful,
and
of
Sierra del I
am
frost.
The Campo de
Nino, Plaza de Levante,
very glad that you enjoyed
your three days there. 1
2
To To
the Rev.
W.
Willimott.
E. G. B. Meade- Waldo, Esq.
i6
" alive
am
I
very anxious to have some of the marsh owls
they ought to be breeding now."
;
"
"
I I
last.
May
igth, 1892.
have only been out of the house once since October am told that most of our spring birds are here in
very unusual numbers, and most of them earlier than usual.
A
if
pair,
not two, of
off safely at
no great
little
owls have taken their young
distance.
We
have a great
many
hawfinches nesting close to the house, and a nest of longeared owl and snipe (both deserted) have been found for the
time
first
in
my
recollection
in
this
immediate
l
neighbourhood."
"May "
I
have not heard recently ot any
distance,
am
and of no
nests at
little
2isf, 1892.
owls * at a
more than two miles from
this.
two nests of tawny owls with the young still in Can them, and we have seven or eight barn owls sitting. I
told of
you spare me any young long-eared them at large here. "
A
nest
yesterday
hard to
;
*
little
the bird
find.
about sixteen
1
of
A
is
?
I
want
to establish
woodpecker was found on our lawn
common
enough, but the nest
is
very
on competent authority miles from us on the 2nd, and I hear of kite
was
identified
To E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. The Little Owl (Athene noctua), a
Lord Continental species. birds. of these many
Lilford [see later] liberated at different times
LOCAL OBSERVATION
17
" a " gurt ork * (not a great auk) recently seen at about the same distance in
another direction."
l
11
September 6th, 1892,
"These summer excursions and and
very remarkable
are
but
the
an
is
(curvirostra)
way
is
neighbourhood
The
unaccountable.
exceedingly rare bird
which
in
incursions of crossbills
We
always had, and I numbers of goldfinches
have
hawfinches
caution
a
am in
in
glad this
district,
"
Your
Rope Hill we had at
to
still
county,
our
gardeners. have, great
where agriculture
has never advanced since the Restoration." "
this
colonised
and warning to say,
crossbill
2
October toM, 1893.
mention of the abundance of hawfinches is
me
to
least ten
very remarkable,
as,
although
last
at
year
or a dozen nests about our lawn and
pleasure grounds, this year
we could not
discover one, and
the birds were, comparatively, very scarce at pea-time.
" a
With
the exception of redwings, which arrived about
fortnight earlier
but
a
great
tide
and our beech chaffinches,
of
pipits,
than usual, has
trees
set
in
are full
all
our migrants are
during
the
last
late
;
few days,
of travelling woodpigeons,
and some bramblings, whilst flock after flock and peewits are linnets, skylarks, starlings
S.W. up our
passing to the 1
8 8
To To To
3
valley."
E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. the same.
the same. * Great hawk.
1
LOCAL OBSERVATION
8
Note from " Aviary Record."
"January *
from
out thatch
pulling
viridis]
Green
1894:
lo/A,
woodpecker (Gednus roof
of schoolhouse,
Lilford (Edwards)."
"December
"
We
hood
this
have scarcely any hawfinches in our neighboursummer, and I have heard of very few during
the autumn. irregular,
are
they
\1th, 1894.
Before 1870 we looked upon them as very
but occasionally abundant winter visitors
sometimes
scarce after the
extremely
abundant
month of September." "
" Three
little
were brought to before yesterday
;
me from
this
me
alive
breeders,
now and
*
January
auks, one of them
;
26th,
captured by
1895.
a
cat,
neighbourhood the day two were picked up in the county, and
one of them brought to
about October I3th
ult.,
heard of another found just over our frontier in and tells me of two in G. L Beds about the same time. I
New
the
me
of the "
of
The
Forest on '
Monday
auk-storm
'
last.
H
Doctor
on the Yorks
coast.
only other remarkable birds that
I
have heard
neighbourhood are bimaculated duck, or drake, on our decoy, on 2ist as
1
*
occurring
To
recently
in
I
this
told
my ult.,
E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq.
The Green Woodpecker
is
other woodpeckers, often seeking
purely tree bird than our food (ants, etc.) on the ground.
less of a its
This bird was probably looking for insects.
LOCAL OBSERVATION smews on our
three
river,
waxwing female, shot
a
at
19
near the house
Brington on 2ist inst." "April
We
"
down
had not much snow
many dead
of
few
here, but
below zero on several nights.
to
birds
week, and
last
l
2$th,
1895.
the glass
went
did not hear
I
found here, except starlings and a
fieldfares.
"
We
seldom
have
many song
thrushes
the
after
beginning of November, but two came constantly to be fed.
There
no doubt that
is
this species
has suffered
more than
any of our
common
song, and
only hear of some half-dozen nests about our
I
as
pleasure grounds, to
five
"
I
have only once heard
I
usual
a
against
average
its
of twenty-
thirty.
do
not
diminution robins
birds.
perceive
our
amongst
or
hear
about any
blackbirds,
but
noticeable
starlings
and
remarkable for their comparative scarcity just
are
now. "
We
had a great many fowl about the middle of
the
frost
few
teal, pintail,
mallard,
wigeon, pochard, ten tufted ducks, a
and three smews
pinkfooted (?) geese. occurrences
were
possession 1
*
To John
;
those
eight
of
a
great
ornithological
northern
in
December, and
whoopers
* that remained
diver is
that
now
here
in
for
Cordeaux, Esq.
The Whooper Swan (Cygnus ferus\
in Iceland.
only one small lot of
The most remarkable
was killed near Northampton
my
;
a winter visitor which breeds
LOCAL OBSERVATION
ao
t
March i6th-i7th, and
two days, 1
8th id."
a
"May "
any sort hereabouts.
tawny owl but we
"Our
true that almost in
the
are
The
now
cirl
all
fall
our favourite
of March 24th,
and plenty of the owls. Here but I have known of four.
swift appeared yesterday,
birds
I
is
in,
is
remember seeing
all
our regular hobby, and
turtle-dove,
except
bunting
and
unknown
almost
several one
Southampton and Hamble, and at
$rd, 1895.
left,
the rule,
is
first
nightjar.
It
were uprooted
trees
have some
three eggs
county.
on
cannot even hear of an occupied nest of owl of
I
spring
killed
grey-hen
1
the
in
summer between
used
to
see
them
2
Hythe." "April
a
zoth,
1892.
most friendly and obliging of you to give me the very welcome news of the kites' nest in your county,* and I sincerely hope that your most praiseworthy efforts may be rewarded by your having the I
take
satisfaction in
the
air.
it
as
of seeing some I
or eight kites circling
wish there was a chance of the return of
fine bird to its ancient
this
seven
haunts in the great woodlands
To E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. To the same. * The Common Kite (Milvus ictinus), once the scavenger of London, now only just not extinct in this country. Not many years ago 1
2
is
several were wantonly slaughtered as Mr. Phillips informs us,
in
a
Welsh
district,
but a single bird remains.
where now,
LOCAL OBSERVATION of
this
was
still
common."
tolerably
remember
can just
I
country.
21
"January
"I am much
am case
Inverness-shire."
in
i$th, 1893.
have your experience about
Wales through the year
in
it
obliged to you for yours of nth, and
very glad to
remaining
when
the days
l
this
:
the
kites
not
is
the
2
"January 24^, 1895. "
do not think the kites
I
young
that
probable a
fresh
In
my
red
pair
they
of
the
limits
a
kite,
of
radius
a
but
to the
new
500
Thanks very much
very glad
that
call
the
Lake of
eagles.
the
All
you
loch
we seldom found
of half a
dozen
600 yards."
or
for
below the I
3
of
nest
a
nests,
yours
your
To To To
lodge,
to
2$th,
1895.
2ist.
I
the same.
am
beloved
my
Loch'n
as
yet
arrived
E. Cambridge Phillips, Esq. the same.
perhaps
3
of the visit
in
We
used
Sheillach
grieve to hear of four stuffed
our spring birds
2
district.
of the same species.
of another
enjoyed
the Willows.
1
quite
building of
old haunts in Glentromie and Guich so much. to
is
of their hunting
"April "
it
on the other hand, we often found
colonies
scattered
within
mile
away the
drive
birth,
their
might object
within
within
black
small
year
experience in Spain
kite
The
the
during
would
are
pretty
22 well
to
up
their
There
are,
nesting
in
am
I
have a good many
good many from Green Bank. of redshanks assured, two pairs
and
here,
plovers' eggs
We
average dates. a
Achurch meadow, but the eggs
undiscovered. " That
are
as
yet
1
hill-fox
is
hunting
that your party will kill
cubs south for sale
all
alive.
I
bad fun, and
not
I
hope
of them, and not send any be very glad indeed
shall
if
you can find a nest of goosanders* and send me one or I two eggs don't take them all. should very much ;
some young mergansers
like also
have
will
you
among
goosanders tree.
to
watch tree
alive.
close
very
I
suspect
find
to
a
that
nest
of
roots near water, or in a hollow
2
" Four golden plovers black
waistcoats,
Achurch and do not lay
have
St. Peter's till
in
summer plumage, with
full
been
meadow
some
for ;
haunting
days'
but these golden plovers
May, and of course
the chances of their
doing so are very small, f but whatever their intentions
may
be,
they
are
evidently
paired,
and
apparently *
1
3
*
To To
Walter M. Stopford, Esq. the same.
The Goosander (Mergus
serrator]
merganser} and
the
Merganser (M.
belong to the tooth -billed division of the ducks,
mandibles have a
saw -edge
a provision
i.e.,
their
designed to enable them
on which they feed. They nest on the lochs the north of Scotland, where the former is by far the rarer bird to catch the fish
in
of
the two.
t The
Golden
Plover
moorlands and high, open
(Charadrius hills.
phtvialis)
nests
on
high
LOCAL OBSERVATION desert
unwilling
to
have
weather,
fine
friends
their
with
the
We
peewits.
but
sun,
bright
23
cold
bitterly
winds. "
damage done by the hurricane thousand times worse than here, and it
hear that
I
Norfolk
is
a
the
woeful enough here. " If your goosanders are not mergansers, do
all
in is
you
can to find a nest, as but few have been found in Great
The mergansers
Britain.
the Highlands. " The first
breed in
all
suitable localities in
pheasant's egg in the pens
there have been
'
wild
'
ones for the
last
yesterday
but
;
week or more.
" Siskins ought to nest on Speyside. "
The Boughton keeper
me
of a sparrow-hawk
woodcock there on the 9th."
a
taking
tells
*
/
"May " just
A
pair of herons built a big nest in Piper's spinney
above Braunsea bridge, but they have not yet herons have young on wing before
Well-regulated
The 3rd.
6th, 1895.
last
All
in spring birds
arrival
others are
in
except
was
a turtle-dove
butcher
bird,
laid
!
this.
on the
hobby and
There are no end of nightingales ; very few numerous corncrakes ; a good sprinkling song thrushes of cuckoos, tree pipits, chirFchaffs and more wood nightjar.
;
;
warblers
than
I
1
2
ever
To To
knew
of
before."
Walter M. Stopford, Esq. the same.
LOCAL OBSERVATION
24
"
"
I
am
my
and eggs of wood warblers that
two
this
pairs within
he cannot find
a
these
collectors
in
heaths
commons, and,
or
no ornithological " We have a
parts,
owls sitting
in
much
because
probably far
as
is
troubled by
we have no
from the nest."
crop of barn owls, but not quite so
a
wild
What do you state
?
I
have
say about the male
known of more
The
Field
is
black-throated the
ditto, shot
l
"January
"
known,
generally
one instance of a tawny male, and scops,
than
that
specialities.
fine
tawnies as usual.
many
me
assures
just hereabouts),* but that are not
as
one of
only
distance of this house
a short
We
nest.
bird
this
common
(they are by no means
The
morning.
who knows
here
people
there are
hand
to
safely
1887.
you for your very which reached me here yesterday, and
for the very perfect nest
came
2 tfh,
to
obliged
exceedingly letter,
interesting
June
only
diver
unusual
recorded
bird
that
by
has
2ist,
me
1896.
in
last
occurred
to
knowledge in the district of late. We had thousands of fieldfares, and our usual number of redwings about our average of woodcocks (a very small one), hardly any
my
;
snipe,
"
and no wild-fowl except mallard,
The woodpigeon malady of
in
any number.
diseased primary feathers
1 To E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. * Because the Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix)
loving species.
is
a beech-
LOCAL OBSERVATION was
noticeable
very
few acorns,
the
but
here,
have
survivors
25
devoured
having us
left
some
for
the time.
Hawfinches and storm thrushes have been very scarce." "August "
1
1888.
$rd,
took two very young hobbies * yesterday
My falconer
from a big nest in a tall oak tree about 150 yards from that out of which he took three on July 28th in 1886 and
The
1887.
woodman
were hatched
kestrels
that
of
down-clad, except tips
was a woodpigeon's
same
tree
as
this
These two young
ever saw for their age
I
nest,
tail
the hobbies."
have
I
been an in
had
a
a fight
some high
I
was
with a pike, and the trees,
and
I
nest
the
are
There
feathers.
small
young, in
the
:
glimpse of what
osprey here, but
year's
birds
"September
"
young
they are entirely
;
and wing
with two
four
that
and flew from
in,
about six weeks ago. largest
averred
saw
it
at
the
6th,
believe
I
1891.
have
to
moment engaged
bird disappeared
no more."
behind
3
"
September
"
I
only
know
hatched out this 1
2 3
*
positively of
one brood of
summer hereabouts
To E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. To the same. To the same. The Hobby (Falco subbuteo). This
visitor
to
Britain,
ak-trees, in
which
;
6th, 1892.
little
we have every
reason,
a
summer
little
falcon
is
arriving after the appearance of the leaf it
usually nests.
owls
on the
LOCAL OBSERVATION
26
come
short of certainty, to believe that another lot have off successfully.
"
have a pair of young bearded vultures flying
I
hack.*"
"June
"
had no idea
I
now
ernes f I
hand, their
nesting in our islands
left
ears
for an
to losing their right
and
osprey,
their
You may I
sitting
on
five
this
many of
B
and told curious
1 2 3
*
To To To
me to
fifth
me
that
these birds during
nest of which
I
3
"
December
I'jth,
1894.
was here for a few hours on Saturday,
of your redwing-killing a
'
(
raptor
with
kestrel.
such
It
is
only
comparatively
E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. the same. E.
Young
Cambridge
them by the
on Falconry
Phillips,
Esq.
falcons, before being taken into training, are allowed to
live at liberty so
for
the
is
have had positive information."
--
little
eggs in a hollow tree not far
have turned out a great
T
zofh, 1892.
be interested in hearing that we have a
the past few years, and
"
noses for
2
owl (Athene] off.
1892.
but, three or thirty,
;
"February
"
i4//z,
were even three pairs of
that there
would subject people attacking them
a kite."
at
1
long as they falconer.
will
This
come is
regularly to take the food placed
called flying 'at hack.'
later on.
t White-tailed Sea-eagle (Haliaetus
albidlla).
See
article
LOCAL OBSERVATION as
feet
powerful
the
does
kestrel
27
more often pick
not
Of
up birds from the trees, bushes, and in air. we know that he takes a certain number on I
have
only twice
at
missel
a
in a thick tree,
the
in
my
seen
life
apparently murderous
bird with instance
in
and
intention
which
thrush,
*
him
go for the
in
:
baffled
as I believe, scared
the ground.
kestrel
a
course,
him
first
entirely
off by chatter
second instance, curiously enough very
a
near
;
the
was standing forward under a fence about up to my shoulder for partridges, and a covey rose at perhaps five hundred yards from me on a big pasture
same
place,
I
and were coming skimming the ground towards me, when one of the kestrels that I had noticed circling and field,
hovering high
in
air,
shut
its
wings and made a really
grand stoop at these birds (they were hardly big enough to shoot), and put the whole lot except the old cock
(who came on
to
grass and rushes. that
I
me and met his fate) The stoop was so fine
must have been deceived
as
to
into
that
the
there was in fact no mistake whatever about
"
Do
your redwings
suffer
from the
some long I
stooper, but it.
kestrel in the air
And
do you notice any other birds taking the holly
We
have very few hollies
in
this
thought
berries
neighbourhood, and
?
?
I
cannot discover that any birds save redwings, and rarely other Turdi, even touch them." 1
*
To
l
Meade- Waldo, Esq. The Kestrel or Wind-hover (Falco tinnunculus), E. G. B.
habitually feeds
on mice and
voles.
like the barn-owl,
LOCAL OBSERVATION
28
"
"
With
received that
a
I
pigeons.
neighbouring parson, a bird
one of
be
to
of
hybridisation
from
spring,
believe
I
'
last
the
to
regard
September 6tA, 1891.
the
known
persuasion
as
was caught, unable to fly, near house, and he, thinking it might have escaped hence,
his let
me know
as
a present.
about It
the
into
and eventually sent
it,
After
with
aviary
few days
a
the
This
with the carrier, and they are
about on two eggs. there
if
about
sitting
am
I
is
any,
now
laurel
Are
taking turn and turn
very curious to see what the
will
be
like.
They have been
six days."
you
-
satisfied
quite
imported by Mr.
H
from Asiatic Turkey
?
Indian
corn,
that
did actually
i3/$, 1893.
some of
come
the
direct to
birds
him
In the only district in Albania in
which we found pheasants, acorns,
and
latter has paired
"January "
put this
I
the
Bolle's,
trocaz,* besides a male stockdove.
produce,
me
over to
it
has a metal ring round one leg, with a
and number.
date, letter
bird
It
carriers.'
Antwerp
their
privet
hips,
chief diet berries,
consisted" of 5
and
of course
insect food.
"
The
variety,
markings and
in
different
1
*
To
parts
not only in size and weight in
habits,
but also
between grey partridges from
even of our own
islands,
is
indeed most
E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq.
Pigeons
:
Columba
botlit,
C. laurivora
and C.
trocaz (see later).
LOCAL OBSERVATION In Northern Spain the
remarkable.
and breeds
to
ranges up
common
dark-coloured bird with nearly black
grey partridge
above the
feet
at
5000-6000 comes below 2000 feet.
and very rarely
sea,
29
It
and
legs,
a small,
is
by no
is
means common, Caccabis rufa being the partridge of the x
country."
"June " There
May, and no hens after March but of
from
officer
at
between
that
Gibraltar
Andalucia
for
killed
is
materially
about at
those
anything
that
May
3ist,
affect
the
constantly reinforced
though
birds, else,
whatever
I
will
the
killing
every
British
he
do
from
shot
not
breed
in
think Spain
shoot
;
Estremadura
trouble very
really
they
to
for
bustard
every
and La Mancha, and the natives
whatever in
any time up
supposing
September and
would
it
at
excuse
;
harm
no
opinion
bustards *
old male
killing the
end
my
in
is
i^th, 1892.
at
little
them or
from the nest or not, when they get
the chance.
" If any real in
Andalucia
herdsman 1
2
*
To To
it
harm
is
in
the
is
carries a
almost every
squirts at everything."
l
E. Cambridge Phillips, Esq. the same.
cultivated
plains.
marisma, where
gun and
The Great Bustard
visitor
done to the breed of bustards
to
(Otis
tarda}, once
and uncultivated lands this
country,
is
shot
in
Britain, '
by
an inhabitant of open now only an irregulai '
driving
on
the
Andalucian
LOCAL OBSERVATION
30
"
" Are you aware
that,
about the year
of the name of Agars, then St.
Quintin,
Esq.,
secured
(Yorkshire),
of
in
March
i2th, 1887.
808, a gamekeeper
1
W.
the employ of
and
Lowthorpe
Scampston
eleven great bustards, as the
of one shot from behind a stalking horse?" ' '
September
Thos. Hall result
1
2 2 nd,
1895.
" Three polecats were killed near this place early this I
year.
but of
or
four
county to
this
years,
we seldom
late years
three
in
or
be quite
common
can remember them nearly as
some
for
No
years.
my
get hold of
common some
more than two
marten has been killed
knowledge thirty
as stoats,
for
before
in
some ten or twelve
that.
They used
to
seventy years ago, in the forest of
2
Rockingham." "
"With I
can
December i2th, 1895.
regard to peregrines about Salisbury cathedral,
only say that
seven
is
a very unusual
number
to
be seen together, but there is no impossibility about it. " I am glad to hear of the proposed arrangement on the spire in favour of our friends, the peregrines." "
"
I
knew
March
3
ibth, 1895.
that a pair of peregrines occasionally bred
the spire of Salisbury cathedral, but 1
2 3
I
upon
had no idea that they
To W. H. St. Quintin, Esq. To the same. To the Rev. W. Willimott.
LOCAL OBSERVATION am
did so regularly, and
dean takes such a that the
been
red-throated
considered
in the
November
them.
much
It
is
last,
passed, so
Northampton should have
rarer
in
great
far as
I
has
The only
recently
northern
diver
me
in
know, without public
1
ornithological event of
taken
and
the Times
"December <c
good
remarkable
same neighbourhood) and given to
of any sort."
record
interest in
diver at
the
that the
delighted to find
worthy of record
as
whilst
Standard, (killed
warm
31
place
in
this
much
26th,
1894.
interest
neighbourhood,
that
to
my
knowledge, was the capture on our decoy, a few days ago, of a most lovely hybrid (male) between mallard and I
teal.
never before handled one of this cross."
"March
$rd,
1891.
"
White and pied stoats are exceptionally rare here, but four out of some nine or ten of these little beasts, brought to
me
during the
few weeks, have been more or
last
white, one very nearly quite white
2 3
all
these varieties were
3
of the gentler sex." 1
;
less
To To To
the Rev.
W.
Willimott.
the same.
the same.
July nth, 1896: "Lord Lilford corresome thirty years. I first had the privilege of meeting him when Robert Barr was falconer to the old hawking club, when he was fairly well and strong, and could ride as well as most of the party." Letter to Hon. Mrs. Dreivitt.
NOTE.
Mr. Willimott
sponded with
me
off
and on
writes, for
rd,
"
Your young Cornish
squire, as a protector
known and
falcons, deserves to be
and
wide.
appreciated far and
rented a forest in Inverness-shire for several years,
I
and
1890.
of eagles
the
looked upon
annually, not only as
which bred there
golden eagles
my
good
friends
on account of
their
destruction of blue hares, which are pestilential nuisances in stalking,
but also on account of the wholesome dread they
inspired in the breasts of the grey crows, which will follow
mob
and
a golden
October
in sight.
is
last
A
on the Norfolk
coast, in a shore net,
who
to an ardent falconer friend in Herts
In April
at
last
;
by
Holkham, not more than
at
which she flew
Lord Coke a mile
in
lost,
who had
<(
in
The
all 1
*
the
To
first
park from where she was
body
to
was
my
lost.
friend
*
"Bournemouth, March \\th, 1890. * or Gypaetus is to be met with bearded vulture sierras
the Rev.
The
sent her
received her alive."
and
the
originally taken, within twenty-four hours after she
Lord Coke, curiously enough,
once
the latter immediately
she sailed away and was
was shot
dictu>
and taken
sent her off at
took her in hand and flew her at rooks, very well.
directly
falcon was caught alive in
young
uninjured to a friend of mine,
mirabile
moor
the sea-eagle, but sneak off the
W.
of Spain, but
certainly does
not breed
Willimott.
Bearded Vulture
(Gypaetus barbatus)
ranges
over
lofty
mountain chains from Portugal and Spain to the Himalayas. For an account of Lord Lilford's domesticated pair, see Presidential Address, P- 39-
THE TAME LAMMERGEIERS.
LOCAL OBSERVATION
33
neighbourhood of Valencia, which is more or less Poor Rudolph was always in of a flat garden for miles. in the
such a tearing hurry that he never gave himself a chance of becoming really acquainted with the birds of Spain
of
;
Gypaetus does not breed in colonies, never lays more than two eggs, and is by no means a wary bird, it
course, as
but
my
experience
sometimes two
of griffons.
the
of
hands
especially in
most
me know
be of any sort of use to you."
do not remember
to
April
those
eggs in
firmly convinced, the
birds
are
pleted their
never live
acquire
for
a
really
old eagles 1
To
;
The
till
in
dress,
H.
can
truth,
they
as
I
am
of eagle,
have com-
a wild state
some
though they may
bred and
Barclay.
eagles
even of their
and another curious
that have
Col.
I
to
1888.
i$tA,
'
and
mature
fully
hundred years
that a pair of
mature
or sixth year,
the
obliging
these large species
in f
not
fifth
circumstances.
that
is
the
Belgradej
have heard of golden
hatched in captivity, or, as far as I recollect, laying
in
l
"
"I
all
you think
if
pair,
who, however, and
civil
;
colonies
that
above
owners,
a
breeding
many
find
Danube,
private
Let
will
you
the
are
Hungary,
naturalists.
English
on
localities
the
in
that
believe
Europe
that
effect
be found
pairs, are always to
I
birdy
are
to
in
anywhere
not amongst, but very near to the
Spain,
most
been
has
'
common
c
can hardly be said to be
fact
is
driven off
LOCAL OBSERVATION
34 their
young
two
in
resume the have
seen
pass
use
the
at
attempt
any
in another
process
often
and
locality,
without
never
will
season,
same
the
resting-place,
I
one
in
or
year
nest
as
a
reproduction, and
season.
more
anything
a
I
must say that of the
confirmatory
than passage of small birds on the backs of large ones, the presence
down
1872.
the
were
We
to
the
arrived
freshly
saw
Guadalquivir
we came down
till
of
hundreds
amongst several South Spain, in steamer
numbers of Motacilla flava*
of enormous
:
this
were swarming."
upon which
had
I
a letter
a
a marvellous passage
pine-grown
sandy,
district
country, where the bird was
He
says that
birds
little
tfh,
1889.
on
the
of crossbills
coast
previously entirely
of that
unknown.
he and his companion shot a hundred and
were
and
fifty,
storks
the
two days ago from the Crown Prince
of Portugal, describing over
by
1
"October
u
went
we
as
and consulting, and there the
drilling
in
wagtails were scarce
the
spot
storks
only
deterred
from
shooting
several
thousands by the fact that they had butchered more fiian they wanted. telling
me
By that
the same post
there
are
I
now
had
a letter
from
large numbers
Seville,
in
that
neighbourhood, where hitherto they have been, to say the least
of
it,
very uncommon." 1
2
*
To To
Dr. Albert Giinther. the Rev. Murray Matthew.
The Blue-headed
Wagtail.
LOCAL OBSERVATION
35
" December
igt/t,
1889.
"
Did you shoot any of the Hierro ravens ? And do they in any way differ from the ordinary type ? "
presume that Hierro is the least-known island of the Canarian group from your account it would not be I
;
a
very eligible residence
my
younger days
I
would
known
those big lizards,* or 1
To
E. G. B.
any length of time, but in have made acquaintance with
for
the reason why."
l
Meade-Waldo, Esq.
* Lacerta simoni.
A very large lizard that is Simony's Lizard. confined to a small rocky island little more than a rock off the coast of Hierro. There are two of these rocks, the Zalmones, on only one of which the lizard lives
Owing
to almost continuous surf
lizard feeds
The E. G. B.
viz., it
is
that farthest from the shore.
rarely possible
to land.
This
on crabs.
Hierro
M-W.
raven
is
C.
tingitanus,
the
Tangier
raven.
CHAPTER
III
Ponds, Paddocks, and Aviaries As
known, Lilford was celebrated during the late in some lifetime for one of the most remarkable
well
is
peer's
directions the in to
most remarkable
any private hands. the
(and
management of
collection losses in
the
Carefully as birds
short of perfection),
little
the
members of
it
is
the
may
Lilford
inevitable
be attended aviaries
was
a large
that in
and additions must make constant changes
But Lord
list.
collections of living birds
Lilford's
address
presidential
the Northamptonshire
to
Field Naturalists'
Club, which follows here at length, so admirably describes the chief features of the collection at
that
date, that
it
needs but a few words of introduction. Lilford
Hall
Jacobean house, raised
a
built
dignified
and
comfortable-looking
and
of grey Ketton stone,
a little
above the river Nene.
The formed
is
hall
door faces a gravel, balustraded sweep, which
a favourite
and Grip.
The
parade-ground of the ravens, Sankey
south
to a terraced lawn,
the drawing-room side
where the falcons
sat
on
looks on
their
blocks,
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
AVIARIES
37
grouped about an old cedar. Beyond this, and towards the Here was the right, stretch other lawns and shrubberies. long
of large aviaries devoted to waders, doves and other
line
Opposite these again, and partly sheltered by over-
birds.
hanging trees and scrub, where Mantell's apteryx hid from daylight and laid its egg, was a large natural shallow pool, in
which flamingoes waded and a few wildfowl swam. On the opposite side of the house the ground
falls
quickly to the river, and here, close to the wall, was the twisted beech tree in which the ravens
and
a
little
farther
on,
elephantine tortoise which
the
Directly behind the house
which were situated Spanish
bear
pair of
bonxies,
a subdivided
In
swans. near
and
it
a variety in
enclosure
another
rows
of
their
enclosure
men
to
;
of the
lift.
of living things.
skuas
nest
wide courtyard, about
a
corner
its
or great
is
five
;
('
and robber
close
Here
the
it
the
by
gulls
')
shared
with great bustards and Bewick's
corner
was the eagles' aviary, and
a long glass-covered house,
long
finches,
lived
summer
took
it
made
cages
where the lemurs were,
containing
beautiful
and rare
blue jays, jay-shrikes, the grakles, and other birds
described in the presidential address.
On
the same side, but away beyond the house, about
two acres of ground had been were known as the Pinetum. trees,
completely enclosed, and It
contained
fine
timber
shrubberies, grass, and water, and was entirely sur-
rounded with a high iron fence and wire netting. This netting was made cat-proof and fox-proof, by splaying
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS, '
38
the barbed wire top
towards
AVIARIES
the outside, so as to throw
back any marauding climber.
The
of cranes,
collection
this
large
such
for
been got
never
certainly
of
glory
great
a
had
collection
Also
before.
together
was
enclosure
the
almost this
in
paddock were the pelicans. The water was divided into two areas by a grass-covered causeway which ran across it,
and was
At held
a great sunning-place for the ducks.
the
of
sides
several
of
varieties
were aviaries which
enclosure
this
and
partridge
and
francolin,
others in which lived a wild cat and the large dormice.
much
So
We
homes.
only possible out
stands
show
'
(as
the
for
now
will
guide
like
visit the
of the
that
he used to
call
Here one day he
birds.
cautiously, a willow wren's
the
collection itself
no memory of
for
;
of
situation
general
visits
master
gentle
birds'
under the to Lilford
of
all
'
our
wheeled about among his
it),
halted
to point
nest in
out, and very
a thick shrub
on the
lawn, built most unusually at a height above the ground.
Presently
apteryx
he called attention
was
hidden
with
to
her
a
egg
dark hole where the ;
and
soon
he was
nursing in his arms another apteryx, which had been taken
from
its
hiding-place; for this bird
is
so strictly nocturnal
you would never see it at all were you not sometimes to extract it from its chosen haunt. that
The given
following
account
by Lord Lilford,
as
of the Lilford his
Presidential
collection
was
Address, on
AND AVIARIES
PONDS, PADDOCKS, occasion
the
members of "
It
of
a
visit
1894)
February,
(in
39
from
the
the Northamptonshire Field Club.
occurs to
me
have virtually recorded,
that, as I
our Natural History Journal,
of importance that
all
in
had
I
communicate with regard to the occurrence of birds in Northamptonshire, and as, to my very great regret, I am
to
(as I
long have been)
chair and address
unable
occupy the presidential
to
the meeting in
and amuse some of those present
person,
it
may
interest
to listen to a few notes
upon some of the inmates of our vivaria at Lilford. "It is probable that some of those present have already visited Lilford, and to these I sorrowfully announce that
my
old raven,
whom
Sankey,
they will remember as one
of the most amusing of our living creatures, went blind
some
years
later years,
familiar
so
ago,
Grip
and
and died
by name, sociable
name he constantly himself.
last
as
repeats,
is
quite as amusing, but not c
the
late
in
whose
Since the death of Sankey, Grip has had,
in every sort of mischief
noon
lamented,'
and has apparently taken to
mate, another raven, from Spain, and it
His companion of
year.
November
last, I
and
'
is
as a
rapidly instructing
devilment.'
One
after-
heard these ravens making a very
unusual clamour close in front of the house, and on looking out of the window, perceived that they had got hold
and nearly
who it
killed a peregrine falcon
;
I
of,
sent out a servant,
We
found that
a sort
of asthma
secured the falcon without difficulty.
was an old wild bird suffering from
4o
PONDS,- PADDOCKS,
known
to falconers
in flesh.
would
I
How
or
its
by
"
why
we
antagonists
Our
was only common mercy
it
allowed
it
falcon
this
keep
to liberty, but the ravens had injured
it
so severely that
it
and somewhat poor
croaks,'
willingly have tried to
and restored
alive
'
the
as
AND AVIARIES
to kill
it.
be seized and worried
itself to
can never know.
Spanish bear will also probably be remembered
by any who have come to Lilford during the ten years that she has been here
I
;
am
glad to say that she
is
still
though occasionally subject to rheumatism, resulting from an injury to one of her legs on her journey to this well,
In
place. 1
connection with this animal a rather amusing: D
incident
occurred
provide
her
having dealer,
some
with
years
ago
companion of the
a
my
during
absence from
home
other
sex,
to
and,
of a
entered into nego-
for
the
Russia.
The
dealer in question accepted
sending
me
a
purchase
at
without
any this
previous
I
my
Bournemouth was
announcing the
Lilford
young male bear from terms without
and the next news of the matter
reply,
me
reached
Upon
anxious
heard of several of these in the possession of a
tiations
that
was
I
:
arrival
warning
telegraphed
to
the
there
or
telegram
from
of a female
bear,
a
advice
dealer,
of
saying
despatch. that
the
animal sent was of the wrong sex, and would be returned to
him
at
receiving a
second
female,
once.
this
bear
It
message to
will
my
Lilford
so that for one
hardly
be
enterprising
without
believed friend
notice,
and
night there were three
that
on
sent
off
again
a
she-bears
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
AVIARIES
41
on the premises My old bear is very good-tempered as a rule, but on one or two occasions has shown great !
fury to strangers, without
now
own
so accustomed to solitude, as regards her
that
should hardly
I
like
introduce
to
this bear
liking for those of any other of our
"Another anxious
four-footed to
in
living
garden. "
My
a
find
ago when
years
now
It is
perhaps
of the
of the elm, but either wholly rejects or shows no
leaves
am
species,
particularly fond
is
is
younger and
a
weaker bear of either sex into her company.
worthy of note that
She
any apparent cause.
not
mate,
the
is
collection of
a
small
mammalia
is
trees.
for
otter,
near
half-grown,
and about
Lilford
at
lady
common
whom
caught
I
some
Warmington, and our
tank in
small
;
kitchen
perhaps to the
general public the most interesting of this order of animals,
now
living
at
Madagascar,
Lilford,
a
would be the ruffed lemur, from
beautiful
family of monkeys, with
Two
collared
but as these
fruit-bats
beasts
nocturnal fine,
to
the
and white
fur.
allied
animal,
long, black
have been here for some years,
spend the whole of the day hanging
head downwards from the top of their cage, expect that the ordinary visitor should
them of a
;
their bodies are,
moderate- sized
care
I
can hardly
much about
roughly speaking, about the size
common
would measure about three
rat,
feet,
the outstretched wings
perhaps more, from point
This species breeds annually in the Zoological Gardens, whence I procured my specimens ; it is found
to, point.
in
AND
PONDS, -PADDOCKS,
42
AVIARIES
Egypt, Palestine, and Cyprus, where
upon
ravages
and
dates
other
commits great
it
fruit.
I
have
living
specimens of the four European species of dormouse, but
have nothing of any general them,
one
that
except
interest
known
about
record
to as
the
'garden does not exhibit the drowsy tendencies of our dormouse,'
common
species,
dormouse
English
family in the day-time, but
and ready to
and
bite
have during the
or is
in
We
Morocco.
a pair
have not
this
We
whenever handled.
good many of the
a
exceedingly pretty striped mouse of Africa,
Barbary mouse, from
of
others
always remarkably active,
scratch,
two years bred
last
two
the
me by
procured for taken the
known a
trouble to
as the
friend
make
of any of these mice, but they are not only very tamable but also capable of a considerable amount
special pets
of education
a lady
:
one of these
little
who
paid us a visit last year brought
animals with
her,
and had taught
it
up on a doll's chair, open a little cupboard, take sugar from a drawer, hold up and drink milk or tea from a teacup, sham dead at her command, and perform to
sit
other
tricks
much
intelligence,
;
in
fact,
in
this his
mouse
degree,
as
displayed
an
quite
average
as
lady's
lap-dog.
"Although we have had many losses among the birds of prey, some of the oldest denizens of our aviaries are of
this
class
the collection
;
in is
fact,
the most ancient living creature in
a white-tailed
or sea eagle, taken from
a nest in the south of Ireland in the early spring of 1854,
AND AVIARIES
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
and therefore now very nearly forty years of only of late that she
lack of activity that
certain
a
in
much upon in
still
shown any
has
fine
plumage,
;
to
but she
is
think,
be
into
her
I
would,
it
a stranger
for
extremely dangerous
and
is
her to remain
the ground instead of perching
very
It
age.
of old age,
signs
causes
43
venture
This species of eagle has been so persecuted
compartment.
and killed down
in its
former breeding-haunts
and Ireland that
I
than three
at the
pairs,
may
in
Scotland
say with certainty that not outside,
now
more
the United
nest in
Kingdom. A few stragglers visit our country irregularly on passage, probably from Norway, and meet with no mercy, being, with few exceptions, shot or trapped at once,
and *
almost
recorded
invariably
the
in
newspapers
magnificent specimens of the golden eagle.'
eagle
more common
far
is
but fortunately seldom distance
from
its
as
This golden
in Scotland than the sea eagle,
to
travels
mountain haunts.
any very considerable Northamptonshire
is
one of the few English counties that can lay claim to an occurrence
of the
golden
eagle
nearly every English county sea
species
was
1891, and in
A
eagle.
very
killed I
am
fine
at
is
within
its
limits,
whilst
guilty of the blood of the
immature female of
this
latter
Oakley, near Kettering, in February
acquainted with several other occurrences
Northamptonshire.
In
my
opinion
there
is
no sense
or reason in the destruction of an eagle in our country but so long as 'British bird-collectors offer long prices for
specimens slaughtered within the limits of the four
seas,
AND AVIARIES
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
44
every loafer with a
him
feathered thing that offers "
Mr. Cosgrave,*
a chance.
charge of the
chief in
my
me
collections, assures
very naturally shoot every
will
gun
that the birds that afford, perhaps,
most amusement to our numerous
are
visitors
and a griffon vulture, that have been here and
and were
1867,
their
and
female,
made
annually three
uncertain) has
black vulture, the
of
human first
the
eggs in
same compartment with
this
first
week of March.
* Clementina Lilford's
November
I
Lilford,
egg
As
I
is
the
generally
considered the
have once or twice
left
the
infertile.
Lady
Lilford
as
writes
%
" :
front of the
Richard Cosgrave entered
and keeper of the aviaries in and his interest in birds, increased
falconer
His intelligence
made him
How-
the eggs have been removed, the
by constant friendly intercourse with, soon
making on
though extremely improbable,
birds,
after
service
1893.
in
ferocity
when any one approaches the
black vulture,
Lord
share
equal
The
visitors.
a
sex
but although assiduously incubated by
nest,
months
to
am
whose
both birds, they have invariably proved ever, for
one
has
I
quite
not entirely impossible,
a
is
years
from
laid
annually taken
two
pairing of these as
the
bird
thirteen
(of
griffon
displayed
during the
laid
the
has
it
and
nest
1865 presence from
my
or
black
a
since
The former
twelve
last
in
in
Spain.
large
been
and
nest,
approach
a
Since
eggs.
in
the
for
taken
both
nests
respective
Lilford
a
most
and
valuable
instruction
and
from
reliable
Lord
assistant,,
and one whose unfailing devotion and trustworthiness were deeplyappreciated by his employer."
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
AVIARIES
45
compartment, goes through a variety of most grotesque antics that provoke the most stolid of visitors into roars of laughter, and must be seen to events
all
with
pen and ink.
performance of
this
During
companion the griffon vulture frequently assumes very
its
absurd
of defiance, possibly of admiration, but
attitudes
does not take any very active part in the "
We
have two
of which
one
enjoyed
lately)
fine
(with
'
show.'
bearded vultures, or lammergeiers,
a
since
complete liberty
when
has
that
companion
its
died
very
here
arrival
as
was obliged to have caught up and confined, on account of very conspicuous
a nestling it
at
should be extremely puzzled to do them adequate
I
justice
be believed in
till
a few days ago,
I
breaches of decency about the roof of the house and our flower garden.
I
necessity, as
this
extremely regret
the
sight of these large birds soaring about the place, generally
pursued by a cloud of rooks,
was
England, and afforded to me, who with
the
lammergeier
in
its
in
certainly
unique
am
acquainted
native
well
haunts,
constant
a
source of interest and pleasant memories of localities that are
to a great extent unspoiled
still
by man.
These birds
of mine were very tame and perfectly harmless indeed, with the exception of a few playful attacks on trousers, ;
gaiters,
on
petticoats
their
and boots,
I
never heard of any malice
food consists of carrion and garbage of
and other small that
are
Their natural
part towards any living creature.
reptiles
;
and
I
hold
all
sorts,
the
tortoises,
many
stories
current on the Continent, of their carrying off
AND
PONDS, -PADDOCKS,
46
lambs and kids, as very nearly,
children,
mythical. "
birds
raptorial
Australia
this
:
its
the
of
first
not
Of my
for
less
notice
special
have
I
of writing some twenty different species mention,
varieties
special
ever
interest
notes
in
public meeting.
favourite birds, the owls,
as
I
plumage of pure very great ornament to
a
it
calling
intended for a more or "
that
species
have many other eagles of great
I
but
myself,
its
contrasted
strikingly
grey and white render
the collection. to
not entirely
an adult white-bellied sea eagle from
is
is
possessed, and rich
if
the most beautiful of our recent acquisitions
Amongst
in
AVIARIES
at this
alive.
a
amongst them,
I
time
may fine
very
Nepaul wood owl, a South African eagle owl, and four these birds to be the only living Ural owls I believe ;
representatives of their respective species
"Whilst on the several
years
considerable
subject of owls
have
I
past
number of
the
I
set
owl,
in
England. that for add may
annually little
now
at
liberty
so called
properly
{Athene noctua\ from Holland, and that several
neighbourhood of Lilford. although this species is abundant
in the
means uncommon and Germany,
it
our country.
succeeded
and
pairs
of
most amusing birds have nested and reared broods
these
in
a
in
earnestly
in
certain
trust,
establishing
entreat
all
in
parts
has been rarely I
It
Holland, and by no of
as
France,
met with
a
Belgium
in a wild state
now
fully
Northamptonshire
bird,
however, that it
remarkable that,
is
present,
who
I
have
may have
the
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
protect and encourage
opportunity, to
AVIARIES these
47
birds
are excellent mouse-catchers, very bad neighbours to their
in
sparrows
and
farmers
to
and
nests,
therefore
The
gardeners.
young
valuable
of
nest
they
;
friends
owl
this
is
generally placed either in a hollow tree at no great height
from the of
old
or
ground,
vacant
in
The
buildings.
parent
birds
the
masonry
very
bold in
in
spaces
are
defence of their young, and a neighbour of ours has had
knocked
by one of these little owls as he passed near the ash-tree in which there was a brood of I young a fact of which he was quite unconscious. hat
his
confess a
by
when
that
third
off
person
last
summer
the
aforesaid
was
this
I
this I
had
story was
originally
had
my
an
opportunity
who
neighbour,
doubts as to
told
its
truth, but
from
of enquiring
assured
me
that
me
to
not only
story perfectly true, but that he had been again
attacked last year, in a different locality, by a
little
owl,
which no doubt had young ones in the roof of an old These little owls are very easily tamed, church hard by. if
taken
taste
for
in
hand whilst quite young, and, besides
mice,
are
efficient
very
in
their
of
destruction
the
cockroaches and other beetles. " have,
I
cannot
I
fear,
help
once more taking up a text that
worn almost threadbare
already
destroy or molest an owl of any sort.
I
;
it
is
consider
I
never all
the
owls as not only harmless, but most useful, and the barn, white, or screech-owl as
man
of English birds.
perhaps the most serviceable to I
think that farmers and game-
48 keepers have discovered that in destroying owls they are best
their
murdering
but
friends,
disfiguring themselves
persist in
and wings
as
for these birds to
make up
heads
by wearing owls'
ornaments, and dealers will
as
women
as
long
a
give
price
which they
into screens (for
find a ready sale), so long will the idiotic destruction of
owls continue. "
To
number of caged which
we have
revert to the collections at Lilford,
I
may
rock-thrush
birds of
mention
specially
that
we
many
different species,
amongst
sweet singers,
as
took from
a large
the
on the
nest
blue
a
coast
of Sardinia nearly twelve years ago, and two of a small
dark race of blackcap from five
in
winters at
which "
I
I
Lilford,
am now
must
not
commonly known
and are both singing
'
the
very
beautiful
shama,' of which
natural notes of this bird are
many of them
passed
in the
room
writing.
forget as
have
that
Madeira,
have two.
I
The
very varied and powerful,
extremely sweet, and they
the songs of other species,
Indian birds
readily
imitate
and indeed almost any other
sound that they can compass. To those of you who c&re about birds, and are not acquainted with the shama, I
may
which
say it
this bird is larger
than
has a certain resemblance in shape
longer in
magpie.
that
relative
proportion
than
that
Roughly speaking, the upper
a ;
redbreast,
but
it
of our
has a
to tail
common
parts of the plumage,
head and throat, are glossy black, the breast of a tawny No white. orange colour, and the long tail black and
PONDS, PADDOCKS, more charming cage-bird than not
is
it
alas,
very
AND AVIARIES and
long-lived,
be found
can
this
is
49 but,
;
very susceptible
of cold and damp.
"Another cage-bird worthy of beauty, and chaffinch.
The
limited to
a
never been
song,
pleasant
natural
the
is
habitat
of
met with elsewhere.
I
its
to
me
:
I
lost
and the
rarity,
species
is
strictly ;
it
has
may briefly describe our common chaffinch,
another bird of great interest from
from which
locality
was forwarded
it
allude to the chestnut-winged grakle (*Amydrus
This bird, the only one of
tristrami).
ever been seen alive in this country, to the
'
grey colour.
fine
have recently
rarity,
Teydean
high zone of the Peak of Teneriffe
and of a general I
its *
so-called this
this bird as considerably larger than
"
from
notice
starlings
of a family
is
and crows, and was
species that has
its
allied
procured from the
neighbourhood of the monastery of Mar-Saba, not far from Bethlehem. The monks protect and encourage these birds, which become quite tame, and nest in the caverns and fissures
and
of the
similar
somewhat tourists I
am
cliffs
localities
difficult
in
the
referring
blackbird.
in the
of
in
access,
"
but
is
Brook Kedron Mar-Saba
to
is
known
generally
Tristram
tells ;
frequently visited
whom
Holy Land,
Canon
*
Southern Palestine.
loud and melodious whistle
and almost
gorge of the
but
as
the
'
is
by
bird to which
the golden-winged
us that the male has a
my
bird was a female,
silent.
Amongst my most
beautiful cage-birds
I
must note
4
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
50
AVIARIES
i
two species of South American jay, the common blue blue robin from jay of North America, the so-called '
'
same country, the green and a troupial from Brazil.
the
" In Aviaries
what we I
leaf-bird
Lilford
at
from South India,
designate
specially
the
have a considerable variety of birds from different
parts of the world.
Amongst
those most likely to arrest
the attention of visitors unlearned in birds
of
as
avocets, with
their
delicate
curiously
are a
group
upturned beaks,
their
plumage of pure black and white, and their long grey
legs
and half-webbed
birds
were formerly
These pretty and interesting
feet.
common
of England,
certain parts
in
numbers upon the coast of Norfolk, but have now become scarce from the persecution of gunners and bred
in considerable
and egg-stealers.
We
Holland.
My have
were sent
avocets
also
several
to
better
sea-pies,
perhaps as oyster-catchers, and a good
me from
many
known
other small
wading birds, such as curlew, godwits of both species, ruffs and reeves, redshanks and knots. The antics of the ruffs
u in
a in
during
As
I
captivity
May
and June are most amusing.
believe that the breeding is
not a
common
pair of these birds nested
of the wood-pigeon
occurrence,
and
laid four
I
mention that
times last year,
the compartment of the aviary nearest to the house at
Lilford, and reared three
young
birds to maturity.
I
have
a fine pair of the
wood-pigeon peculiar to the island of Madeira (Columba trocaz), and many of the very beautiful
crested doves of Australia, which breed freely in the bushes
AND AVIARIES
PONDS, PADDOCKS, Another very
of the aviary.
the pigeon family
51
plumaged bird of the green and gold Nicobar pigeon
is
brilliantly
;
but this bird has no attraction, except the brilliancy of
its
plumage it is sluggish, and often remains crouching under a bush for hours together. ;
"
Some
beaks and
We
are pretty sure to attract notice
legs,
now
of this family ' c
purple porphyrios, or water-hens, with red
fine
in the aviary are
have four species of
ibis
the birds
;
from Cochin China. the brilliant scarlet ibis
:
from South America, the black and white sacred the
Upper
resembles
it
sent out a
I
has for
live birds for
to
small
a
ibis
that
some me.
list
Spain
;
to hear that in the winter
in
the
making out
this
name of
the Spanish
closely
me from
of birds to an agent
years been
In
very
from
of the European glossy
flock
may amuse some of you
of 1892
who
and
it,
Australian
These last-named birds were sent to
ibis.
and
the
Nile,
ibis
the glossy
habit list, I
ibis
in
Seville,
of collecting
wrote opposite
(which
not in
is
most seasons a very common bird in Andalucia), two Spanish words that might be liberally translated as meaning '
a
My
good many.'
inform you that,
orders
I
!
I
June 1893, I heard from my agent he had ninety-five of these birds awaiting
aforesaid that
my
amazement may be imagined when
in
told
him
that
did not want
I
more than
twenty or thirty at the outside, but he nevertheless shipped sixty of them from Gibraltar, all of which were landed alive
and
in
good condition
them forwarded
to
Lilford.
in
London, and twelve of
These birds have
a
very
AND AVIARIES
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
52
.
to its full extent
to the
ground,
any other
taking the
of
habit
peculiar
sun by elevating one wing
towards the sky and drooping the other an attitude that
in
I
have never seen
in
bird.
" In the central division of the aviary are a small flock
of Alpine choughs, very active and noisy birds, with black Many of this species plumage, yellow beaks, and red legs.
have nested and
laid
eggs in their compartment,
but
in
the few instances in which the eggs have been hatched out, the parent birds have entirely abandoned their young the
after
or second day.
first
have had many of that
I
beautiful species, the red-legged or
Cornish chough, but
although they thrive well in complete liberty it
impossible
to
keep them
in
health
I
have found
the aviary for
in
any length of time. " Other most lively and amusing inmates of this part of
the
aviary
the
are
nutcrackers
and
rare
irregular
common
stragglers of the crow family to our country, but
enough Europe in
in ;
many of
the forests of Central and Northern
commence
these birds in their native haunts
March, whilst the snow
Whether from
this
still
lies
laying
deep upon the ground.
or some other cause,
it
is
comparatively
speaking only of recent years that the eggs of the nutcrackers have become generally
and
I
had offered a high
known
to
ornithologists,
price for the living bird to English
and foreign dealers for thirty years before I could obtain even one of them. During the last few years I have been offered
many more of
these
birds
than
I
require.
AND AVIARIES
PONDS, PADDOCKS, The
seeds of various coniferous trees,
53
especially those of
Pinus cembra, are the favourite food of the nutcracker. "
The
farthest division of the aviary, divided into three I
compartments,
have devoted principally to aquatic birds,
amongst which a small group of flamingoes are perhaps the most remarkable, not only from the beautiful roseate of
colour
the
extravagantly
upper
long
parts
of
and
necks
their
wings,
but
legs,
and
their
from
also
the
extraordinary and apparently unnatural positions that they constantly assume.
On
one occasion a damsel who
the flamingoes with a large party, on
was heard look
to
We
'
giblets to
?
;
seeing these birds,
Oh
'
Ma, do wouldn't they just make
exclaim to her mother
these great geese
at
:
!
eating,
just fine
have never put the necks of these birds
culinary use, but the flesh of their bodies
good
visited
and there
is
a
tradition
tolerably
the effect that
to
tongues were considered as great
is
by the I have seen many acres of marsh epicures of old Rome. thickly covered by flamingoes in Southern Spain, and the their
delicacies
of the rising or setting sun upon a dense flock
effect
these birds
on wing
is
of
indescribably beautiful, giving at a
distance the effect of a floating roseate cloud.
U
A
aviary,
during
pink-headed duck from India, in
one
is
my
of
the
rarest
forty years of
live
birds
bird
only obtained three of this species. is
A
my
part of the collection
collecting
The
I
;
have
present survivor
and by no means a handsome or conspicuous small flock of marbled ducks from Spain are
a female,
bird.
in
this
54 worthy of notice
common enough
though
teals
in
this
;
and
North-west
the
web-footed
our aviaries are
grievously
our hopes of nests and eggs
in
two last-mentioned
the case of the
Japanese
indeed with almost
ducks, as
little
the
of the duck family, we have been
disappointed in
collections,
Andalucia
in
of
portion
but with these
others
all
living
Perhaps the most beautiful of
Africa.
birds
as exceedingly rare in
species,
in
;
I
fact,
am
not
We
aware of the production of even a single egg. have a fine pair of the blue wavy or white-necked goose from North America, and of the white snow-goose from the
same country. " In the central aviary will be found two very beautiful
of
species
My
egrets.
bird
latter
small
stantly
herons,
the
specimens came
is
pointed
and the
little
to
me from
buff-backed
Spain, but the
very abundant in Egypt, and
also
out by the guides
to British
is
con-
tourists
as
the sacred ibis of the ancient Egyptians, a bird that has for
many
years been
unknown
almost
These egrets are most adroit feed themselves to a
summer months.
the
have
a
cross
several broods of
with
Australian
is
a
or
thick- knee,
favourite with us, this
common
the
from
handsome
at
bird,
moment
this
young
my
birds
a
dominican years,
and
hybrids, produced by
British
stone
its
and
more than twenty
gull that has been here for
has reared
fly-catchers,
Lower Egypt.
extent on these pests during
great I
in
herring
curlew,
is
a
gull.
An
very great
tameness and quaint attitudes considerably
larger
than
;
the
55
and
buff,
this
with
country,
a
plumage of various shades of brown
delicately contrasted
and
of
curlew
stone
or
thick-knee
brilliant
yellow irides.
" In the courtyard, in a wired enclosure adjoining the domicile of the bear, are two of the great skuas (Stercorarius dark-coloured
catarrhactes\ a
in
which
Scotland,
one other
me from
were sent to
birds
these
locality
island
the
the
;
of Foula,
the island
with
is,
family
gull
exception
same group, the only
the
in
of
bird
of
British
breeding-place of this species. tc
A
few years ago an enterprising youth a circular
issued
at
proposing the formation of a syndicate,
whose members should invest various sums a
fund to enable the advertiser to
Shetland
be
Islands
divided
to
according
The
mentioned,
as
this looting
adventure.
this
birds'
collect
scriptions.
and of
Birmingham
of
eggs
to
likely
the
to
be
the
eggs,
the
great
the
shares
in
Orkney and
visit
respective
the
as
plunder
to
amount of sub-
skua were specially
most valuable
result
of
In the interest of birds in general,
bird in particular,
I
at
once sent the circular
above mentioned with an indignant protest to the editor of the with
Times
whom
I
;
Mr. Wilson Noble, M.P.
did the same, and
of the
all
papers
this
in
acquaintance
or
with
of rare these
birds
Birmingham
on the subject
appeared
in
communications.
was that the editor of received
an
Hastings,
correspondence,
a strong leading article
destruction
simultaneously
of
no
had
for
the
T'imes
The
result
one of the leading evening
visit
from
AND AVIARIES
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
56
author of the
the
and
of
dread
incarceration
Tower
Clock
the
in
and trembling
fear
in
who,
circular,
at
begged that his advertisement might be withdrawn from circulation, and confessed that it was Westminster,
scheme
a
only
excursion
to
North
the
funds
obtain
to
for
for
egg
" These skuas were sent to
of Foula, a small island that
a
collecting.
me
some eighteen miles
at
lies
charge of a native
in
from the mainland of Shetland.
distant
This individual
had never seen a tree worthy of the name train
he
from Aberdeen on excellent
spoke
Scandinavian
The
him. is
price
collectors,
to
the
in
few
Shetland,
and
in
to
the
I
for
inhabitants
old skuas, or are
defence
very
of
this
too
with
me
great
rocky
*
these skuas,
young
and will
but
the
unscrupulous a
temptation
and unproductive are
called
courageous
birds,
as
bonxies,'
powerful
their
brought
by
eggs
proves
of
more
breeding birds,
their
fear,
sent
;
naturalist,
he
that
who
the
a
as
me,
birds
protect
offered
often,
The
island.
than
to
and although of pure evidently
was
proprietor of Foula,
very anxious
high
and
he took the
till
to Lilford
way
English,
descent,
even
interesting
his
holiday
private
they
attack,
not
only
eagles and other birds of prey, but also any four-footed animal, and even human beings. They live principally by
robbing other gulls of their prey, and, as
I
was assured
by the Shetlander before mentioned, frequently catch and for this purpose devour the smaller gulls themselves ;
their
sharply curved claws are well adapted.
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS, " In
fine
enclosure next to the skuas
the
bustards,
great
as
species,
57
group of This year. a
is
from Spain, all birds of last most of you are probably aware,
formerly well known, and in
AVIARIES
not
a
as
uncommon,
was
resident
various parts of England, notably in the open districts
of
Norfolk,
and
and
Wiltshire,
downs of
the
Suffolk,
wolds
the
Sussex,
of
Hampshire
Yorkshire
but
;
and the increase of population have driven the bustards away, and in England nowadays enclosure,
we
high
farming,
are only occasionally
the
very rarely escape
flesh
highly for
excellent
not
yet
;
the
they
most
afford
better
be
interested
W.
and
than
Wild
uncommon
who do
not
30 the
lb.,
On
any of or
by
the
this
those
natural
Messrs.
into that
country these
present history
birds
cannot
I
subject
Abel
which
made
exceeding wariness,
sport.
sport
of
nature
its
opinion,
males,
be
can
not
is
esteem
my
in
is,
In
birds.
very numerous, and
and even the old
their
Spain
few stragglers, that
a
bustard
young
refer
in
all
natives,
From
exciting
do
entitled
a
still
weigh
soup.
inhabit,
the
table,
infrequently
first-rate
is
by
of
fate
Spain the great bustard
much molested by
visited
who to
a
may work and
Chapman
Buck. " In conclusion of our round of inspection at Lilford,
we
next
gists
park
the
come
what no doubt
plum of the
behind
we have
to
a
the
will
collection,
house
known
pond with various
in as
prove to ornitholoan
enclosure
the Pinetum.
species
of
in
the
Here
ducks and
a
of crested
pair
but
main
the
that
very
this
all
Africa
the
family,
save alas
but,
in
the
large
cranes.
the
in
gap
the
one,
beautiful
perfect
cranes
Stanley
lamentable
a
-The rarest of these cranes
only individual of
this
have been able to obtain broke a leg in
a
South
of
from Japan (Grus monachus]
crane
unfortunately the
is
within
Till
crane
wattled
three
my
!
beautiful group.
hooded
the
;
collection of
drooped and died within a week, leaving
all
thereon
pleasures
was the proud possessor of specimens of
I
family
;
centres
interest
their
taking
pelicans,
graceful
month ago
is
AND AVIARIES
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
58
health
this
;
not
is
a
that
species
last
and
;
I
summer, but
very striking bird,
when compared with other cranes. very acme of bird beauty is reached
either in colour or size,
In
opinion the
my
by the Manchurian, or sacred crane of Japan, which so
commonly
embroidery of
North
elegance
and
;
think
I
of shape are
which
reaches
demoiselle,
a
of about
" Before
the a
as
white
great
from
the
But
height the the
leaving
of six of
size
a
Pinetum
I
the
Lilford,
time,
who
and may evidently
raise
a
smile
took a great
the
to
the
goose.
must
relate
occurrence in connection with birds, that amused at
in
India,
down
feet,
thin
all
of
sarus
stately
crane
second
close
very
and
paintings
and grace of movement.
beautiful to
Japanese
that
comes
America
cranes
in
represented
is
now.
A
interest
me
an
vastly
visitor
in
to
our
was just leaving, when he suddenly turned to his conductor and said By the way, I saw in the papers birds,
'
:
THE PINETUM. In the foreground a Wattled and a
Crowned Crane.
Behind, from
left
to right,
Sarus Crane, a Black Stork and African Pelicans.
a Stanley and a
AND AVIARIES
PONDS, PADDOCKS, some long
time price
he was successful in hatching
aware that
are in
is
inquiry
"
me in
the
world
this
given
some
that
those present
who
the
years,
fifty
very-
trust
auk has been
great
for
To
it.'
a
I
virtually
extinct
humour of
this
apparent.
have
I
had
egg of the great auk.
an
for
Lord Lilford
that
ago
59
moment
this
received a telegram informing
egg of the great auk was sold by auction London this afternoon for three hundred guineas." that an
The
greater to
written
of
breeder
owls
a
number of the
his
among
himself
correspondent,
Like Lord
birds.
first
letters
which follow were a
Lilford,
and
favourites,
most he
successful
the
placed
had
for
years
successfully bred the eagle owl of Europe (Bubo maximus\
and had been
also
very
scandiacd] and
(Nyctea
fortunate
with the snowy
Hence
other species.
many
owl the
This gentleman was spending many successive winters in the Canary Islands, and because constant references to owls.
thorough and admirable work done there, came justly to be the acknowledged authority on the birds of of
his
those islands.
But though had
Lilford
their
do not
letters
correspondents
in
here
appear,
many European
Lord
countries,
and men
whom
It
is
not
think
of
this
hand,
so to say, on the ornithology of Europe), spinning
he set to find him birds.
without
kind
its
side
naturalist,
of pathos sitting
in
delightful his
to
study (his
60
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS, wove
the threads which
blue
the
results,
into such
and valuable
interesting
and
rock-thrush
AVIARIES
the
Madeira
little
blackcap singing by his chair the while.
"June "
am
I
1887.
some buzzards have flown,
to hear that
glad
24th,
and hope that the Montagus * may do likewise. " in
grieve to say that
I
my
came
to
three
grief
days
my man
eagle
with
me
the only
eagle to
in
them.
I
hatched for
of them,
and
them up by hand. went rotten as they do
to bring
of four.
The tawny owl
ate
young one hatched.
owls,
place
exceptions
assiduously
care
all
up
gave
out
times
worthless
them
feeding
owl's eggs were bad three
young birds
The Alpine chough
year. after
two
or
his efforts
am much
I
one
suddenly
failed
The
this
but
young,
several
"
with
aviaries
the nests and
all
but
them should
obliged
I
for
like
grand
birds.
to
for
you
think
try
of the
offer
have no room for them. if
that
encourages eagles and almost
would
your
the
* In reference to the
you the all
wish
Duke
to
W
of
young
will
try
dispose
of
I
,
who
wild birds on his forest,
experiment of turning out these
nesting
of the
Common
Buzzard (Buteo
and Montagu's Harrier (Circus cineraceus) in Hampshire. Both these fine and interesting birds endeavoured, with varying But in spite success, through many years to bring off their young. vulgaris)
of the most energetic efforts to protect them, evade the collector of British-taken, eggs.
it
is
found
difficult
to
PONDS, PADDOCKS, AND AVIARIES "
The
61
polecat ferrets are first-rate ratters, but are rather
have not found them particularly savage. If your young badgers are not too old, you will find that big for the job.
I
by keeping a good-tempered young dog or two with them, and never allowing them to hide themselves up in the day, they will become as tame and playful as otters."
24//, 1888.
"June "
I
you on your tame shrike
congratulate
together
1
I
:
lump
the great grey shrikes, L. major, L. extcubitor,
all
L. meridionalis, L.
L. lahtona.
algeriensis,
All grey birds
---
have a tendency to isabellinism under a hot sun and dry T S D and others would, , , surroundings. ,
if
make
they could,
species of the sun and moon."
"August
"I am no at
know a
good
3
*
To To To
A
am
lumper
without
book,
and
of course
as a species, as
E. G. B.
" 1
induced to look upon
at present
or sub-species
race,
and many more. 1
and do not know Pr. borbonica
entirely
'
c
good though,
2
1888.
nothing of the habits and voice of your bird,* but
being a as
chattist,'
write
I
all.
'
itfh,
of Pr. rubicola
Parus
it
quite as
britannicus, P. Cypriotes,
3
Meade-Waldo, Esq.
the same. the same. true stonechat
Fuerteventura,
in
(Pratincola dacotice), peculiar to the island of
which island even
it
is
very local.
E. G. B.
M-W.
62
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
AVIARIES "July
u
I
have
very
great
acceptance two Lapp owls ten
young
two
of
S.
tengmalmi.
If
received
I
with
(S.
birds
two
for
offering
night S.
eight last
lots
from Helsingfors, and five S. ulula^ 1
thrive,
"July I
!
wrote to you
in
the
first
3ist,
on account of the incessant rain
on
Saturday, but seized
from the tions,
all
nests
much
was not
to get out to see
them
to inspect
them
;
and
am
sorry
too soon, and with one or two excep-
have one wing broken, besides a good deal of cramp debility.
in a shallow
pan
The " P.S.
I
I
of the Lapp owls have evidently been taken
and general
one.
1888.
an interval between showers on
Sunday to be wheeled round to say that
*
exultation of the
receipt of the owls that arrived late at night.
able
and
could,
should be glad to send you one or two of each."
" Alas
your
lapponicum},* of which species last
uralense^
these
in
pleasure
838.
1
2&tA,
;
of them drowned themselves
of the eight
others are It
Two all
has not
left,
flourishing
rained for
have just been to look round.
I
and
fear that as
tame
I
must
lose
as can be.
nearly two hours, and
The Lapps
have, with
one exception, improved immensely since Sunday on warm
and
rats
1
*
rabbits.
I
do not know that any of these owls,
To E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. One of these Lapp Owls given me by Lord
Lilford in 1888
is
alive, September 1902, and in perfect health; it is a male, and has always had one stiff wing. These Lapp owls are the only individuals E. G. B. M-W. of the species that have ever been imported into Britain. still
AND AVIARIES
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
before
been
have
Tengmalm's,
except
seen
and feed thereon.
to hand,
I
am
in
rats."
"August
the
nests,
owls
fly
quite certain that they
might be trained to take young rabbits and
" These
England
The hawk
certainly S. uralense has not.
;
alive
63
igth,
*
1888.
Lapps were evidently taken too young from and no doubt were hustled and crowded in
on their journey by pony and boat to HelsingI from the breeding-place. believe that you will a brail very useful we put brails on the whole lot
panniers fors find
;
when they
first
arrived,
much improved.* owls eat but a
require
have
a
little
(<S.
the
all
is
experience
survivors that
of food
before
the
and beautiful large yiewarensi] that came to me is
very
wood
these
all
now one of
first
moult.
I
wood owl from
rare
years ago, and
are
a meal, comparatively speaking, but
at
deal
good
very
Nepaul
My
and
in the
down
the finest birds that
three
ever
I
During the first months of his sojourn here he would devour a whole full-grown rabbit during saw
in captivity.
more than two or
the twenty-four hours, but never
mouthfuls
at a
or
little
three
notice
much
time
1
* of a
To To
A
now
roach
the
S.
a small,
suffice
same
perspicillatum) from
2
;
thing
him with
America."
young for
the
three
rabbit, or
the
day,
downy
two
and owl
I
(S.
2
E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. the same. brail is a strip of leather with
hawk
so that
it
cannot be moved.
which falconers confine one wing
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
64
AVIARIES "April i6M, 1889.
"
The poor
fellow
who
last
and
morning from
heard
I
this
owls in that part of
the
in
In
nests.
I
the
gather that out of
would
finder
not
account refers chiefly to
Tengmalm's
Lapp owl details."
the
tengmalmi]
(<?.
lapponicum\
(S.
I
have had a long
them.
take
hawk owl
and but
a
in I
the poor fellow
me
who was
main agent
owls
nests
only one
such a weakly state
in
fancy
this
funerea]
and
I
(S.
degree to the
less
have asked
letter sent to
vian owls for the
from
birds
many
for
further
2
widow of
the
this year,
fifty
"
"
the
all
dead,
contained living young, and those that
that
up many young found and endless rotten eggs in abandoned
nests,
fact,
widow
his
Finland have failed
old birds having been picked
dead
the consignment of
died about three months ago,
Scandinavian owls
year
me
sent
this
last
Lapland.
year to
October 2nd,
me
who procured
year, written to her
He
in
in
finding and
attributes
the
1889.
Swedish by
the Scandina-
by her cousin, forwarding the failure
the death of small rodents and
of the snipes,
I imagine that by by the protracted snows. he means small waders of all kinds, which of snipes course would be prevented from nesting in the morasses
caused *
'
by snow lying on would seem that last
of Scandinavia grounds.
It
1
To
E. G. B.
their
usual
feeding-
year
there
was
Meade-Waldo, Esq.
an
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS, unusual abundance
though
this
mings.
I
Lapp
am two
have
they
it
of
hear
survivors if
rodents
small
are
lives,
both developed
a
the
of
your
believe
will
become
pure
white;
very
curious
note,
some-
little
deep-
*
three-toed
only woodpecker ants' for about a fortnight, though he fed on hard-boiled egg and breadcrumbs, flies, gentles,
lived
eggs,
and
etc.,
puppy.
tapped
headed one was picked
and
My
lem-
I
thing like the rapid half bark, half growl of a
voiced beagle
parts,
the
death well.
doing
65
in those
not specially mention
to
sorry
one of them,
that
all
writer does
my
;
of
AVIARIES
vigorously at
up again
;
point of death, but
the
he
The
end.
the
till
has
been
put
into
has a
grey-
entirely
den,
large
liberally supplied with great clods of earth containing
ants'
nests.
f<
had many
have
I
tame, but
I
do not think
hoopoes it
;
became absurdly
they
possible to
keep them through
the winter in this country, except by letting a sanded
"
I
jealous
room
in
a temperature
have two young
rollers, f
quite tame."
fly
in
80.
of 70
but healthy, very
tailless
of each other and quarrelsome
them
;
one of them
is
l
1 To E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. * Pico'ides A Continental species not on tridactylus.
the British
list.
t
and
The
Roller (Coracias garrulus), a bird allied to the woodpeckers It is nearly the kingfishers, is a straggling visitor to Britain.
size of a jackdaw, and shades of clear blue.
is
wonderfully coloured in chestnut and
5
many
AND AVIARIES
PONDS,, PADDOCKS,
66
"Bournemouth, February "
The
which
it
found,
spells
of
mild weather, then,
North
during
Snow never
frost,
lies
week,
here,
but
London
and flooded
have
a
great
cold and
of Austria,
is
him
slightly.
of
of
in
wet
thaw.
The
some bright,
nesting,
snowstorm. inches
eight
at
Holland dams have
of
Now we
country.
of two
heard
I
death of Rudolph,
a very great loss to ornithology, and one of
most shocking tragedies
the
days
extents
Lilford.
at
ten
tremendous
and
;
pouring
whoopers yesterday
had
in
and
Islands
have
hear
I
countries
all
some of them
a
1889.
We
about
last
Lilford and six in burst
Africa.
then
in
the British
in
singing and
birds
the
resident
partial
certainly
Greece and
Spain,
sharp
is
a
is
quail
iqtft,
Every one
is
full
county
sufficiently-condemned
heard
ever
I
of
of.
never-to-be-
those
councils,
knew
I
and
most
the
fear I shameful persecution of the Bishop of Lincoln. * that the Columba bollii that you were good enough to
give
me
are
all
as
cocks,
their pairing or nesting.
do not hear of any sign of In fact, two of them set upon I
and bullied the third to such an extent that they had to be
separated.
here in
I
have some interesting desert birds
alive
the shape of two thick-billed larks (Ramphocoris
and an Algerian horned lark (Qtocorys bilopha]. They came from Oran to the Zoological Gardens with
clot-bey}
* Bolle's Pigeon (Columba
bollii),
a true wood-pigeon, confined to
the virgin laurel forests of the Western Canary Islands,
food being solely the
fruit
of these trees.
E. G. B.
its
M-W.
natural
PONDS, PADDOCKS, some trumpeter
AND AVIARIES and
If
bullfinches.
67
are not kept
permanent quarantine or put into the presidio, pray greet them cordially and tell the former that he shall in
a bottle of
drink
every courser
for
only nine bottles vours.)
What
Fuerteventura "
had
I
?
a
knows of
old port that he that he left,
but
brings this
enemies beside
to
me
at Lilford
alive.
need not limit
have
(I
his
endea-
the houbaras * in
man have
Are there any predatory wild mammalia ? sharpish touch of the enemy some two
months ago, but am now fairly well. I have not been out of the house for more than ten weeks. I wish that could
you
send us some
of
the
Canarian
"
Am
greatly
in
stone
1
bottles at (?) per dozen."
"
air
obliged
for
the
April
female
i6th, 1889.
titmouse,
and
two young boHn, which came to me from the Zoological Gardens this evening. I had already put a supposed pair of C. bollii into the aviary, where still
more
so for the
they seem to be perfectly happy and contented, but have as yet 1
*
shown no
To
signs of wishing to nest.
The
titmouse f
E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq.
The Houbara Bustard
occasionally
visits
(Otis undulata)
Andalucia.
It
is
is
an African species, which smaller than the
considerable
Great Bustard (O. tarda) (for which see Presidential Address, p. 39), and with one other, Macqueen's Bustard (0. macqueeni), is distinguished
by a ruffed neck. t Parns fialmensis, a new species of blue tit, with a white breast, peculiar to the island of La Palma; it is almost entirely confined to the pine forest.
E. G. B.
M-W.
AND AVIARIES
PONDS,, PADDOCKS,
68
has already been figured for the
The
indifferently.
are
real
Ibis,
to
my mind
pair of Canarian chaffinches (F. tintillon)
and very pleasant, cheerful birds
beauties,
they thrive through the winter
doubt but that they
think that there
I
are
I
shall greatly
if
little
$rd, 1889.
value the eggs of courser * that you
to spare to
good enough
is
;
will nest."
"June
"
most
me.
I
should say you would
find an old courser easier to keep alive than
young
ones.
presume that these birds feed principally upon coleopterous insects and small mollusca, and if so, would, I should
I
c
think,
readily
train
off*'
upon
flies,
cockroaches,
and
shreds of boiled or raw liver or other lean meat thrown
them upon sandy ground. F kept a courser alive from the end of August till November at Tangier on he kept grasshoppers, after that on the larvae of beetles
to
;
the one alive from
August 1851
till
October 1859, when
he was forced to leave Tangier, and
found that
died before his return thither in April 1860. laid thirty-two eggs,
it
had
This^bird
and supplied many European
collectors,
but not your present correspondent. t{
doubt you are right about the male I houbaras helping in the rearing of their young. supI
no
have
pose that this sub-genus bustard,
to
a
certain
is
not polygamous, as the great
extent,
* See note
on
certainly p.
203.
is.
I
am
very
AND AVIARIES
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
new
glad you have well established your
thing also. " All the blue and ultra blue to
keep
but
;
chat by finding
Your new titmouse sounds
and eggs.
nest
its
the
chance
best
a
are rather
tits
to
is
69
good
difficult
them
give
flies,
mosquitoes, gnats, oven-dried ants and their eggs, and any sort of small caterpillar.
Perhaps
would be to give them
a
as
a plan as any
good
growing tree or shrub with free access for the AfhideS) upon which I think our tits The Spanish tits make very principally feed in summer. with
free
and reed
sunflower
The
cochineal bug.
the
but
seeds,
is
crushed
good
for tits
seed
best
no seed
is
l
for a continuance."
"Bournemouth, December " last
I
have three of Curruca heinekeni
me from Madeira by
year to
charming
little
them here
at
birds,
and as
side
my
all
I
write.
Madeira myth
that
these
Is
G
birds
.
I it
You
?
sent
alive,
sing well.
one has seen a female of this race the
Dr.
\yth, 1889.
a
home
They
are
have one of fact
that
probably
no
know
hatched from
are
every fifth egg laid by S. atricapilla. " Another race of Parus in such a limited group of islands as the Canaries
is
very singular and interesting.
kind of you to promise a
male of
!P.
-palmensis
to propose a scientific 1
To
me some
specimens of
It is
this
you have the best of good
name
for this
new
discovery.
E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq.
most and right
AND
PONDS; PADDOCKS,
yo
"I
have
a
beautiful
AVIARIES
white-necked
Grus leucauchen from Japan, and
crane
alive
here,
one of the
at Lilford
still
hooded cranes (Grus monachus) from the same * country, the second that has come to Europe alive." more
rare
"
"
We
severe the
have
temperature for
sions
as
account
the
low for
varying
last
as
three
20
blooded
at
your wigeon,
migration of buzzards atrocity
are
still
also.
from 10
and
no
for
at
occa-
doubt
the
large
seldom read of more cold-
what you
than
frost
several
will
probably
most
remember,
of
on
This
noon.
I
26
to
and
weeks,
ever
I
1891.
ist,
the
having,
and snow that
of frost
spell
night
and
had,
January
me
tell
of the
ancient
Canarian and the sitting partridges. "
birds have been suffering dreadfully during the
My frost,
that
have suffered the most.
owls, and have
dying
One
it
but, curiously enough,
long
no male bird
daily, yet all the
I left.
is
the
have
northern birds
lost
My
four snowy
nutcrackers
Canarian survivors are flourishing.
of the laurels * has paired with a Bolle male
two eggs
;
are
one was broken, but she now
sits
and
laid
assiduously
1 To E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. * Canarian Laurel Dove (Columba laurivora), a very fine wood-
pigeon, found
of
only in certain very precipitous
Gomera and La Palma
(Canaries).
It
Wood Its
differs
forests in the
much from
islands
the true
Pigeon in its habit of spending most of its time on the ground. food consist principally of the fruit of the Til-tree (Oreodaphna
fattens}
and the vinatigo (Persea
indica}.
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS, on the other, and
him with the other in
I
laurel.
a temperature of
done
well.
"
I
may
I
the
separated all
keep
from 50
all
Bolle and put
the pigeons indoors
65, and
say the same of
71
so far they have
the houbaras.
think that the Teydean chaffinches (F. teydea] are
I
this
do not expose them to the open weather. My Madeira blackcaps are
but
very hardy, in
have
AVIARIES
fearful
air
I
* are full song, and the trumpeters
all
My
well.
in
wife's
was constantly bullied by his mate till a merciful Providence removed her. I then gave him a male F. teydea for company, and they have become bullfinch
pet
and both as tame as birds can be. " This severe weather has driven no end of wildfowl
fast friends
in
upon our eastern and southern
very few
made
been
Some
varieties.
uncommon.'
in
Ireland
;
but
coasts,
we have
nothing really
i
"April
"A
of
hear
woodcocks have
great bags of
here
I
bittern, one of four, in
2oth,
1891.
of shed cage in our courtyard here, visible to frequent passers at all hours of the day, has twisted some straw into the semblance of a
sort
a nest,
and
allows
herself
She
one of two procured in 1889, and has apparently
is
laid
paired with a 1
*
an egg, upon which she to
be
young
stroked
bird
with
sits
perfect
steadily,
equanimity.
of 1890, as her original
To E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. The Trumpeter Bullfinch (Erythrospiza
and
githaginea).
com-
AND
PONDS, -PADDOCKS,
72
AVIARIES
panion got to be very nasty, and was always bullying the 1
others."
"
April
" sits
You
to hear that one
be glad
will
upon four eggs
steadily
2<)th,
of the bitterns
in courtyard."
"May "
The
now
bittern
sits
I
disappointed.
greatly
have
four
previously inhabited by badgers,
people
are
constantly passing
eyes
have
four
gem of my
the
woodpecker,
in
with
broods of
hood
last
little
summer.
bitterns
live
splendid
Two
in this
little
stock
horses,
1
3
4
1891.
am
I
shed,
carriages
December
now
1
7 //$,
1891.
in
my
great
black
perfectly
tame.
a
is
and
and
4
doing well, but
condition
owls were reared in this neighbourReeves's pheasants did excellently well
county, but would not
2
,
our courtyard, where
in
''
I
1
sort of
in a
dogs, that the birds might become tame."
"
8
and, never
bitterns,
them
dreaming of their laying, kept
May 3U/
addled, and
the bittern's eggs were
all
Alas,
1891.
ist,
five eggs."
upon
steadily
1
"
1891.
stay
To W. H. St. Quintin, To A. Thorburn, Esq. To the same. To W. H. St. Quintin,
in
my
Esq.
Esq.
coverts, so
I
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS, gave up to
them
rearing
they are bad
;
flushing point, and very
a
immense
wander
AVIARIES
distances
birds
to bring
fond of going back
in
file
single
and
"May I
much
shall be
the
the nest, and
out "
into a " live
young
Do you
care
for
mouse
putting
I
am
It
for observation
is
in
it
with
?
2ist,
1893.
kept many, and have
room from which
large glass jar, such as they
a
fishes in
perforated zinc top
at
South Kensington.
put
and give reeds or straws
this
upon
I
up and amuse themselves with. have a removable zinc bottom or tray
the mice to scramble
would be well
to
made
for
me
but bats. harvest
each others'
I
was,
if
I
remember
cannot say that mice, as tails,
1
2
they
and, as
To To
The
and feeding.
to facilitate cleaning
my
they
have found that the best way to keep
I
writing.
pickle snakes and
for
have
recently received from Surrey, in the
them
a
I
till
"
alive
"April :
1893.
trap.
any British bats
" About harvest mice five,
for
any success
should suggest waiting
I
young, digging
"
they
;
run
$rd,
interested in hearing of
with the water-shrews.
have
up
l
ever."
"
73
I
I
a
nasty
Groom
for
mice
much luck
with
rightly,
ever had
have
cage that
not
habit
of eating
suppose, finding these palatable,
E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. the Editor.
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
74
of killing
be
to
this
and devouring the
one
another.
when
even
case
AVIARIES have
I
had
I
found a
only
pair
together.
"
The
only animal
of the shrew family that
I
ever
attempted to keep was a Spanish trumpet shrew (Mygale
pyrenaicum\ and he declined
two
but no doubt the thing
;
some
suggest
food, and died in a day or
all
to be done, and
is
of
arrangement
the
of
nature
should
I
a
small
1
aquarium."
"April " the
I
do not think that any variety
vicious
the
propensity in
former
of
1893.
food would
in
harvest
2$th,
mice
;
I
alter
used
to
meal worms,
give
my
flies,
moths, beetles, besides their usual food of wheat, in
captives
this
species
and green, and every sort of garden produce. I may mention that my present lot were sent to me by
grain
my
H.
old friend F.
Salvin (of
something), from his forated zinc tops,
I
;
the
seeing
you probably know
Guildford.
not think you
condensation in glass cases the pleasure of
near
place
do
whom
I
only use
harvesters
With
need
fear
the jar to
run
per-
any have
up and down
the stems of seed and long grasses. " I think that your sexual theory in re harvest mice is
very likely correct, but
I
do not pretend to pronounce
positively." 1 2
To To
the Editor.
the same.
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
AVIARIES "May
"
Expect two
here in October "
'
Barbarians
brood, but
three
one
on
my
a
is
into
them
rain."
the
survived bird
splendid
fronted
amours.
illicit
pond, in spite of having
own
of her
com-
species in
At
patch, f
the
now, last
but
world,
process
all
bean,'
except nice
a
He
pinioning.
'
we have
only
unfortunately
of
white-
a
of
sprinkle
l
"June "
off
will pull
year took up with a bean gander and brought
goslings
of
Holkham
geese are given to
an apparently healthy male last
to-morrow, they were bred
the pink-foots at
white-fronted female
pany,
*
1893.
last.
trust that
I
a legitimate
A
'
isf,
75
You may
be interested to hear that
I
23n/,
1893.
received three
young great black woodpeckers (T. martius] last night, ^nd that I have two last year's lammergeiers (Gyp: barbatus] flying about at 1
To
complete
liberty.
We
have, thank
God,
the Editor.
*
Barbary mice (Mus barbarus). t Of the three species of wild goose mentioned here the Whitefronted (i.e.
white forehead) Goose (Anser albifrons)
Britain.
Its principal
is
a
winter visitor to
breeding quarters are in Arctic Russia.
The
Bean Goose (A.
segetum}, which breeds also in Arctic Russia, and in Novaya Zemblya and in Scandinavia, likewise comes to us in winter. The third species of grey goose, to which reference is made by Lord
Lilford as 'pink-foots,'
which breeds district
named
is
in Iceland
above.
the Pinkfooted Goose (A. brachyrhynchus], in the
and Spitsbergen, but apparently not
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
76
had a steady,
soft
AVIARIES
of some eight
rain
the past night, and there are signs of
hours' duration
more
to come.'
2 nd, 1893.
"Juty
"
Two
of the
on a
well
young black woodpeckers
we
have
kept
have
superabundant
Gecinus
P.
leuconotus,
a
G.
viridts,
P.
major,
done
With
named.
last
in
to
readily
and
seed,
pecker
fruits,
differs
whole of the crown
came to us the
other
day
is
martins,
P.
the
golden-
P. major
takes
meat, crushed
adult in scarlet.
direct
I
a great difficulty
The young
the
year.
P. major and the
except
chopped
eggs.
from
and
food, but
insect
hard-boiled
only
sexes, the
off
various
doing
cannot say that any
I
the others there
all
them
training
me
P.
canus,
tridactylus^
with
really well
this
supply
winged pecker of N. America, but have
are
eggs and wasp grubs, of which
diet of ants'
latter
in i
A
from
hemp wood-
black
having, in
both
friend of
mine
a
visit
to
the
Fames, and reported very full, breeding colonies. " My infirmities have prevented me from seeing the Zoological Gardens since 1884, but I hear woeful accounts of the condition of
many of
the living animals there.
I
fear
'
tightness has something to do with this. " Your story of Syrnium cinereum is most interesting.*
that financial
1
To
'
the Editor.
* This refers to the securing of a Great Grey Owl (Syrnium cinereuni)
North-West Canada, by the simple ruse of hiding in the grass, squeaking like a rat, and throwing forward a brown cloth cap. The owl stooped at this, seized it, and was shot as it was carrying it off. in
PONDS, PADDOCKS, you would publish
I
wish that
I
have no acquaintance with
AND
AVIARIES
or allow
it,
this species,
me
to
77
do
but have a
so.
fine
here since 1888." pair of his near relations (S. lapponicum'} "futy 4th,
" All the woodpeckers kept in fairly good
mentioned in for
health
my
some months,
last
1893.
may
be
especially if
taken when adult, but they generally go wrong in the moult. " There are many recorded occurrences of P. martins
our
in
authenticated,
found
in
not
but
islands,
the
am
and
date
satisfactorily
infrequently to
be
Leadenhall Market, sent over with consignments
game, hazel grouse, I
been
has
and specimens are not
of Scandinavian game, "
one
capercaillie,
willow grouse, black-
etc.
very sure that your grey owl adventure, with
would be welcomed by the editor of not by him of the Ibis. At all events,
locality,
Zoologist, if
you do not care to send it yourself, happy to do so on your authority."
if
I
should be most
*
"August "
Snipes
at
this
them
the
and the maggots that and sheep. I have very
flying insects,
they find in the dung of cattle
found
1893.
time of year live to a great extent
on gnats and other small
frequently
2Qth,
fragments
at all times of the year.
of In
hardly eatable before November. 1
To
the Editor.
shells
my
of mollusca
opinion a snipe
in is
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
78 "
common
AVIARIES
was picked up in a perishing condition some three years ago, and now lives with flamingoes and other birds, in an enclosure with a have a
I
stone
circular
water
basin
which
through
runs.
constantly
that
gull
have
I
a
never
"
British little
still
waters,
hawk
is
is
late for a
very
more
so
by no means
him on
seen
the
l
basin except for washing purposes."
" October 7th
of
stream
little
off
October 28^,
1893.
in
hobby anywhere
Flamborough,
common
as
this
to the north of the
Trent." * "
I
should
Archangelic
be
cats
glad
have
to
as
have only one Lapp owl
The
looks droopy. 1
2 3
*
To To To
Referring to
The domestic
ways.
now
left,
loth,
and he
came to nothing."
Ural's egg
1893.
also
3
\
the same. E. G. B.
like the old its
October
the Editor.
Meade-Waldo, Esq.
Hobby Falcon
a
on the rigging of a ship White Sea. t
am
you can possibly procure, and good price for them." "
I
the
as
f
prepared to pay a
"
of
many
cat.
is
It is also
Editor brought
kittens of this kind,
(F. subbuteo)
that
had alighted
which the editor was coming from the
cat of Archangel
Egyptian
The
in
blue in colour and
very distinct
is shaped from our own in
home from Archangel
one of which
is
still
(1902)
in
1893 three
thriving,
and the
mother of a numerous progeny, but not one of them resembles herself. Lord Lilford had one years ago in his rooms in Tenterden Street. I See p. 86.
AND AVIARIES
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
79
Note from " Aviary Record"
"October 27 th, 1893: cum,
Lapp owl, Syrnium lapponifrom Finland in 1888, died."
survivor of ten
last
"August
"I am
grinafor) died
on
few
a
in
satisfactorily
her
on
the
wing,
full
of
high
trees
from
that
that
she
if
tumour on
a
small,
We so
is
never
put and
enclosed
raked off
in
of
pursuit
she
dark
very
tame and
as
peregrinoid a
as
playful
kitten."
"The most
remarkable
two of the giant a
as
l
additions
tortoises
and
very docile
falcon,
"April
are
the
received her, and
I
way.
our country
as
(F. peri-
would hardly have found her way back, at events in this summer-time. She was just a very
quarry all
ago
days
black shahin
my
She was moulting when
breast-bone.
going
that
sorry to say
i6fA, 1889.
to
my
2$th, 1895.
stock
live
from Aldabra, the
male
covey of Madagascar francolins, ten of Tristram's grakles from Palestine, and,
346
weighing
"
I
little
very fine wild cat
Alfonso
TenerifFe.
Cross
nice
from Germany. am very glad to hear of the young pheasants
a
lastly,
Ibs.,
of
Carlos
Scandinavian usual in a
III.
owls,
lemming 1
To
XIII. should I
except year,
have
give
heard
snowy,
but
you the nothing I
hear
in
Grand of
that,
any as
the fields are alive with rough-
E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq.
8o
I
now and
Merlins do
legged buzzards.
know of one
Hants, and
instance in
(
"
The only Canarian
believe that in
I
l
frequently do so."
Norway they
then rest in trees.
bird that
'
December
have
I
1
lost
7 th,
1891.
of
late
is
one of the trumpeter bullfinches two days ago, from some
unknown
in
cause,
shows no desire to nest
my man
few days, but
is
little
is
menced
at
lasts
till
news
is
the time of a
as
May
me
tells
my
as
an egg within the so
sit
last
that
irregularly
The
surviving houbara
my
hybernation
upset
com-
on October 25th, and
rule,
all
outdoor
my
Reeves's
that
Palma.
I
pheasants
know
bird
David, the Jesuit missionary
haunted pine
forests
at
would
do
they are exceedingly
who
me
ornithology in North China, assured
pheasants
of the
from others.
in
hardy, as Pere
but
;
general
think
should
admirably well
much
assured
derived
I
laid
Laurivora
Two
tame.
fairly
chance of hatching.
am
I
well,
"
is
have paired, nested, and
C. bollii
there
she
:
The
condition.
fair
very
did so
that these
5000 and 6000
feet
above the sea during the summer, living principally upon
mountain
down
in
berries
the
and small fir-cone
winter
to
the
seeds,
and only came the mountain
tea-gardens in
districts.
"
I
should think that you will enjoy your months
Morocco
greatly, but 1
To
I
fear that
E. G. B.
you
will
in
have to go for
Meade-Waldo, Esq.
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
AND AVIARIES
81
from Tangier to get any good shooting. Our Vice-Consul at SafH knows something about falconry,
a
distance
long
From what he
and has many Arab falconer friends. me, it seems that the Arabs only f
falcon
and
F. barbarus. either with
common and own
My
chief
in
acquainted
in
Morocco
the
Comte de
Andalucia, where
Paris,
the
all,
alive.
I
am
to
francolin (bical-
have for some
I
turn
down
sure that they
in
The
most
interesting
events
would do
in
time latter
cotos in
his
"July
"
of
the
are
working hard to try and get some of these
been for
is
and the great horned
capensis]
any numbers,
he
Morocco.
requirements
owl (Bubo ascalaphus) and, above caratus],
of
not
F. punicus,
that
breed in
marsh owl (Phasmoptynx
be
think,
lanner (F. feldeggi], both
the
barbarus or
which are
I
make out
cannot
I
species
take to be the typical peregrine,
I
which must,
Buhari,'
"
which
Nebli,'
*
two
train
tells
well."
*
iqth, 1892.
live-stock
my
collection have been the birth of a Galago demidoffi* about
two months
some
ago,
Australian
doing peewits
well
;
the
of
laying
(Sardophorus
pectoralis],
by Madagascar bush-quails (Turnix nigricollis] of a pair of night herons, several eggs laid
many of my that you sent me
of
1
To
*
A
nutcrackers last.
and of
eggs
the
ditto
the nesting
;
;
the death
laurel
(Female by dissection.)
E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. little
by
lemuroid animal.
6
pigeon
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
82
.
"
AVIARIES
surviving pair of trumpeters laid two eggs
My
now
of cage, and broke one of them, but are
floor
making
a box, and
in
I
hope mean business."
on
nest-
l
Note from " Aviary Record."
"September
1893
ijth,
Raven,
:
'Sankey'
corax] taken from nest near Santander in
A
mate
for
the
result
successful
following
survivor
was
May
ravens have a
the
:
y^
April
The
with
obtained,
"
"
(Coruus
1876, died."
new
nest and three
1894.
eggs in the
big beech tree at the west corner of the house."
Note from " Aviary Record'''
"April hatched
1894:
2oth,
out
Four
Now
Lilford.
at
ravens
about
(Corvus three
corax\ old."
days
"April nth, 1895.
"I have reason
to
fear
of
that both
my
ravens
are
huge nest and lined it carefully. The smaller, younger bird was actually sitting in the nest for some time, but he (or she) was so terrified males.
by
the
nearly
built
They
awful full
hurricane
use 1
2
a
To To
of
its
of
March
wings,
it
24th
went
E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq.
Walter M. Stopford, Esq.
that,
away
having to
the
AND
PONDS, PADDOCKS, near
plantation
time
before
time
old
Grip carried up a of
walls
about
keep
the
nest
ravens
though Cosgrave deceased
the
In
the
mean-
in
which
built
and
are
seems
the
nest
an
a
huge nest
mother of
last
this
has
mantelli
that laid
1
2 3
*
ours
the
is
in
this
To To To
the same.
country
done
in lining
the
that
Zealand.
Emeu,
curved
2nd, 1896.
I
not
an
egg
of
that
think
however,
should,
of
know
I
;
t/fpteryx
natural circumstances."
perfectly
the same.
Itself
to the gigantic extinct
the
:
A. Thorburn, Esq.
The Apteryx (Kiwi
New
or
before,
instance
in
substitute
male."
a
is
year
it,
* has ever had A$teryx oweni
so.
first
country
if
l
same
the
in
employed
busily
persuaded
not quite sure
in
egg
o/f.
to
am
I
they
is,
February 2$rd, 1895.
"June "
they
attention to their edifice."
all
have
place as last year,
for
some
now, though
;
"
The
was
of stones and arranged
lot
the
tree
seem to have given up
"
it
was caught and clipped.
it
them about the both
83
and
house,
Cosgrave's
AVIARIES
Moa
are pendulous,
bill for
of the Maories) larger than a
no
Its
(Dinornis).
and have no
probing the earth, and
is
is
'
a wingless bird peculiar
common
it
fowl,
feathers,
aftershaft.'
like It
related
those of
has a long,
strictly nocturnal in
showing shrinking and resentment when disturbed
is
its
habits,
in its hiding-place
The bird in question laid its egg at the end during the daytime. of a burrow by the side of the garden pond where the flamingoes were.
AND
PONDS, .PADDOCKS,
84
AVIARIES "
"I turned down about
little
forty
the
in
neighbourhood, early
were too young
feed
to
themselves,
25/A,
four
Several
last.
rather,
or,
the
or
three
July
1889.
about
owls,
some
house here and over a radius of miles in
May
to
find
and we recaptured more than half of A very few were found dead. those originally put out. Several were constantly seen about during the summer
own
their
food,
;
autumn
and
the
On
winter.
discovered
23rd,
often
but
entirely,
heard,
1889, one of
throughout
my
keepers
high ash bough of The old bird would not move,
hollow
the
in
disappeared
and
seen,
April
nest
a
many
the deer-park.
in
tree
were
four
or
three
1888
of
a
two eggs were visible. On May loth two young birds about a week old could be made out, and on the 22nd, four or five, but on being gently pushed with a
all
of
different
impossible
to
see
bough, but there certain
invest largely in
what
different
tried,
to
reared in lot
nest.
little
I
and
me
that
it
produce can
her
This
is
tree,
is
be
short
a
at
encouraging, and
I
shall
owls this summer, and adopt someSimilar experiments have been
Hants, Sussex, Norfolk and
do not know of
mine.
tell
haunts a crab
knowledge, in
a genuinely
of
bird
treatment.
Yorkshire, but
this
old
from the
my
a cleft
Her mate
partially seen.
distance
is
keepers
from the open end of the near the nest from which, in
anything
the
lights,
The
sizes.
stick,
free condition
The
little
owl
a
brood having been in
this
will
country,
nest
freely
till
in
AND AVIARIES
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
but generally the parents devour their young.
captivity,
One of my the
85
of
top
box
a
and
years,
bush,
this
egg
trodden
to
a
morning
on
of
flat
sort
Those night-herons have been here
form by a stork. for three
an
laid
night-herons
I
have great hopes of a brood."
l
"June 22nd, 1893. "
would be
It
interesting to
know where
the Scoulton
get their mice,* and of what species the latter are.
gulls
"
'
culloos
"
*
envy your seeing the gadwalls and
I
A
short-billed
f at such close quarters in their native homes. propos of the ferocity of owls, a cottager in this
neighbourhood found a well-feathered young tawny on the ground below the nesting hole in April last, and carried
nights
it
home
Two
to his cottage at a short distance.
afterwards,
as
he was
feeding
this
owlet,
one of
ones dashed at his head and clawed him nastily
the old
about the nose and eyes." "June " Last year
we had
a nest of
little
23rd,
1893.
owls (Athene noctua),
have turned out a great many, in an ashThe tenant of the farm about two miles off.
of which
I
stump was passing the place unawares one evening when 1
2
To To
the
the Rev. Murray Matthew.
the Editor. * In this very dry
summer
the Brown-headed Gulls brought
voles to their nests.
t The Thickknee or Norfolk Plover (QLdicnemus scolopax).
many
AND
PONDS, 'PADDOCKS,
86
AVIARIES
young were about half-grown, and the old bird came at him from behind and knocked his hat off. I may mention that we have a home-bred family of these owls just now able to fly in our deer-park. "
One of my Ural owls
spring,
but did not seem disposed to
into
egg
owner's
a
nest
but
eggs,
'
gone "
I
of
as
scatt,'
barn the
they
owl,
Ural
say
laid
(S. uralense]
am
I
we put
the
of
five
containing
has,
an egg this
so
sit,
little
the
to
sorry
say,
Devon.
in
have a bittern in the
aviaries
upon three
sitting
eggs-
"
We
have a return of almost overpowering, breezeheat; no pleasure out of doors after 6 a.m. or before
less
1
5.30 p.m."
"June
" late
The most is
H.
a
fine,
nearest
of
ally
rhinoceros."
of
coney
Psalm
7,
Hyrax
healthy
the
syriacus,
Deut. xiv.
interesting addition
civ.
this
18,
small,
to
I
;
have a very
rock-dwelling
to
Lev.
xi.
genus
fine
November
of
specimen
he was
that
cousin
5,
The is
the
2
;
species
of
and Proverbs xxx. 26.
brought from Norway moulted out very clean and fine it
alive
of
Scripture,
stock
live
first
capensis,
"
a
my
1894.
^ot/i,
I
ever 1
2
To To
saw
alive,
and
is
Falco
last is
i$th,
norvegicus
year,
the
1866.
and has
first
of
its
most decidedly a
the Editor.
the Rev. Murray Matthew.
PONDS, PADDOCKS, from
bird
different
very
AND
AVIARIES or
islandus
either
87
candicans.
This falcon has much more of the peregrine about him in make and appearance." *
"February 26 /% 1885.
" Alas that
can
I
share
health.
logically,
and
sympathy of blue
my
with
c
personal
inert
locomotion,
matter,'
quite
out
of the
of the
fairly
well in
swim, ornitho-
dependent upon the compassion and
birdy brethren for information.
My
from the nest
Strait
taken
into a
1882 moulted
in
plumage much
of,
a
nestling
in
the
September
of those parts
very
bird,
the
all
breast
and
;
of the wing coverts are
all
some few
broadly tipped with a slightly
2
"April
The sparrow-hawk
billed birds, as
Papisticus
of
resembling, but rather
three weeks he has begun to moult again, and
"
last,
old
edged with dirty white, and the plumage within the last unusually downy and thick
feathers
rusty white."
except
out
is
thank God, very
am,
May
exaggeration
flank
all
entirely
in
thoroughly,
that
am
I
rock-thrush
Bonifacio
an
I
though
question,
general
fear
I
!
i6th,
1894.
does good service by taking hard-
Passer impudicus (Mihi), Damnabilis (Irby),
(Tristram),
Sanguineus
(agricolae),
grain-devourers." 1
2 *
To To To
the Rev. the same. the same.
Canon
Tristram.
and
other
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
88
AND AVIARIES 1 '
u
My
most interesting live-stock
A ugust
26th,
1894.
of
acquisitions
late
Hyrax capensis, a batch of Caccabis melanocephalus from Aden, and a splendid Grus carunculata^ the one species that was lacking in my collection of cranes." have
been
"
"
thank you
I
much
very
for
May
zoth,
your most
1896.
welcome
congratulations on the important addition to our vivaria,*
and the neat and
suitable label for the recent acquisition.
thought that your label would inspire an ornithoI would try and persuade the happy mother logist's tastes, If I
to attach
it
permanently to her infant, but there
and sterner lady sure, reject
in
in
harpy a
you for yours of the
sent to
with
the
me some
a
younger
survives.
I
of a
I
is
bird
sea
eagle
of
the
To To
3o/7z,
sent
I
1896.
you no
(Haliaetus leucogaster]^
same
species,
which
still
glad that, as cruel fate snatched her
on Friday
burro wing-owl, bred here 1
May
acceptable to you.
told Cosgrave
2
28th.
four or five years ago from Melbourne,
am very
from me, she "
am
accepted sense of the term, but
usually
white-bellied
old
fine
I
any such suggestion."
'
'
another
temporary possession, who would,
"
"Thank
is
the Rev.
Canon
to last
send you the remains year.
I
Tristram.
the same.
* Birth of a grandson,
May
8th,
1896.
believe that
PONDS, PADDOCKS,
AND AVIARIES
89
the present bird was shipped at Buenos Ayres, but about
am
this I
not sure.
In the meantime our grass lands are
being regularly scorched up, and our trees given over to the caterpillar and cankerworm."
But
in addition to his correspondence,
Lord Lilford
set
himself the daily task of entering a register of the arrivals
of new birds and the general progress of his collection.
How
and
carefully
mitted,
will
be
record for the
gathered
first
1
To
was done, when health perfrom Appendix I. It is the
fully this
eight
months of 1893.
the Rev.
Canon
Tristram.
CHAPTER
IV
Notes on Illustrations THE
following
artist's
work
letters
for
Mr. Thorburn
to
Coloured Figures
They show
the
infinite pains
each
not
only perfect as
plate,
of the
Lord
representation
bird in question, but perfect also as a
which
surroundings
fidelity
of Mr. Thorburn's work
in
it
a
letters
of
this
true
pleasure
to
reflection
that
Birds.
may
himself to
be
but
;
of the of the
The beauty and
lived.
volumes, and need no other tribute been
British
to
Lilford took to have
a
natural
relate
seen in those it
must have
have received such
and to be thus assured of the high appreciation * gifted and minutely critical judge.
"April 15^, 1888. "
As
regards
the
surroundings
of the birds that you
mention, the oyster catcher should be on a sea beach of shingle
and
sand,
with
indication
of
a
flock
of same
the ruff and reeve on grassy background marsh land with any marsh flowers that you may think
species in the
;
NOTES ON ILLUSTRATIONS suit -the
etc.
coast
sea sea,
coast
a
burrows chalk
in
rabbits,
sea
over
sea
razorbill,
;
flock
off
a
on
dress
flat
steep
honeycombed with
cliff
;
rows of birds
cliff face,
summer
full
pinks
swan
flat
foreground
whooper,
;
Bewick's
;
in
swimming
background
loch
group
of short turf
slope
in
one of a flock
goose,
think,
highland
puffin,
;
I
mountains
wild
a
white-fronted
;
bernicle,
;
high
on
marsh marigold, meadow-sweet, forget-
picture
me-not,
91
black
a
clirr
or
gulls indicated."
"July 8M, 1888.
"
The
angle of eye in teal
rather too acute."
is
"August " Is I
not
toe
the
mean the inner
fore-shortened,
toe
and
or
oyster
of right
ought
more yellow near the point
not "
catcher foot
the
little
jbill
to
water
too
much
be
rather
?
''''Bournemouth,
"
a
the
in
1888.
iott,
November
\oth,
1888.
have some floating ideas that I had rather not have mentioned at present of bringing out a quarto work I
of the birds of Spain.
I
should like to have about ten
or twelve full-page plates of characteristic Spanish species as illustrations,
namely bearded vultures, white-shouldered
booted eagle, blue-winged magpie, Irby's titmouse, Andalucian short-toed lark, great bustard, black vulture, eagle,
NOTES ON ILLUSTRATIONS
92
flamingo, marbled duck, and possibly one
and
my
if
present
happy to entrust the I
should be glad
if
Lilford
the wild bird.
I
to
Your
;
most
be
In
you.
you would make me
would do admirably
like to represent the
should
shape
illustrations
bearded vulture.
adult
takes
idea
two more
or
any case
drawing of
a
sketches from the bird at for
attitude,
but
should
I
deep tawny-red throat and breast of
want
much of
as
a
'
'
as
picture
you
think the colourists are likely to reproduce satisfactorily a
on
bird
single
a
of
pinnacle
looking over a wild rugged valley
mountain
far below,
range in the far background, would
I
with a snowy
think do well."
"January
"I do not remember sketch of
not
if
adult
till
she
as
out a
it
my
"I
is
it
;
old white-tailed eagle at
thirty-five
clean
if
1889.
you took a
Lilford,
not
or
;
;
and has always moulted or dead you could hardly have old,
years
alive
perfect specimen.
do
bird
know whether
would be possible todrawing the pearly bloom on the plumage of
not
convey in a this
moment
this
28*%,
might be as well to defer finishing sketch of you have an opportunity of taking her portrait,
very
more
at
limestone,,
at
all
events
I
it
have never seen an attempt
at
but you have succeeded so admirably with the plum
bloom
on
a
golden
inclined to think peculiarity."
that
eagle
and
a
buzzard
that
I
am
you would not be beaten by this
NOTES ON ILLUSTRATIONS ''April
"The
eagle
which should,
I
cistus,
in
1889. iris,
think, be a shade lighter in colour."
May
5/#,
1889.
white-shouldered eagle {A. adalbertt] should be
represented on a dead top bough of
an
in
willow,
i-jtA,
perfect with the exception of the
is
11
"The
93
open
with
country
scrubby
myrtle, and
rosemary, lentiscus,
extreme distance
Lombardy a belt
poplar or vegetation,
of dark
patches of yellow sand amongst
;
firs
the
scrub, a distant rabbit, very intense blue cloudless sky.
"
The booted
eagle
in
(A. -pennata]
pine
"February I
last
received your note of the
The mergansers
night.
think that your sketch in will
be excellent.
mountain black
loch,
guillemot
I
in I
your
sitting
quite
letter
perfect,
for
would put them on to
preference
think
the
sketch
instead of upwards, and a
in
sent,
i^t/i,
1890.
I2th with the drawings
are
your
figure the adult bird sitting
of
on
the trees bare of bough to a considerable height."
hillside,
"
forest
the
best
their a
I
attitude
fresh-water
About the
sea.
plan
and
would
be
to
something of the attitude but
young bird
looking (that
is,
downwards one
in the
you have figured) flying off to a small flock in the background on the sea. You could put the old black bird on a great seaweed-covered stone close
plumage
that
to the water at the foot of a
cliff.
NOTES ON ILLUSTRATIONS
94 "
enclose
I
two
little
crakes (Crex parva) just received
from Spain, and should be glad to have a drawing for the book taken from it. The beak in the March-killed specimen should be green, with red currant red, legs and toes green,
shade than beak. is
at
base
irides
;
pale
of a somewhat darker
In the September bird the only difference
beak and legs are not so brightly coloured.
that the
The surroundings should be a very watery marsh fact, you might make one of the birds swimming. action
these
and
water-hen,
swimming
birds
little
jerk
resemble
exactly their
up
tails
in
We
In
common
our
and
walking
just in the fashion of that species." "
"
in
;
are
both
delighted
May
2nd.
with your beautiful picture
of the eagle, which has just arrived.
You
have not only
admirably portrayed the characteristic aspect of the bird,
but thrown an element of Highland poetry into the work that
not often attained, and
is
most gladly retain heart
is
it,
and
shall
it
deserves
all
always treasure
praise.
I
for
my
it,
very often in the Highlands amongst the eagles *
and the wild deer." "August "
The
colour
think,
now
colour
of
quite irides
of neck and
breast
2\st.
of water-rail
is,
I
presume that you took the I must confess that from authority I right.
I
;
never saw them so bright, and should have been inclined to say that reddish hazel-brown
was the usual colour."
NOTES ON ILLUSTRATIONS
95
"
February igth, 1892.
"
fear that
I
write to say that as
just
received
I
It
Brighton.
if
you
will
sending you the Subborne specimen
it
last
from Messrs. Pratt of
night
ever saw, and
I
make
I
one of the most beautifully marked of
is
species that
its
am
I
be sick of spotted eagles, but
will
you
be
shall
I
a careful drawing of
much
obliged
for the book.
it
It
would be well to put some life into it. I think as it had a water rat in its stomach when killed, I would put one in its talon in the drawing,
seeing something far to
leave
and to give the bird an expression of off after catching his vole. This I
make
you, only asking you to
attitude quite unlike the bird at
Cambridge." 11
" is
The
is
certain
can
too
rather
impression
alter
this
right wing, or
this beautiful
me when
I
is
a
:
namely
broad
iqth,
1893.
'
drawing
in
legs.
much
I
me
do not know
I
quite
so
a
if
you
much of
the
feathers of lower
belly,
and
should be sorry to have
altered, but
say that the aspect particularly
that the principal
and gives to
thick
by not showing '
figure
this,
of heaviness.
showing more of the
osprey
May
osprey drawing has only one slight defect, and
otherwise quite perfect
figure
the drawing in
is
you
too
will
understand
The
'
wide-awake bird
buzzardy.' in
look and
in
fact."
"August "
The cream-coloured
indication
of
strong
courser
rufous
in
is
the
quite perfect.
*]th.
A
faint
head of the distant
NOTES ON ILLUSTRATIONS
96
would
falcon
of the North African
"The
desert.
also excellent,
is
great snipe
you could show a
possible if
if
glad
the wings and spread the
" alive this
The on
in
irides
tail
black
a
but
little
should
I
be
of the white on
slightly.
harrier
Montagu's
received
Saturday are dark, as in a true falcon, otherwise
drawing
is
quite perfect.
" Bartramia
grasshoppers.
only a sandpiper in name
is
summer
that in
the most probable falcon
indicate a lanner
;
it
a plover
is
frequents the dry uplands and feeds
think
I
it
would be
better to cut
on
out the
water and to make the surroundings a somewhat sunburnt grass prairie, indicating a second bird or two on
on foot
in the far
wing or
background." "November 29^.
" I
am
I
sending you a good skin of storm petrel that
some time ago in flesh from W. Eagle Clarke He especially wishes to Edinburgh Museum.
received
of
the
and yours to the peculiar shape and elevation of the forehead, which he says has never been
my
attention
properly
indicated
this bird
drawn
call
unless
sea, it
would
in
in flight, in the
you consider perhaps be
fact,
What little
I
^running
on
want to try
best
to
full
the is
should
to have
like
trough of a heavy rolling
that too bold an attempt.
water with legs at their in
I
drawings.
If so
make him skimming
length
water
the very
the
and toes extended
with
wings
striking
effect
;
extended.
of these
black birds against a deep blue ocean sea and foam."
NOTES ON ILLUSTRATIONS "
"
The
storm
is
drawing
petrel
The brown
suggest no alteration.
but with regard to the proposed figure I
attitude
but
delineated,
certain
have objected to some pictures on
and
is
(jth.
I
can
equally good,
in the
would suggest putting the bird on
the
December
lovely,
snipe
97
background, feet
both
like
subscribers
captious
of
account
I
;
one-
this
legged attitude." "
" it
or
I
return the drawing of the
was before, little
is
I
specimen
by Lord Clifton
I
I
make
(British)
1876, fully
I
a in
in
but no adult
grebe,
which, good as
much improved. Dabchick
think,
amongst the names I sent those two with horned and eared
think,
think that
grebes would
more
now,
grebe was,
you, and
April
Bournemouth, January zsth, 1896.
Princes
my
of four.
set
good
Street of eared
presence in
doubt you In
birds.
latter,
which when
fair
grebe shot
be
in
to
obtain
the drawing of this
species
first laid
yellow white, but in Spain
a
Weymouth Bay
will
able
should like to introduce nest and eggs.
of the
have
I
I
have plenty
are of the usual greenish-
soon
become very deep un-
broken chocolate colour, from the constant covering with rotten weeds in a hot sun but, as I think of it, the ;
eared
grebe has
country,
spring in St. this
so
never
perhaps
advances you
been
known
the
dabchick's
will
be
able
to
to
nest
breed
in
(which
study
as
this
the
from nature
James's Park) would be the more appropriate for
work." 7
CHAPTER
V
Otter Hunting, Falconry, and Shooting
A
CONTEMPLATED
following words upon " that
The word I
find
or
To
rather
must confess
I
wish in the
I
or misunderstood.
most
acquainted
intimately
I
am,
shooting,
'
shooting
is
generally applied
if
to a considerable bag
number of head
the
in
slain
But
legitimately applied.
I
contend that
fair
death
means, without
of any beast, bird or
pointment should sportsman.
the attainment
Here
only enhance I
of hunting men, but
feel I
sure
am
I
fish,
;
day's
term
'
'
sport
enjoyed in the highest degree in the pursuit
the
a
in itself satisfies the sporting inclination, the
animals by in
and
untranslatable,
almost equally indefinable, but
was
good sport and certainly,
be
:
begin with the form of sport with which
'
is
is
sport
commonly abused "
sport
remarks to show to what an extent the term
following is
it
by Lord Lilford opens with the
article
may
of wild
of success
and that disap-
the keenness of the real shall
doubtful
meet with the assent
if
my
brother gunners
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING and anglers
99
I look upon fox go with me. and otter hunting, falconry and fly-fishing, as the highest
will
entirely
of sport
kinds
because in the
and hound
to first
instance
pains to serve
infinite
in
enjoyed
this
science
man by
its
simply
country,
by horse
assisted
is
the second the falcon
in
;
be
reclaimed with
is
natural
instincts
;
and
because in the third you can only rely for success upon
own
your
and
skill
of the
knowledge
habits
of
the
creatures to be captured.
" Let
me
say at once that, with
all
lover of racing and athletic games,
more or
less
look upon these as
I
I
hold to constitute
not '
*
sport
true sense.
its
"
to the
forms of amusement that do
come under what
legitimately in
excellent
due respect
I
quite admit that to watch a
bred horses doing their best, and '
for ever
;
and a good match
number of thorough-
fairly
ridden,
boat race are
the lookers on
these three there
interest
but in
A
an
of charm to
full
lacking the
is
of outwitting wild animals, with the odds against
the pursuer, and opinion, "
all
a 'joy
at cricket or football, or
evenly contested yacht or ;
is
this
latter
condition
is,
in
the one essential constituent of real great
many
my
humble
'
sport.'
gallant followers of foxhounds
go out
simply for the excitement of a glorious gallop and plenty
of jumping,
manship
few
simply
and cut down
others
not
a
to ;
obtainable without hounds or fox.
of hunting
is,
to
those
who know
display
and these
their
horse-
objects
are
But the joy and pride the habits of the fox,
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
ioo
and delight in
driving on a hot scent,
cold one
and
and elaborately picking up of the
in fact in the exercise
in
instinct
The
powers of brain
The good qualities
huntsman cannot make
best
a
a
or bad
of fox and
bad fox run
and with the best of foxes bad hounds are use-
straight,
All this
less.
full
biped and quadruped.
run depends almost entirely upon the hounds.
of the hound,
in cultivating the natural instinct
is
to
strikingly applicable
otter
hunting,
most delightful sport the object of pursuit has very long odds in his favour." in
which
While we the last sport as
from saying or supposing that word has been spoken on sport in the abstract, or are very far
carried
it is
on
to the question as this
in this country, such a contribution
must needs be
was written by one who was
not
full
of interest.
only a singularly clear
was himself the best example
thinker, but
It
of his
own
creed.
Of
all
forms of English sport, none agree with
postulates of
'
such
'
natural conditions
an absolute
fishing,
and
degree
paid
to
The
falconry.
held of fox hunting
may
be
the
'
fairness
in
quite
the sister sports of hunting,
opinion read
which Lord Lilford
in the
tribute
he has
And, although the claims of
above.
it
as
and
c
otter
homage, the foxhounds were ever welcomed by him with the heartiness of a true sportsman, and no one was more delighted than himself when they
hunting held
his
went away from
first
his
coverts on
the line of a good stout
But
fox. after
he
as
falconry,'
'
1
he was
it,
heart
my
early
devoted,
his allegiance.
in
most delightful
*
this
the dearest joy of
called
and he never swerved In
{
to otter hunting,
as
sport,'
he
truly
wrote,
the object of pursuit has very long odds in his favour.'
And
as
here,
of
opportunity
otter-hounds
seeing
few words upon
denied, a
this
not be out of place, and
may
whom
must needs be many to
there
work has been
at
form of sport
particular it
these alone that
for
is
the
they are written.
OTTERS AND OTTER HUNTING. The
otter
must not be taken in
to be a
said
is
to
mean
the daylight, but that
dying behind the
when
it
'
literally that
seldom
it
is
never abroad
When
is.
turn of the
last
the
sun
shoulder of the
is
hill,
woof of whitening vapour begins to form over withies, when the cattle cough in the chilling meadow
the
the
lands and the peewits
come dropping
in
silently
gateway where the hay hangs
caught by the
hedge, then
wakes from
reeds,
to
This
nocturnal animal.'
it
is
that the otter
high thorn sleep in the
or under the roots of an oak or alder, and
move
begins
for food.
Otters are great
down stream on
travellers,
their
ranging very far up
nightly quests.
quietly, slipping into the water as if
you
its
over the
listen
it
They swim very were
oil.
never so carefully, you do not hear 1
Letter to the Editor.
and
Though much that
102
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
tells
you the otters are moving, excepting a whistled which comes now and then from the reed-beds.
call
Masterly as the otter
powers of
swimming and unnecessary hard work in
its
for
When
animals. is
the
in
is
swift,
will
eye
practised
the
across
other
the current
if
the
bend of
from corner
land
easily
cares
than
hunting
frequently lands, and often cuts
it
A
corner.
its
no more
it
diving,
are
as
supreme
going up stream, especially
stream by travelling
the
water,
notice
these
to
spots
where the otter lands and runs up the bank for otters, like most other wild creatures, follow one another's lead. ;
which
Causes detect
the
of
eyes
human
no doubt answerable
are
over
landing-place
another.
It
for
the
may
be
of
claims the
not
may
beings
one
of the
set
eddy from a half-sunk willow stub, the angle at which the bank rises, the chances of cover and concealment any one or of
of
all
fifty
points
may determine
a particular landing-place
are abundant,
it
will be
;
but
at
the
all
advantages
events,
if
paddled into a regular run.
will see the otter's footprints
the
otters
Here
mud, the
prints
of four round toes like no other creature's track.
TrFis
you
footprint
called
is
signs, such as *
spraints
'),
otter
hunters,
remains of digested food
will
stones which
by
in
the (in
<
seal.'
hunting parlance
be noticed on hillocks of the grass or on
show themselves above the
water.
Although some streams are more favoured than there is probably not one in the country that visited at times
Other
by
otters,
others, is
not
and the attention of even unob-
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING servant persons a partly eaten to
begins
is
occasionally arrested
fish
lying
those
eat
dealing with an
Because of
its
The
otter
first
about the head, except when
parts
when
eel,
spectacle of
by the
on the bank.
103
commences with the
it
cautious and secret
end.
tail
manner of
an
life,
otter will often continue to frequent a stream for a long
immemorial, and yet no one has
held otters from time
guessed *
has
until the
this,
shown
person,
was
coming of
varmint
the
the dusty
tunities,
miller,
in
Yes, their
otters
often
usual
f
tree roots,
ivied
choose
its
are drains,
holts
to
omniscient
that
of his peculiar opporfind
the
in
favourite
strange
'
pack of otter-hounds
Even
spite
prepared
scarcely
a
up.'
own outhouse one of
his
an
Indeed many a stream has
and be unsuspected.
time,
of
thatch
sleeping-places.
and
quarters,
though
caves, rocks, holes under
and withy beds, we have known one to frequent have bolted another from under a tree, and
barn floor.
The hounds throw
light
on obscure points
and by attentively observing
much may
No is
behaviour of
hounds
be learnt.
spear
is
ever used in this hunting
has long died out there
the
like these,
an honest
;
either kill
the quarry goes
by hounds.
that barbarism scot
Every one
is
free,
or
familiar
from the engravings with the look of traditional otterhounds. But alas, that picturesque animal, with his wiry coat, is
shaggy eyebrows, long ears and deep
now
in
a
minority
in
many
packs.
It
bell-like is
voice,
a pity
that
OTTER HtJNTlNG, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
io 4 it
should be
He
result.
is
own
but his
so,
have led to
failings
generally a babbler,
this
throwing his tongue
without good reason, or without reason sufficiently good if tired, he insists on speaking to an old scent, and it is ;
when you want hounds
particularly exasperating
quickly, to have
a
worn-out
Further,
scent.
hound holds
the
tradition,
hanging over a the rough coat of the otter-
so
On
than the foxhound.
to
It
pluck,
in
a
is
proves himself second to none in
has
once
but,
otter,
given
place
difficult
little
the
entered,
in
sooner
in
these
to enter
foxhound
and patience,
reliability
and
the water,
facing
chilly
the whole, therefore, in spite of
packs to the foxhound.
foxhounds
he grows
that
otter-hound
old
on
individual
particular
the water,
to get
enduring wet and
in
cold.
We
are
now
we mean
this
ready for a morning's hunting, and by
on the drying
faint
grass,
We will
be up betimes.
and go with him and off,
at
A
cold, clear
sky
as
rift
we
of good hounds, as care can
one
or
colours
his
scent
soon
otter
hunter must
and so the
grows
join the master at the kennels,
hounds
to the meet,
five miles
Mill Bridge.
eastern
At
the
early morning, for
is
set fit
just
beginning to widen in the
off with the as exercise
pack
twelve couple
and the most thoughtful
make them.
the mill itself a small field
two
ladies.
of the
hunt.
is
waiting, which includes
Most of them Everyone
dressed
are
carries
a
in
the
long ash pole
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING This pole
tipped with metal.
over '
and
hedges
poking about
is
ditches,
nowadays
and
sounding depths,
The upper end
generally.
fitted
used as a help in getting
is
for
'
105
of the
for
pole
with a small ring, in place of the old
spear head.
A
"
few
moved
cheery Into the
off.
Good mornings," and hounds are drenching dew of the meadows we
go, and
up the side of the stream. There are disappointments in otter hunting as in Red-letter everything else, and there are even blank days. days there Collier in
are
1884,
also,
when
his
killed at
Mr.
late
hounds, finding close to Lynd-
away from the the end of sixteen
hurst, took right
and
by the
described
that
as
river miles.
and over the
We
will,
hills,
however,
no extreme instances, but take an ordinary typical
discuss
day. It
not long before a hound opens, and immediately
is
the whole pack rallies to him, and
of grass, where
a patch
out and rolled.
it
Then up
is
is
soon feathering over
evident
the
stream
an
otter
they
come
has
go,
one
first
hound and then another giving tongue, as they pick up from point to point a fairly good scent. They are *
hunting a
course
followed
previous cerned,
night.
though '
1
running
words, puzzling
out
the
by the otter in its wanderings This at least is the hope of
of
the
drag,'
heel
of up to him.
it
or
is
in
of
other
course
possible
drawing away from
their
they otter
all
con-
may
be
instead
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
io6
But now there
whole pack swings to the
the
crash
than
hitherto,
line.
That
is
what
just supplying
is
through a reed-bed,
now
some
at last
till
grass,
;
ones
wanted to make the perfect chord.
the stream they go for a mile or more,
Up
and
beautiful
true music, the deep voices of the few rough
is
it
louder
a
is
now
flashing
cutting the corners and over the
some on the bank
in the water,
they cluster like bees about a dark hole under the gnarled
They have marked
roots of a pollard oak.
The
home.
otter
is
found now, and
there
a
are
some one of experience
to
up
a position
the
shallows are
plans
may
the
first
shallow below the pool, while
above are watched for
laid
be used
for the
at
if
But
task.
is
same way, and
the
in
circumventing the
there
duty of taking
the
falls
few
Mean-
minutes of breathing-time before the next move. time,
otter
their
A
quarry.
terrier
one with the pack game enough
a simple
and usually
effective
plan
is
some of those present to stand in a group above the holt or hover,' and at a given signal to jump in
for '
'
'
unison.
the
vibration so caused
nerves.
otter's
the otter fixed
The
He
is
moves.
quickly
bolted, the watcher will need
is
on the water,
for
it
may
for
Until
those few
then,
for
As soon
'as
all
his attention
swims so rapidly and
that in less than even a foot of water
unobserved.
much
usually too
if
moments
he
has
linger
it
an over
may
easily pass
artist's
a
silently
eye,
picture
he that
in itself
is
a pure delight.
What
is
the most characteristic country for otter hunting
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING it
hard to
is
107
Wales, Devonshire, Surrey, Hampshire,
say.
Northamptonshire, any country where streams are huntable, that
not deep or with heavy water,
to say,
is
for the sport.
good
flowers.
Above
green in
its
dimming
into
turns
young
The c
meadows
and the
water floods
the grass roots,
makes the the
first
till
of the river,
here, runnelled in
water
streams
is
all
it
for
guided
there the
shut back
all
is
directions
the
water-gates ;
and so
over the edges and away
there
till
away,
form the rampart of
to
Here and
little
and
outline
in
stretches
it
this side
where the
of the land.
closed
grasses
lie
woodland, bright
softening
as hill
on
here,
cuts
carriers
places the
that
of the
of
line-
but
shadows
'
irrigation
are
water
a
dress,
blue
But
another vale.
runs
this
shoulder
the
flat.
equally
of our present stream
the left
bank of young wheat, fringed with grass and early
rises a
by
On
is
in
among
comes up a rank green swathe
summer
early
Between the
crop.
running water glistens and
sparkles
in
the
morning sun, and all across the water meadows stretches a web of rising mist here in lines of bluey whiteness, ;
there in banks of smoke-like billows, curling
themselves in
A
little
up to vapour under the growing warmth.
farther
and leads into a
down,
tract
a
lose
backwater leaves the stream,
of grass and rushes that
mark
the
duck decoy. It is many a year since the decoy was worked, yet some of the old screens still show themselves among the rushes, though the channels position of an old
and pipes are
silted
up.
It
is
a
marvellously peaceful
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
108
round
Girdled
spot.
silver
gigantic
with
a
is
it
poplars,
gnarled natural
and
oaks
pollard
reserve for
many
kind of birds, and, excepting when the hounds come, it lies almost unvisited throughout the year. There is not a but
here,
heronry
herons, and even
the
now
is
place
pair of these
a
magnificent birds,
by the noise of the hunting, rise heavily and
startled
Here
away.
come down
water-rails nest
the
quietly in
little
hens
and looking
open,
some small mammal than
who run along
in their
hear
their
of them
sight
tracks which they and the water-
running along the
keep
may
catch
perhaps
sail
and when you
every year,
evening you
piping in the grasses, and
also,
haunted by
constantly
a
as
The
bird.
more
run
they
like
paired redshanks
the cattle-rails, or fly calling incessantly
resentment of intrusion, do
much
to give a sense
of wildness to the scene.
now
But
river
like
waves and
a foot
made by It
Now
a
circles
below
shallow
is
an
of a
is
from
bolted
away,
stamp of many feet. the water is flash, and
by the
he up or down
Is
in
otter
He
by the
hiding-place the
the
?
Down
him
as
water, with
no
tallies
it
into
broken into
of the hounds.
rush
first
is
his
a watcher
is
he glides
more
over
at
the
the stones
disturbance than
is
fish.
indeed old
a
hound
beautiful
gives
to
sight
tongue
as
see
he
the
hounds.
swims,
taking
the scent ofF the top of the water from the bubbles that
come up from
the otter's coat.
That
is
Woodman,
an old
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING rough-coated dog, a
on
a stale
how
too prone to throw his tongue
little
hound
but a good
scent,
109
See
nevertheless.
Bellman, that hound with the tan
ears, is
examining
Our
every stone that shows above the water.
quarry
is
going down stream, but has not been sighted again. Suddenly, at the point of a little spinney, the hounds
still
and dash off along a hedgerow. True enough the otter has landed, and is bent on making a He is viewed now and then, but point across country.
leave
the stream
close
running a
Bugler
!
human
who
than
goes
There
is
chain
is
have
times
at
never
them he
his
stern,
it
;
;
is
into the
go speak to a shallow below which must be
formed across
they
he
for
Now
trees.
On we
him, lined.
shoulder to shoulder
younger ones generally, rheumatism), and endeavour to
field
had
(the
prevent him from going down. reaches
to
him moving,
keep
again.
some of the
stand
are
of stout old thorn
line
he
stream
A
more
do
cannot
hounds
the
as
yards before he
Twenty
the water again, under
leaves
cover
of
bed of willow herb, and cutting a corner, runs right between the legs of the rector of the parish and is
a
into the water
He
again.
where we may leave him. water such as
but to or
float
this,
he has
about, just
coming up
at
to-day
?
What
then
?
For, it
all
in
once his
to
And
breathe,
if
they
heavy mill water, an
own
keeping his
intervals
do nothing with him.
now
is
otter
way.
nose
and
He
has
above water,
hounds can
do not
This very night he
reaches
will
take him
probably
no OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING down on
be off floating
main
he
top of the water, until
the
and even perhaps the sea. But no good sportsman minds, so long as hounds are not reaches the
often
too
river,
disappointed
the
;
the
is
drag-hunt
prettiest
it, and many regret the kill. This outline of the otter and his ways has not been for written any of that company of light-hearted
part of
Englishmen who already know the joys of
Of
but
does will it
forbearance
these
imperfect justice
not
here
needs.
go a
is
skill,
patience,
the
to
Not
show those who
to
alone
in
in
the
the
dwells an unique charm.
dew
spiders'
that
lies
first
spell
The
grey heron,
It if
purpose,
less
fortunate,
the
startled
the
veils
of the
otter's
hunt,
scent of the early morning,
the
of the sun
;
and
grass
reaches
long
into the quiet of the
last
are
conditions
natural
rise
old
till
stars
the
of the river
the wildfowl
up from the small side streams, and circle round lower and lower rest at
little
mystery that
heavy on
webs, or whitens
under the
love.
they
sport
form of sport pre-eminently demanding and all the best qualities that true sport
movements, but
the
description which
with a
asked,
have been written, nevertheless, to
does
that
is
otter hunting.
that
whip
high
overhead ^
they
drop
1
decoy
;
the
for
gaunt
from the shallows, and croaking
hoarse protest as he labours off to other fishing-grounds
the
water
itself
a ;
emerald here over beds of water star-
wort, here broken into spinning, hissing foam-globes, or pressing smooth as melted glass between
the
gates of the
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING in weir
speak
and
these
all
cannot die from his
No
hundred other joys
to
only
which was
His
his
for
instincts,
otter
but
"
am
I
have
time
thankful
been
was able about a
halt's
a
dog
otter,
hounds."
to
appealed that
say that
June
only
and
love free.
his ways.
is/,
am, and for
1893.
a
long
be,
and
fortnight ago to assist at an hour
and
hunt
otter
to
as well as
a
It
itself.
life.
this
place
of references to the otter and
letters are full
"
morning hunter, and
was beautiful
that
all
of
any vicissitudes of
of falconry
sporting
him
in
the
should
Lilford
second to the noble art not
for
memory
Lord
wonder
of
heart
the
to
straight
a
in
small, but
can ever expect to
I
my
I
chair,
from
to
find
finish,
of
very game, with the Bucks otter-
1
"June 2nd, 1896.
We
"
Barnwell
had
a
Mill,
short distance
Bridge the
with
the
Bucks
otter-hounds
island.
I
to
hoping little
at
on Saturday, and a lovely drag from a above Shill Mill, right up to the Stone grieve
to say that this
chopping of a small cub, upon which
heart,
poor
kill
beast
secure lay fast
him
alive
as
asleep on the
a
drag ended I
had
pet
bank,
;
set
in
my
but the
when
the
hounds suddenly came upon him, instead of being, as I hoped, securely up the old lawn drain, whence we could 1
To
E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq.
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
ii2
have bagged him
easily
and quite able to take care of the dam here on the I2th May after
or sister killed
And
is,
scent
to
on
short drag,
what we humorously
a stream
we put down two
up stream, and I ran and see him go over
otters
put
tallied
nose up
his
but
him,
once was otter After
a quick,
The
larger otter
I
took
could go, to try
down be
stream, for
some ten
My
gentleman
stopped.
mid-stream opposite to me.
in
was
it
I
shallow stickle, while the hounds
a
could
they
:
from the roots of an
off as hard as
smaller otter
the
minutes before just
hunt
the lower animals,
call
Devon.
South
in
old oak, overhanging the water.
followed
a fine
animals
in
and must always remain a mystery.
hunting
We
1
again, in reference
Scent, in
a brother
itself.
left,
of about an hour."
"
However, he has
alive.
certainly
more than
a
I
quarter of
an hour before the hounds came tearing along the bank,
on
my
side,
mute
quite
hounds reached
me
that
immediately
;
the leading
they opened with a crash, though the
and they were running down wind. This happened about 7 a.m., and we did not handle the
stream ran
other otter
swiftly,
after
till
5
p.m." "
" Don't
him
or
her
let
them
into 1
2
a
kill
April
or injure their
pigsty
or
a
byre,
To Hon. Mrs. Crichton. To T. Buckley, Esq.
\*th,
1895.
otter, but coax
a
bothy
or
a
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING *
shielin
and
wast,'
meantime
throw
have, within
I
good news of
over
sack
a
the
last
otters hereabout."
Hall,
The otter-hounds had
a
grand
Weedon, on Tuesday
near
April 2$tk,
three-mile
"
The otter-hounds were
not find
and
till
they got
to
very
here
Brock
drag,
two
a
dog
killing it."
May
6th,
on Saturday,
The
Wadenhoe.
1895.
from
day
and three-quarter hours' swimming work, otter of twenty-two pounds at the end of
"
had
days,
the
l
"
"
In
him.
few
113
1895.
but
water
did
too
is
do any good, and they could not hunt a bit. They met this morning at Elton Mill to draw up the Fotheringhay brook, and were to go to Stamford to-night." high
too
thick
But hunting the
Lord
Lilford's
own
of
allusions
it,
in
otter,
as
we have already seen from
words, yielded one place in his estimathe noble mysterie
tion to falconry
speak
to
using his
the
phrase
correspondence
'
of an to
he was wont to
as
the
old
writer.
beautiful
The art
of
training falcons, are for the greater part of too technical a
character for the general reader. 1
2 3
To To To
We,
therefore, attach but
Walter M. Stopford, Esq. the same. the same.
n 4 OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING a single invalid,
which shows
letter,
even in his captivity as an
that,
he was able to do a
his favourite sport.
at
little
'''November 30^,
"
have
I
been able to hold a gun, to stand, or
not
walk a yard since January
to see
1893.
my young goshawk
fly
1886, but
I
do, or did,
during September and
often
bagged well over three hundred I should rabbits since August, when first on the wing. guess that it was a falcon that knocked down the pheasant October
that
tell
you the
for
She
last.
if
of,
'
knock down
is
term
the correct
have had singularly few wild year, probably owing to the scarcity of
but as you take
teal,
'
We
performance. here this
falcons
has
in
the Field
you
probably see
will
the account by me, of a very singular capture of a falcon close in front of a
the house
very fine Iceland falcon,
joint,
to
flying
watch
The enough too
well
as
this
round
the
much wooded have been
he kept
many
alas
is
!
a
my
window."
Hall,
too
far
able
to
I
am
suitable
enclosed,
a
flight.
and
falcons after
Lilford, as an invalid,
follow
able
*
though
much
for successful flights with
Lord
have
I
damaged wing-
can to the lure.
Lilford
goshawk,
rooks, and in any case
not
with
performance from
country to
she
as
here on 24th inst.*
None
would
the
less
peregrines, partly for old associations' sake,
To the Rev. G. E. Freeman. * See Presidential Address, p. 39. 1
TRAINED GOSHAWK ON THE
FIST.
t'
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING and partly for the joy of seeing them fly to the itself one of the most beautiful exhibitions that a wish to all
Lord Lilford
see.
knew of
he
that
115
lure,
man
in
can
says in one of his letters, that
falconry he
Clough Newcome's' practice
learnt
in the field.
of Feltwell Hall, Norfolk, the secretary
from
*
Dear old
Mr. Newcome, of the Loo Club
and the Old Hawking Club, was the ablest and most skilful amateur falconer of the present century.' * '
We
now
will
able pen,
pass on to a sketch of falconry from an to lead the unlearned, or unpractised,
designed
to a better understanding of It
known
as an
the noble mysterie.'
by the Rev. Gage Earle Freeman, well
written
is
'
accomplished falconer, f
FALCONS AND FALCONRY.
Of
falconry,
indeed
Lord
known
is
Lilford's favourite sport, very
in the present day,
as exists is confined to but a
Upon
its
antiquity
I
I
myself
taught
in
will
say
Falconry,
and Practice^ which was published " Mr. us
tells
Layard,
that he
in the
found
in
and such knowledge
few sportsmen.
and, to give but two or three facts,
what
little
in
a
only I
shall
its
few
words
;
have to learn
Claims,
History^
1859.
second volume of his Nineveh > ruins of Kharsabad a bas-
the
*
Falconry (Badminton Library), by the Hon. G. Lascelles, p. 339. t Mr. Freeman wrote for many years on hawking matters in the Field, under the
pseudonym of
'
Peregrine.'
n6 OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING *
relief,
hawk
a
'
Nature,
says
find that
of
When
the
I
they
when
called.'
copied the following from Turner's
History
find
and,
;
Hawks
' :
vol.
in a
appear
chap,
iii.,
vii.,
65
p.
falcons were also favourite subjects of
those
in
presents
days,
much overrun with wood,
country being
the feathered race abounded in
begged of
bird
a
ascribed
and valuable
ment,
seized
'
work
Anglo-Saxons,
Hawks and
hawks
the
the hunters
among Aristotle, we
to I
:
it
dropped
'
which there appeared to be a falconer bearing on his wrist.' in his Animated Aristotle,
in
all
parts.
abroad two falcons,
a friend
:
amusethe
when,
every species of
A
King of Kent of such skill and
courage as to attack cranes willingly, and seizing them to
throw them on the ground.' Arch<eologicum says that
more than
the art of falconry was invented
conclude what
of
antiquity
passage
Spelman, in his Glossarium
'
a thousand years before
will
I
'
the
wrote
I
practice in
sport so
Europe
:
have
I
We
he writing in 1629." to
years
may
concerning the
say
short
a
by
many "
;
from
quotation refers
It
ago.
gather from
all
to
this
a
the that
falconry was tolerably well established as a leading sport"*
Europe, and possibly in these between period of our history in
centuries
perhaps
;
England,
Germany in adopting it." So much the for
What was sport
?
islands,
the
however,
at a
very early
fourth
and
sixth
being
later
than
facts
concerning
the
the spirit of those
times with
regard to
May
I
quote myself once more
?
antiquity.
the
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING "
The
of
draughts
a
its
and knights,
would
or
court,
glove
for their fame.
tombstone her
wedding
And we
must
was
an
the
walls
his
would
his
be
on
figured
love
to
of
vulgarity
was
hawking
a
and
disposition,
of
not
has
passed
unquestionable
revival
However,
tradition.
the
in
that,
forget
into
of
last
the
century,
there
in
which
sport,
Old Hawking Club, of which Lord Lilford was
the
member, was conspicuous. One could wish the were on the increase, but that is hardly so.
Lord Lilford would destruction
of one
fond of shooting
with
falconry.
I
But
it
his is
for
not
have
a
revival
wished
sake of another.
the
the
He
go hand-in-hand have shot with him, and (though he ;
it
could well
somewhat lame)
was even then escaped
certainly
sport
was
that
in
if
;
churlish blood."
this
all
were
would bear them on
Not
.
.
grossest
many drops of
intoxication,
bride took a merlin to the altar on .
day.
of the
proof
he
to
If a gallant
on
falcons
they
grave, his
nay,
;
carve
church,
the
in
if
;
a
in
them
moderate
the
disdaining
drained
pleasures,
lived for them, as
prison he
in
mania.
a
nobles
Monarchs,
and
had now become a perfect Europe was inflamed with it.
love of this sport
nay,
passion
117
it
was a lucky grouse
gun.
time
that
something was said about the
practice of falconry.
Falconers divide the hawks which they train into two classes
viz.,
long-winged
and short-winged hawks.
Of
u8 OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING long-winged hawks we have the following or
jer-
falcon
gyr-
names
(these
Greenland, and Norway falcons) falcon
hobby
;
Goshawk
;
and
the
sacre
;
Iceland,
Barbary
;
hawks
short-winged
;
:
sparrow-hawk.
Long-winged Hawks.
I.
may be
It
;
Of
merlin.
include lanner
Peregrine
:
well
say at once that falconers of the
to
present day do not use the lanner, sacre, or the Barbary falcon
the
(though
last
be found excellent
for
very seldom
be
is
to
kind,
should
I
and the gyr-falcon * training now.
partridges)
found
would
think,
in
;
Let us begin with the peregrine (Falco peregrinus}, a bird to which I, at least, owe more than half the pleasure
of
my
and one
life,
Lord
which
to
Lilford
was devotedly attached.
called
eyesses
those
;
bow-net,
are
the
plumage,
first
either
with
haggards,
eyesses
Eyesses the
from
taken
Peregrines
or
red
their
nests
in
in
their
after-life,
caught if
the
in
hawks.
adult
All
the
crag
are
in
the
plumage
hawks,
in
;
if
fact,
in
are
f
must
wild-caught.'
be
hacked
;
peregrine, and hardly
this less
is
quite
necessary
necessary
with
the
merlin.
What
A
hacking?
hamper has
* Lord liked.
is
Lilford
G. E. F.
It
arrived,
is
this
from
:
Scotland,
once had a Greenland
falcon,
let
us
say
;
which he much
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING it
119
contains several peregrines just taken from the eyrie
us
let
and,
masses of
feathers
worthless.
They
round
their
trainer's
What
should be done the
one
that
more than
little
down, reared by the cragsman at his many days, and despatched to the falconer
when some
in
been
white
for
left
have
If they
from the nest when they were
carried
home
taken.
only just
hope,
;
have appeared, they will be simply
when
will,
nest
till
scream
trained,
and
fly
head, looking to him only for food. this
is
the
:
young hawks must be
they can nearly
fly
(I
have known
was found some distance from the
and
nest,
was caught by the hand on the rocks), and then packed off at once. Care should be taken also that the journey be as rapid as circumstances admit. Then comes the hack
a
;
The
weeks.
and in
short,
to
is
would
adroitness
over,
have
are
lasts
to
fly,
to
;
in
in,
them,
much as
had
concerned,
expand
put
very
been
some
far
they
the as
not
captured.
There arranged
are
two
the
first
:
When
they
which
meat
follows
day,
but
as
is
were is
placed,
and
tied,
they return
go to
which
in
ways
follows
young hawks
the
where
house,
them
of the wings
time
the
they
and
strength
been
when
position
teach
muscles
the
which
for eyesses
to
is
object
exercise
same
of liberty
period
are
they
farther
the
hack
can
be
:
able find
they
the
to
a
readily
and board
leave
loft
large
board
feed.
As
day
from
the
farther at
the
to
feeding-times.
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
120
be very forward when
Should they
fastened
they
are
they
thoroughly
will
When
food.
find
released.
It
this
the
place
where they
happens,
they
are
as
form of hack, that the hawks should
this
of
human
any
should
and
they
as
being
their
recognise
The
possible.
feeders,
until
quietly
who adopt
by those
considered essential,
is
board
the
it
recognise
received,
near
blocks
the
to
are
they
see fear
as
little
is
that,
scream
will
they
low.
fly
The second arrangement is this The hawks are placed on a platform :
straw, not
for themselves,
one
for
lure
while they feed. feed from the
they
fly
out,
nearest tree.
The
hawk.
each
offered
is
it
Presently they lures
;
settling
to
falconer fly
down
the loft door
then
probably on the
They soon go
the loft with
As soon
hay, for their bedding.
teaj food
in
as they
them on whistles
can
lures,
loudly
to the floor to is
opened and
house or on the
a couple of miles or so away,
but return at feeding-times at the sight of the lures and the sound of the whistle.
This was
my own
plan
friend William Brodrick,
had I
was the plan of
it
;
whom
I
knew
in
1850.
my
old
never
I
a case of screaming or low-flying, unless
had received
too young.
a
by accident bird taken from the eyrie when it was
Such a bird
should not keep
I
and no one ever saw one of
when
'
obvious
waiting
on,'
advantage,
or too,
heard in
my it
this
for a
entered eyesses scream.
second
There plan
day
;
fly
low
is
this
that
the
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING birds
when taken
And,
as for wildness
know
up a
and the whistle.
lure
the
time
at this
good thing
121
it
is
as
it
is
necessary to use the bow-net for taking up these as
up those which have been fed from the hackIn either case, the eyesses, on being put into the
in taking
board.
have been furnished with
loft,
and
bells
when
being somewhat heavier than that used is
over, which
am
of the birds being
have four good than
now come
five
to
and red hawks, both taken
in
I
from
Reminiscences of a
my
Holland, as
friend
late
Castle,
I
bold,
say
you had
;
hawks
haggards These are yearly
passage hawks.'
show
shall
at
once by an extract
an
Falconer,
The
Gloucester.*
means of capture
the place
;
better
/'.<?.,
excellent
Major Charles Hawkins
Stroud,
myself
indifferent hawks.
wild-caught '
I
even up to the point of danger
Be
lost.
bell
the training
should be as light as possible.
for a very long hack,
We
the
jesses,
is
work by of the
Fisher,
extract
shows
the
the neighbourhood of
in
Valkenswaard, Eindhoven, Holland. "
The method adopted
intricate
is
The
can only be briefly deecribed here. are pits
and the
dug
heather,
out, walled with
so
surroundings. *
They
to
as
The
are taken in
be
occupant,
England
also.
interesting, '
so-called
and
huts
r
and roofed with sods
sods,
very
and
undistinguishable
who
is
from
frequently
Lord Lilford sent
me
by
a fine
He Northamptonshire. caught on his own property named her Miss Hardcastle, because he hoped she would stoop toTo my great sorrow she broke her swivel when in the conquer.' in
haggard
'
process of training and
I
never saw her again.
G. E. F.
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
122
a
profession
cobbler,
and schnapps, and his vision is little
a
is
a sack of boots
As
and shoes to mend.
but circumscribed he depends greatly upon a
living sentinel
who
in
lives
turf cabin or cage
little
water
provided with provisions,
sight of his hut in
full
This sentinel
outside.
the
is
larger butcher-bird or shrike.
"
The moment he
perceives any bird of prey, however
and however high (I am told beyond the power of human vision), he becomes highly agitated and calls and attracts the attention of the occupant of the hut. far off,
.
In addition to this sentinel, the hawk-catcher with a pigeon,
who
lives in a little turf
of a pole, to the top of which
is
is
hut
.
.
supplied
at the foot
attached a cord reaching
Another pigeon, similarly lodged, about one hundred yards from his hut door and close to a carefully concealed bow-net, working easily and well, also from inside to
his hand.
The
the hut, completes his devices.
butcher-bird's actions
denote the approach of the migrating
and sex unknown
hawk
species, age
and the hawk-catcher pretends to be
able to determine the distance and quality of the approach-
ing migrant, by the different intensity of the terror of the*
When deemed
sentinel.
pulls
the
flutter forth
regain attract
clouds,
it
of the
string
from
and
This lure
passing is
pole-pigeon, and
his shelter, but so that
at need.
the
sufficiently near, the
often
is
instantly
the lofty and violent stoop
causes
him
to
he can instantly
frequently
hawk (probably
hawk-catcher
sufficient
sharp-set)
followed by
from the
the rush
most grateful of
to
all
of
sounds
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING to the patient ear of the concealed cobbler.
the lure pigeon
The
hawk
disappointed
wheels
round,
moment
In a
gone, safe once more in his
is
123
little
hut.
whereupon
the
cobbler pulls the other poor, devoted pigeon out of his
very often begins
Down comes
and leaves him exposed.
shelter
eat his prey.
to
and
nothing wrong)
(seeing
.
The
.
.
kills,
the
hawk
and
soon
delighted cobbler takes
good hold of the cord or wire that throws the bownet (a most clever contrivance) and with one masterly
a
hawk and pigeon
pull the
from whence there
are therein,
no escape."
is
The hawk, whether of the bow-net, and
'
'
or
passage
in the
plished
is
not
my
business in
that matter
have only to say what
I
;
hands for training.
falconer's
It Taming, however, comes first. this little essay to say how this or
now out
is
eyess,
is
and what
done,
is
accom-
must be done.
A has
leash
worn
to
the
screen (a
to
persistent
the hood
;
flying
;
leash
of
the
and
eyess,
jesses
to
who the
carrying on the gloved
persuasion
from
feed
to
it
;
accustoming the unhooded hawk
presence of strangers or block
;
case
Then comes
bird.
to
breaking
the
during hack
the
hand,
in
supplied
jesses
wild-caught left
is
;
jumping
some yards
to
to
fist
from the
the lure, a creance
long string tied to the ground) having been fastened the
leash
falconer's
;
call
The hawk
and and is
ultimately
flying
at
liberty
to
the
lure. '
reclaimed
'
I
trust
it
is
understood
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
i2 4 that I a
am now
condition to
soon to
fly
speaking only of the peregrine
and
We
game.
fly
kill a
on the moors, hoping This quarry, as a rule, we
grouse.
the
who
the old pointer
in
is
are
attack only with the female bird
we took out
and
c
falcon.'
Yesterday
has helped us on
many
we had day's game-hawking, and markers. What was our plan yesterday ? This, put There were only two of us, and one falcon ; shortly but to-day
a
only beaters
:
our time was short,
Old Don ranged hare that she
rises
and the moor but
well,
carefully
wide
in
circles
she get any higher
house.
dead point
a
is
no
cast off
give her plenty of time
;
No
;
the
to
The hawk
grouse to a certainty.
;
close
:
;.
will
up the grouse., Don knows his business, and up get the birds. Poor Don every one complains that we have spoilt him for shooting.. ?
;
well
then, put
!
The hawk, though the
ha
!
risen.
and spun down upon the
The
like a stern
In
cover.
patient
*
put-in
waits on
'
it
;
is
bird.
cut over at the
lets
which had
birds
first
'
?
We
grouse had
something feared it, and it'
dashed into thick
well above them.
We
and the
a considerable distance, but she
Up
is
a
one of the grouse ; he isand the falconer, lifting the
gets
stoop,
his gloved hand,
his bird eat
the flight was
; '
other words, the
But she
grouse on
A
chase.
dog rush on fairly
five
ho-ha,
distance was too great, however, to admit of
her cutting one over at once
was.
"
but she answered to the ringing shout,
rise,
"
from
high, was a considerable distance
the
hawk being on
the head and neck, and
the quarry,,
some
fresh
and
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING tender
which he takes from
beefsteak *
was, in
fact,
we had
fed-up,' for
So much for yesterday.
we have been hawking, for
this
recommend
The '
have
is
to-day said,
Don was
concerned,
without a dog,
A
home.
at
left
not necessary, but
is
seen,
go home.
to
far as
I
She
pouch.
I
strongly
dog at heel, to put out birds which have Well do I remember the want of one. put in.'
'
been
as
what happened.
is
as will be
pointer,
As
his
125
a
memory
me
plagues
waiting on,' and
even
A
now.
could not find a grouse
I
was
falcon at last,
up and there was a splendid ringing flight the snipe was soon out of sight in the sky, and the hawk, if I saw her at all, did not look bigger than a butterfly. ;
got a snipe,
At
last,
;
they came
quarry to do
down
that.
was
It
yards or so from where
soon on the spot,
was
alone,
most
I
hawk had compelled her
the
;
'
a
put
stood, in deep heather.
as far as I
could
make
it
and the hawk was waiting above
Oh
patient.
for
a
hundred
only a
in,'
dog
!
At
that
out
me
;
moment
I
;
was
but
I
she was I
would
have half ruined myself for only the loan of a dog.
I
hands and knees turning over the heather, and examining every hole; and this, perhaps, a dozen or twenty
was on
my
yards
from where the snipe had hid
mark
the spot
went home, no longer.
On but
I
the day
last
half a mile
not
But
At
nearer.
this I
am
the
away
;
itself;
hawk she
I
left
could
could not
me, and stand
it
a long digression.
is
writing
had markers and
was no dog, The moor was small,
about
beaters.
there
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
126
and the ground very uneven, hilly in fact. The markers were placed on the high ground, the beaters were with " me the falcon was waiting on. Now, my lads, off ;
with you
;
and
off;
as fast as
a
moment,
as
in
The
small shot '
not
went '
them up
it
They dash
you can."
happened, a single grouse
was just above, but very nicely high. shower of feathers, as if the grouse had been struck by
got up.
A
get
falcon
she
;
on
is
waiting
it,
come
I
We
up.
did
this time, but killed another before we up the The markers helped in that case home.
feed
;
'
kill
was out of
my
and they
sight,
had happened, and where air
till
'
it
let
with
the
it
was, by throwing caps in the
and pointing, like signposts, to the place. But this is hawking on a small scale.
moor, and
me know
On
a
larger
of professionals,
assistance
hawks may be taken out on the cadge, and day spent on the sport. eight
six
a
or
whole
have spoken of eyesses and of wild-caught hawks.
I
Falconers agree that for grouse, rooks, and certainly for heron, wild-caught birds are the better.
A
word, and but
hawking.
The
It
the
is
precisely
Partridges
male
certainly to in
a
bird,
word, on partridgeone-third
be chosen for
this
smaller sport.
miniature as regards the size of
used, that of the quarry, and the extent of land
ranged over. in
is
grouse-hawking
hawk
or
tiercel,
than the female,
more than
little
It
the
are
is
very pretty sport, and
same way
often
as
that
is
conducted
of grouse-hawking.
'
'
put-in
to
ditches,
or
the
bottom
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING of a
hedge, and
thick
know
hawks, and one they majority of
But
kills,
there
if
is
well,
necessary.
to
the
Still,
the
luck, take place in the open.
is
man
one wished to make a
if
dog accustomed
small
a
127
He
be taken on to the moors.
he should
a falconer,
would
recollect
many
a
good day's shooting to dogs, his own favourite pointers and setters how well they ranged, how thoroughly steady ;
they were
to
and to
points,
down-charge,'
he was to show them to his friends. too, his patience at the butts
the splendid rights and
No
doubt
this
friend something in
some
trifling
You and
is
He
might remember, the pack came over, and
till
lefts.
very
but you will show your
fine,
And, in writing this, I may measure repeat what I have just written. finer.
still
he have
been running over heather, you both
have positively drunk the mountain-air strength
of your
nostrils.
More
than that
you have waited
and have been
for
she
is
are
off
!
hers.
twenty miles
think of this
You now.
her wings
;
pause
One
sport ;
Up
?
the cloudless
in
has watched your
your help as patiently She could have left you,
away
in
that.
How
the partridges
flash
breath
the
for
She chose you before
minutes.
!
who you know
every movement, has waited
friend
fragrance, the very
;
of a life-giving fragrance, has been
sky has circled the bird,
as
how proud
c
almost
as
many
What
will
your
marvellously lay
close,
patient
but they
from above, the bright sun on
the shout that called her
still
ringing
leading old cock spins from the stroke of her foot
!
;
The she
is
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
128
on him as
in
the
heather
as
you
are.
proud
know
People
honour
falconer
In
both,
ground must be of these
not
do
next.
It
knew
he
all
may
it
is
and she
carry
out
free
from
trees.
be,
is
held
is
the hood
is
flown
have
I
become
to
a
sport
The The
it.
quarry, whichever
by the
a rook
be
may
When
thoroughly.
rook
well
is
it
cartridge,
to
be
a
jesses a
;
she
hundred yards,
two always
;
to
at
for
attack,
very long
one
if
is
to
fired
to
it.
carry
refuge
pistol,
;
Two
much
A
take
the
hawk
it,
is
to be
difficulties fly
dislikes the flavour
to
rooks
at
the
is
seen
hawking blank
where
tree
often,
and
horse
loaded with
to
rook
dexterity,
good
are
They
old
good a
will
this
But one of the
induce
will
a
like
heron.
immediately under the
Naturally, she very
few falcons
you
off.
a
a
;
When
hooded.
is
there are a few trees on the
taken
has
always, dislodge
hawking
passage,' going
falconer carries the
necessary if the whole, or anything like
ground,
'
from the stoop with very great
the flight
the
properly,
removed, and the hawk cast at
minia-
in
the leash, of course, has been removed,
;
have no mean quarry shift
the
looked for on the
a rook comes fairly near
the
would
they
heron-hawking
to
falcon on his glove
will
or
sport,
see such a flight as that
for food, or returning with
often
your approach,
?
Rook-hawking ture.
man
a
and
described
just
nothing of the
Could
it.
she looks for
;
but in
not
rook-
quarry.
of the
flesh.
once, but they are
r
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING exception
killed
is
it
the greater
remedy.
of a newly killed
fraud.
and
wings,
" If
say
is
that
and
I
shall
this
is
remove the
but
there
certainly fly the first I see." is
very good
The
from woods, the fields
if
There should be some few beaters with the the magpie
that
or
tiercel,
single
free
be on horse-
be bushes and some hedges
may
cover to which
the
must be
The
indeed.
sport
among them, should
course, the country
are large. party, so
to
likely
have slandered the poor bird very much,
I
falconers, ladies perhaps
Of
warm,
still
pigeon,
betray the " all I can rook," thinks the falcon,
any feathers
Magpie-hawking back.
is
hawk, she takes
to a very sharp-set
under the rook's wing, having taken care to pigeon's
rook
once, and the falconer adroitly fastens
at
part
the
is
entering
;
offered in a creance it,
A
'
'
the
129
easily
be driven
he has taken when
of
cast
crack of a whip
may
is
tiercels,
by the
pressed
which are
of
out
after
him.
sometimes, but not often, enough
him again into the open. But I must remember that space
to send
have
is
limited,
and that
I
amongst long-winged hawks, to say something of the merlin and hobby. The merlin {Falco <esalori] yet,
the
is
smallest
of
creature, a pet and a
of
showing
handsome, has if
a
the
too,
beautiful
British
hawks
companion
falconer
he were only to
back be
excellent
;
an
exquisite
little
for ladies, a bird capable
and the male, when blue
;
sport.
It
is
very
in the adult
plumage, he would be worth having
looked
at.
But these birds 9
are
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
130
more than
beautiful
may
they
;
made
be
the companions
of your walks, following on the wing, and coming to the I have known a little male bird glove when called.
which
had
received
mouthfuls
few
a
of
food
in
the
morning and was then thrown out of the window, meet his master or mistress a couple
intimated
of hours
later, his
on one of
presence
heads by settling then he would of course be fed, and would probably be carried on the glove till the walk was over. being
his
Taken from
peregrine
once had a
fine
fact
me
in
the
one fortnight after
fields,
which
at
quarry
their only
;
tameness, birds,
will
being
a
fault,
are
they
can
to
their
and the
confidence
killed,
But
is
both,
we
said
the
the skylark.
have
Here
ringing
grouse-hawking, as
flight
we have
is
just
the
is
and in
heron-hawking
'
*
there
it.
has
miniature.
the
wilh
only one of
this
great
seen,
falconer
quarry just
feed her from
quarry for the merlin
the
consequence often
will
extreme
that she
wait for him, content that he shall have the
and knowing that he
they
With most
carry.'
be overcome,
hawk with
his
flown,
'
to
net.
any small bird,
notwithstanding
disposition
however, this
go up
are
they
take blackbirds, thrushes, ring-ouzels
will in
the
to
birds
as that described in the case
she had been taken out of the birdcatcher's
As
;
become tame very soon, and I wild-caught hen bird, which knew the ;
and followed
lure,
these
wild-caught,
same manner
treated in the
of the
or
hack,
their
matter.
been In In
hawk comes
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING down from we
call
a
these
in
it
she
hawking,
goes
" one
in
height
days
fell
in
;
swoop"
heron-,
sport would say,
But the
Well
shall
!
when
remember,
I
till
ringing,'
stranger to the " never see that bird again
you could probably
that
fact is
seconds.
We
and lark-
*
A
they are nearly, or quite, out of sight.
"
as
'stoop'
rook-,
hawk and quarry
up,
131
see
a few
in
it
I
began falconry, William Brodrick scolding me for calling a merlin " out of sight." She was just disappearing in the sky, and to have lost her in those days would have made me for
melancholy lure,
I
threw
whistled,
only wish
I
the
up
there
handsome
does
perfection
of
the
;
signs,
are
that
bird
is
migratory their
considering
adage,
the
;
a
a
little
and
perfect
in
larger to
difficult
form,
they
very-
which,
longer
member
other is,
by
is
of
a
equal
good
Lord Lilford
it.
price
difficulty is
to
for
told
one that would
get one that will
me fly
wonderfully
fact,
than
the
merlin.
procure. could
fly
fly
that he larks
them
in
the
Surely, !
They
ought to beat a merlin, but they don't, nor, indeed, all
;
that
is
the
is
known,
is
any
at
of wing
length
falcon
of
look
to
appearance
general
The
typical.
They
falcon
than
proportion family
The hobby
old
no doubt
Handsome
'
an
a
hobby (Falco
a great beauty,
'
other
amongst
is
not ?
the
could say anything complimen-
I
There
hawk.
of this is
Then we have
the merlin.
is
subbuteo).
but
so
week,
and she came.
Such
tary
a
at
had offered
well, but the at
all.
There
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
132
mystery about the bird ; it might cry, as a certain u The curse has come lady cried upon me." For, look is
a
:
the
at
whose
Latham,
of the
writing
He
between
then
Falconry
was
difference
says
hobby will
show
" She
:
We
!
in
published
hawk
herself a
to
find
1633,
of enthusiastic
terms
in
now
and
praise.
please
a
you may fly her twenty times in the afternoon when no other hawks will fly, but must be waited
prince,
for
on."
In
he
short,
and
tridges, quails, larks,
much
So
f
for
trainers can't
'
then
make
'
hobby will fly parthe most perfect manner.
in
all
;
a
the
that
says
now
'
hobby go
the
very
fifty
yards
merlin
best after a
lark,
nor, indeed, can they
make her
there yet a chance
Will some one read up Latham and
?
other old hawking books, try
if
care for
any quarry.
Is
they can extract a hidden
and give their whole mind to practice in the field ? have now done with the long-winged hawks, except I ought to add that falconers keep them on
hint, I
that
or
blocks,
being
the
feathers
on the better
screen,
the
resting-place,
not infrequently
get
former, as
on
in
my
the
screen
Like
damaged.
opinion,
all
the
hawks'"
they must be often offered a bath.
II.
There the
are
two short-winged hawks, the goshawk and
sparrow-hawk.
bird, but they
respects,
Short-winged Hawks.
except
The
resemble that
goshawk each other
the
goshawk
is
by
far
the
very much has
stout
larger
in other
legs
and
HOBBY, WITH LEASH AND BLOCK.
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
133
while the sparrow-hawk has slight ones.
feet,
However, them have separated very widely, neither
ornithologists
nor
genus
the
being
species
The
same.
goshawk
Astur palumbarius, and the sparrow-hawk Accipiter are separated, too, in their habits
They
is
nisus.
the goshawk, on
;
the whole, preferring tur, and the sparrow-hawk confining itself to feather.
The
of the
instead
suited for
the
contrivance
;
ash
a
for
better,
made of
is
and
it
strong wire
a
becomes
bowstring, is
and
fastened,
'
a
The
used.
stantial
bow was to
it
the
order
it
fashioned, leash
is
run
been
has
ring
moves
fastened.
of course, be on grass,
when under its
birds
;
by being or what
ends>
in
up
they the
the
bent, far
is
differ
however,
be a foot
they should
that
wood,
'
where the
place
in
this
bow
string,
and firmly buried
thoroughly
these
of pliant
length
strong
the
beyond
length
for
though the latter is well enough This perch is a simple sparrow-hawk.
from those of an ordinary bow in
used
generally
block,
it
perhaps,
and
is
bow-perch
bowstring
may
ground.
wood
is
most
be
A
sub-
before
the
up and down, and Blocks and perches must, easily
or well
cover, or the hawk,
surrounded with straw
when
bating, will
injure
plumage.
Goshawks may sometimes be procured by advertisements. The best come from Norway, but they are found
also
in
England will have time when it was their
France and Germany.
none of them now
;
there was a
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
134
home.
Like other hawks, they may be taken
as nestlings
may be wild-caught. Colonel Delme once warned me against having a haggard, but or
in
Radcliffe
they
the
bird
first
its
plumage, although wild-caught, is very good, and as a rule to be preferred to an eyess. In training, a hood, so contrived that food
just be seen through
may
and nothing else) can be used but the bird should be accustomed very soon to feed from the fist without it, and to endure the presence of strangers. This part of the business is a trying time to the falconer, it
(food
;
'
'
for It
goshawks and sparrow-hawks have a fearful temper. is only to be overcome by time and constant attention,
the
at
goshawk,
any
rate,
at
becoming
last
very
fairly
amiable.
As
with other hawks, the entering to quarry
by degrees
:
there
At
the training.
the flesh
perch
first
of
couple
done
no greater mistake than hurry in a dead rabbit, opened so as to show
about the shoulder,
a
:
is
is
days
be given
may
bow-
hawk being very
the
after,
the
at
sharp-set, a live rabbit in a short creance should be offered
on
it
hawk
being taken, the falconer will to
from the shoulders
feed
degrees the bird will
be
taken
fact,
but
day.
It
at
once,
man
in a it
is
kill
Half
fly wild rabbits.
morning's
or
afternoon's
well not to repeat large
was
my
but
I
custom
think
at
there
it,
first is
and
before
as
a
a better
so
by
dozen may
walk
;
more
numbers day
to
;
and allow the
stab plan.
the
in
after
rabbit
Have
a
or boy behind you, carrying a dead rabbit, skinned
r
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING towards the head
135
take this and pass the live one to
;
him
to be adroitly killed by the usual neck-breaking process
hawk
allow the
the jesses
mouthful from the dead rabbit,
to take a
and whilst she
is
firmly
Some goshawks
she
her on
lift
eating
:
then
is
ready
take hares, but
will
if
must not be allowed
that quarry, they
they are, they will look for the easier care for the
The
female
The male but he
drive
hardly fast
take
it.
his
quarry
to
flight.
used for
they are
rabbits
fly
if
;
and scarcely
flight,
rabbits.
no use whatever.
'
yarak
her
be of
any
'
in
leave
on
be quite relied rate
in
flight
for :
he
low cover where a dog may
into
this
so,
to
partridge, at
Unless
before she
on her perch,
What
therefore
is
she will
for is
flown.
yarak
I
?
book, How I became a Falconer. " goshawk in yarak is simply when she is in a good
quote from
A
another
used for hares and
is
enough
goshawk must be is
glove, holding
for
pheasants well, and indeed partridges,
fly
full-grown
may
the
difficult.
bird only
will
is
a strong
A
more
:
my
little
:
temper, decidedly hungry, and eager for quarry.
two or three screams towards you look large
;
of mixture
she
at
if
your approach, and probably bates out
her
making
herself
has a peculiar look in her yellow eyes
a sort
;
sets
of earnestness and
feathers,
amiability
.
.
.
beware
of
no use taking her from her she gives a chirping sound, very different from
the opposite symptoms.
perch
She gives
the scream
;
if
It
is
she has a wild eye, with contracted pupil
;
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
136
makes
she
if
herself look small
all
her feathers
round her."
tightly
The short-winged called
by closing
;
do not
wait on
'
fly
from the
'
who knew
any one
;
as it is
fist,'
In other words, they
does the merlin.
in fact, so *
hav/ks
the
goshawk would
think the notion that she could do so a very comic one Carried unhooded, they at once see their quarry
indeed.
and dash I
after
it.
have always liked the goshawk
knows you she close
am
for
hand, of aneurism.
in
other essays
in
this
me by Mr.
as lifelike as I
place.
Brodrick, and
when
she thoroughly
had one once
more than nine I
my
years
have mentioned
;
this,
on falconry, but it may be She was wonderfully stuffed is
in this
house now, almost
she lived.
must now write
don't think that
I
for
when
I
friendly.
my
sure,
interesting
very
and companion
friend
she died on I
is
;
a few lines about the sparrow-hawk.
Lord Lilford took much
interest in this
and though he was certainly fond of the goshawk indeed the sparrow-hawk is hardly one of the most inbird,
:
teresting hawks.
She requires an immense deal of patient
and when
attention,
she
is
in
flying
flown often.
The male
may be made
to fly blackbirds well,
is
really an
join in
it,
exciting
(musket), as well as the female,
sport.
for the hedges
'
put
in
by
the
Two
and blackbird-hawking or three people should
must be well guarded and beaten,
as it is necessary to drive 1
order she must be
hawk.
out the quarry as soon as
The sparrow-hawk,
like
it
is
the
r
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING especially with
essential,
of
hawks may
these
obstinately remain
when the
The and
the
to
to
fly
the
fist
former bird, but
that
;
it
*
take
there
:
'
its
stand
one and
tree,
down
it
'
has
fist
little
female bird will
attraction.
fly three- fourths-grown partridges,
sometimes take an old one
will
a
often bring
a lure will
;
'
in
is
well
is
they should understand some sort of lure
that
also
made
be
should
goshawk,
137
when they can be found
water-hens, too, she
:
enough from water ; for landrails she was always famous, and a quail would be excellent quarry for either the male or the female bird.
will take,
The sparrow-hawk, to
the
must be
when
carried
it
:
is
without
And
the
instance
leg
of a
pigeon
with
the
tender
may
to the kind of food, one
both
merlins
a
:
little
feathers
the right hand, so that
glimpse and a very small taste
with
day after day, but
hawk
the
a toil to
should be in
bird
on days when she flies and just one hint as to carrying on
bird becomes impatient and disposed
As
The
it
absolutely necessary,
must not be made
food
goshawk, may be broken
like the
should be rarely used.
it
she does not.
the glove it
but
hood,
far
to
be
of
bit
off",
for
when the
cross, just
a
be offered.
must be
and sparrow-hawks
:
beefsteak, excellent with peregrines
specially careful
even
fresh
and
and
goshawks, and very proper on occasion with the smaller hawks, must be given sparingly. Sheep's heart and birds should
be the usual food. times in the
week
All hawks require castings two or three i.e.,
feather or fur with their food.
Perhaps a word or two should be said about disease
and medicine.
The
may
croaks
bruised
:
peppercorn
be given in the castings.
Inflammation
Give a is
kind of cough
a
is
little
the
of
The
crop.
powdered rhubarb
food
in the
thrown up.
is
morning
but there
;
chance of recovery.
little
Worms.
River-sand
with
meat and occasionally
the
rhubarb.
wonder
I
wonderful remedies
their
The A.D.
the
Gentleman
with
s
Recreation^
:
Take germander, pelamountain,
and
this
!
from
is
following
1677
"
our ancestors did better than
if
broom-flowers,
of
each
grummel-seed, ounce hyssop,
basil,
an
half
;
sassafras, polypodium, and horse-mints, of each a quarter of an ounce, and the like of nutmegs cubebs, borage, ;
mummy, mugwort,
sage,
of each half an ounce
;
and the four kinds of mirobolans, of aloes succotrine the
fifth
of an ounce, and of saffron one whole ounce." to
"
be
hope
put it
may
into
in
hen's gut,
This
the wing
not long after
occurs
once
at
both
ends."
1
a
The
year.
seventh
dropped first, and that the middle or end of March. During is
generally
moult the birds must be kept be poor ones.
tied
is
be found agreeable.
Moulting. feather
a
part
This
They
have some exercise.
fat,
or the
new
feathers will
are not flown at quarry, but should
Moult
is
not over
till
the autumn.
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING 139 A falconer the mending of a broken feather. Imping is
He
have hawk's feathers by him.
will
belonged to a hawk precisely
whose
bird
or
wing
imping needle
is
triangular shape
;
like,
he
tail
chooses one which
about
is
the
every way, to
in
to
The
imp.
a
short piece of steel wire filed into a
it
is
dipped in brine to cause rust and
Suppose the third feather in the wing take precisely the same feather from those you
therefore adhesion. is
broken
have
do
;
in reserve
that at
;
an angle
feather, half into
My
task
is
;
pass
a
needle into
half the
that of the
and scarcely
tightly,
"
be sure of the exact length in cutting
bird
mark of
are
the false
imping, close
the junction will be seen.
over," concludes
been a pleasant one indeed.
you
:
I
Mr. Freeman.
am
" It has
delighted at
having
had the pleasure and the privilege of contributing to
this
book, for Lord Lilford was, through a great number of years,
my
But
in
constant and most kind friend."
addition
to
and falconry, there which Lord Lilford had not
otter hunting
were few forms of sport in graduated, and the following extracts from a
pleasing
light
upon the genial
spirit
letters
throw
he brought
to
these pursuits.
He "
writes,
The
under date October 22nd, 1895
cleverest
retriever,
and
certainly
:
one
of
most charming and sympathetic companions of my manhood, was a cross between collie and setter.
the early
For
1
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
40
nearly thirteen years she
was always with me, and knew
any human I lost her one being. day, in Sardinia, about twenty miles from Cagliari, at a spot to which I had gone
my
manners
little
and
habits
than
better
on wheels the previous evening. Old Nellie lay under our feet in the buggy in which we drove, so that she could not possibly have seen any landmarks, or to sniff at any spots their
traces.
village, in
We
where other of her species had the night of our
slept,
arrival
The
we
next morning
bed.
for
two or three hours had
partridges, quails,
and
a
few
sallied
capital
sport
hares.
It
disappeared about
1 1
her
whole of the afternoon.
vain,
I
the
Schooner
R.Y.S.
Cagliari for
so
a.m.,
and
I
Claymore
with Barbary
was about the She
thirsty.
whistled for and sought
was
My
anxious
to
leave
Palermo on the evening of the day following,
friend,
consented
"
I
of
host
My
returned disconsolate to the yacht by 9.30 p.m.
good
the
and
forth early,
middle of October, very hot, and Nellie was
the
at
left
an old tumbledown country house, Nellie under
my
in
stopped
to
knowing how stay
till
the
I
loved
my
Nellie,
kindly
following morning.
spent a miserable day, and turned in early.
host and our other companion went ashore to the opera
My ;
I
was conscious of the gig shoving off to bring them aboard about 1 1 p.m., and the next thing that I knew of was
jumping up into my bunk, and licking my hands. She had found her way back twenty miles through an unknown country, and evidently came straight down to>
Nellie's
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING the quay, and
into the yacht gig directly
jumped
This could hardly be a case of
alongside.
" This Nellie several times brought
Here,
from
burrow.
If
with
all
notice
*
into I
my
mark
at
she would soon
notice,
anxious
a
different in
come
its
to
to
when
myself,
and
last
at
she
me
in
pretty
She was a long
it,
but
tell
me
move
again, but she would not
and went gently ahead of
I
it.
back without
evidently
into the thorns
going.
'
tree
rabbit
a
once knocked down a woodcock
I
face,
stopping
partridge.
her hackles up, and growl, wagging her stern
and came
tried her
a
'
thick covert, and sent her to fetch
time away,
partridges
low bark, quite
a
by
or
note
took no
I
the time.
all
me
usual
her
me two
would often
Nellie
shrubberies,
and give
cat,
me
our
in
came
scent.
on one occasion a hare and
and
together,
it
141
she
looked
something.
till
I
pushed
with pleasure,
yapped
through the thick upwards, with her
looking
stuff",
stern
looked up into the trees and bushes, but could
see nothing for a time,
till
at
last
I
caught
sight of the
of wing projecting from a broken stump at about four feet from the ground, and found my woodcock caught tip
thereon.
In
this
case,
not scented, the bird. to a distance, till
it
fell,
in
being wounded.
I
Many
and pick up
many
feel
cases
a
a
that
she
time she
left
sure
bird that she
when
I
did not
had
me
seen,
to
go
had watched
know of
its
Peace to her ashes, and a truce to this
long yarn." 1
To
T. Buckley, Esq.
1
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
42
"
"
never
I
enjoyed
Epirus and Tunis.
in
flighting
October sort,
tufters,
in
except
perfection
good day with the
Imagine, after a
woodcocks, wading into water knee-deep mallard,
1887.
birds around,
;
shoveller,
gadwall,
teal, pintail, wigeon, pochard, with golden-eye, eagle owl booing from rocks close
by, bitterns almost brushing one's face, snipe
'
'
in
scaping
every direction, and woodcock flipping round like bats. " neighbour of ours found an old hare, in a
A
neat
and well-used
form
in
garden was walled on three fourteen feet,
with a
more
to
a
four
of a
level
from
feet
this
plank bridge the
garden
lad,
to a height of perhaps
fourth
the
stream,
with it
the a
posted
the
low wall
five
bank
opposite
three
or
feet
which
of
narrowest
part.
At one end
latched
gate,
opening upon
little
over the
hare
the
My
stream. his
amongst himself
at
the
in
several
gate,
places.
on
friend,
strawberries,
boy to put the hare up. She came little gate, but, on finding my friend tried
about
to
side
the foot of a low wall, and quite
at
low wall was
finding
sides,
His
bed.
strawberry
drop on the outside of some little
was about
on
and
feet,
his
and
first
called
told
a
the
up to the turned, and
leisurely
there,
On
the
approach
jumped on to the wall, and tumbled headlong into the stream, in which there were only a few She scuttled along the bottom, and inches of water. of the boy, she
disappeared.
form,
and,
at last
The
next
afternoon
she
on being touched with
a
was again stick,
in
her
hopped
off
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING the
to
down
the
on her
stood
gate,
hind
latch,
a
him
friend to let
"
old Sarah open the gate.
see
Tenterden
in
who attempted
my
then taking
had a Siberian hare for two or three days
I
rooms
After this
now and
friend virtually left her alone, only
pressed
quietly
legs,
and crossed the bridge.
143
Street,
who
any one turned cat and
did battle with
him, and
to touch
my
in
finally
1
housemaid out of the room."
"September gth, 1887.
"
One of
the best pointers
ever
I
owned
never failed,
would always poke up his first bird or coney if he was far ahead he would look round, and if I were but
not
;
in
he was
never hit him, for
offence
;
except with the
him make
a
first
up,
put
up
his
perfectly
conscious
of his
bird of the day, I never saw
on broken, hillocky had loaded and waved my hand to In
mistake. I
ground, directly
him he would run sight,
steal
and then come crawling up to me, to be scolded.
birds, I
would
distance,
shooting
off
Scotland,
down wind, and go
ranging rapidly towards
me
if
clean out
of
he found the birds
and thought I could not see him, as was very often the case. He would come tearing along his original downwind line, and directly he saw me, wheel sharply
round
and point
had
found,
wait
take
me
the
to
1
in
the
till
spot
To
I
direction
came
without
the Rev.
up any
of the birds that he to
him,
attempt
Murray Matthew.
and would to
get
the
i
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING
44
wind
and an
again,
was
he
that
words,
any
Up-wind he ranged perfect
form that
I
that
expression
but
wide,
plainly
most
the
in
as
memory.
by
simply
guided
not very
as
said,
ever saw."
That Lord Lilford never wrote publicly upon sporting matters may perhaps have been due to his inherent fondness
for
all
he has committed
direction
this
his
in
allusions
passing
Be
creatures.
living
diaries
as
this
little
was a very ardent gunner
see a real
good
in
quarry than take part in
in
beyond
or letters.
my
with a good
flight
may,
to writing
Thus on January nth, 1896: "Although, I
it
I
time,
hawk
at
no
less
as
you know, would rather
any feathered the slaughter of any number of
tame-bred pheasants."
That wild or
tame-bred
ones to
shoot,
more
had
written
The
'
in
'
pheasants are
no one knew better than
contempt Press
the
he
distinction
difficult
for
and
draws
the
between
on the
this
two
himself, that
absurdities
elsewhere
than
are
subject.
forms
of
sport lay in the instinctive and unsportsmanlike shrinking
from the "
idea
With
March
3rd,
of the non-natural culture of the pheasant.
regard
to
1891: "I 1
2
To To
rabbit fear
shooting,"
that
I
he
writes
on
cannot claim ever to
the Rev. Murray Matthew. the Rev. G. E. Freeman.
-
OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING have
been
else
but
;
which a
a
really
seems to be rare
thick
about,
my
flight,
and
charge thick
behind cover
was
seize
the
his
the
always right
In
object
to
the
instant
at
more than
open, art
in
with this
;
hopping
cautiously
hustle
him
into
rapid
put
the
whole
to
One seldom
ears.
rabbits
at
at
nowadays.
with
cover,
view
shot
he knew, there was no
all
bunny going
but in
them or anything knack of killing them stone-dead,
first-class
did get a
I
145
gets fifteen
shot
a
in
or
twenty and the main should be not to blow them yards, object to pieces. For this sort of work I always preferred a twenty-bore.
by
instinct,
The after 1
right
some
To
moment
to fire
came upon one
*
practice."
the Rev.
Murray Matthew.
10
CHAPTER
VI
Notes from Mediterranean Journals THE
extracts
which follow are Lord Lilford's journals of
in the
cruises
1879, and
Mediterranean
the
in
years
1878-
1874,
1882.
This does not, however, exhaust the voyages he made the
absent links
follows in
his
On
east of Seville,
started
the 23rd
we drove very
and each
by steamer
met me
Lilford
1869, April 2oth.
our
killed
at
5
at Seville,
first
lasting
till
six
in
the evening
;
and
having come from
early to Algaba, a small
great bustard.
a.m. for Coria, a town
in a carro to the Palacio of the
at sea,
as
1
the Guadalquivir, and thence drove with
down
kindly supplied
companion
ornithological days in Spain.
London.
we
therefore, very
by one who was often
many "
are,
;
On
pueblo
the 26th
some few miles
Manuel and
his
son!
Goto del Rey, a wearisome journey, the carro was a covered country
wheels, which creaked without cessation, and the we had to squat or lie on the poles, which low so was covering formed the floor, a painful position. The Palacio was a ramshackle
cart with
wooden
once a shooting box of the Royal Goto, capable of accommoOur cooking, etc., was done by Lilford's dating eight sportsmen. place,
1
Lieut.-Colonel L.
Howard
of the Straits of Gibraltar.
L. Irby,
author of The Ornithology
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES Pan
courier.
and
French
a
came with
skinner
bird
147
The
us.
mosquitoes were in such swarms that we had to burn dried rosemary, nearly suffocating ourselves,
"Here we
stayed till May ist, getting many, to us, new birds and them the eggs and young of the Spanish imperial eagle. eggs, among Some of these young eagles were brought to England and lived for
many
years at Lilford, one surviving to 1893.
"We
returned
with
me
to
Seville,
as
had
I
return on
to
the
6th
to
where Lilford came
Gibraltar,
the
till
on the 4th of June, staying there when he left for England in the P. and O.
i3th,
steamer Massilia. "
In
1872.
Lady
arrived in
Lilford
from February I
year Lilford next visited Spain,
this
6th
till
joined them from
the
Poonah
the lyth,
March agth
at
Gibraltar,
when they till
for
left
April 5th,
when he and stopping
there
Seville,
where
when we went
after
bustard.
"On May Plymouth
1876,
ist,
at 8 a.m. in the
Lilford,
Dr.
O'Connor and
wind we reached Santander
a very favourable
myself
Zara, a three-hundred-ton schooner. in
left
With
sixty hours, a very
quick passage. "
We
remained
in
Santander harbour
till
May
23rd, daily going
amongst others getting a nest of young ravens, one of which became the celebrated 'Sankey.' On the 23rd we trained out after birds,
Torre la Vega, thence driving to Unquera, sleeping there. We drove the next day to Potes, going through the Desfiladero, a grandly to
We
picturesque pass between Panes and Poles. at
stayed in a posada
the latter place until June i3th, having got a good
including great black and middle-spotted
many
birds,
woodpeckers, seeing some
capercaillie.
"From June beats for bears,
ist to 7th
we saw
we had
various,
and
alas!
unsuccessful
their tracks, but never got a shot; however,
the scenery was magnificent and the country interesting, though so excessively level
"
steep
enough
and broken that you couldn't have found a spot
for a cricket pitch.
On June i3th we drove to Comillas on the coast, returning to Santander through Santillana, of Gil Bias fame, and Torre la Vega. We remained in Santander harbour on board the Zara till the 2 ist,
148 on which day we started
for
only got so far as
Royau on
Bordeaux on
25th,
the
but
Bordeaux,
with
the Gironde, thence
next day
leaving
for
winds
adverse
rail
going by
Paris,
where
I
to left
Lilford."
to
January
1874
June,
GENOA Went up to see the Museo"January 28M, 1874. Civile on the Acquabola. The Marchese Giacomo Doria, five
who
years
branches
room
is
to
ago
to
that
his
present if
body,
the municipality some
to
curator, proposed
they
collections
would
find
various
in
him house
them and appoint him curator. They consented and gave him a villa, which he has arranged as a for
museum on
most
a
of the collection
is
excellent still
number of mammalia and
in
is
very rich
is
me
The
skins,
but
birds are stuffed
Doria made large collections the chief interest to
plan.
lies
ornithology.
in
part
principal a
considerable
and mounted.
Persia and Borneo,
in the local collection,
The
chief rarities
in
but
which that
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
149
branch are Audouin's gull (JLarus audouini)* E. aureola y the
bunting (E. pusilla\ E.
little
falcon
(Falco
The
of Genoa.
collection
is
He
neighbourhood.
fourteen
in
species
an excellent fellow and most
is
me
kindly presenting
obliging,
neighbourhood
also rich in bats (Cheiroptera),
of which order Doria has met with this
and the Eleonora
in the
killed
all
eleonor^}^
c<esia,
work on
with Salvadori's
two numbers of Proceedings of this museum society, and some reptiles. He told me very many interesting facts: viz., the present abundance of the the
of
birds
ibex
the
in
Royal
Genoa
to
visits
Italy,
preserves
in
Aosta, the
numbers of the
large
occasional
rose-coloured
and the nutcracker, and the abundance of
starling
(Phoca monacha] on the In the
of Cervoli, south
islet
museum
gardens attached to the animals
living
near
;
for
example
a
fine
a seal
of Elba.
there are a few
tiger,
a
puma,
a
Sardinian red deer, and a male and female moufflon, and
an
eagle which
He
n^eina).
I
has
take to be a
very
the
fine
spotted
male
eagle
specimen
(Aquila
of
the
francolin (F. vulgaris\ which he obtained about four years
ago from
Sicily,
* Audouin's
where
it
formed part of a collection made
Gull (Larus audouini),
with a black-banded coral-red
Lord Lilford Sardinia,
its
visited this
bill,
(see later) recorded
it
an extremely beautiful
gull
and eyelids of the same colour. from Vacca, off the S.W. point of
most westerly known breeding-place. When the Editor little island in 1896 he found it much infested by rats.
t La Marmora's, or the Eleonora Falcon (Falco eleonorcs), is a member of the hobby group of falcons. It is an inhabitant of lands
on the southern border of the Mediterranean, and Lord later)
records
it
from Toro, near Vacca.
Lilford (see
1
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
5o
by a doctor in some village not one knows when it was killed.
from Girgenti
far
He
assures
me
;
that the
Greek partridge (Caccabls gr^eca) is not very common this neighbourhood, where the red-leg (Caccabls rufa]
common
the
cinerea)
*
latter in
not
is
My
rare.
some numbers
frequent
the
market
-petrosa]
harbour,
in is
partridge (Terdix
has
steward
in the
Barbary partridge (Caccabis gulls
common
species, while the
no
found the two
here, as well
from
Sardinia. all
apparently
as
the
Many
herring
gulls
(Larus argentatus] or their Mediterranean representative,! and the brown-headed gull (Larus ridibundus}"
SPEZIA February yd.
"January ^\st the
chiefly
the
daytime out
fly
brown-headed ;
collect
they
seawards,
gull,
probably
A
great
frequent
some
gulls,
bay during
about sunset, and
together to
the
many
favourite
rock,
on
which they pass the night. " into
February
We
yd.
sailed
from
Spezia,
and got
Leghorn about daylight."
*
The group Caccabis, to which our Red-leg Partridge belongs, differs from Perdix (the Grey Partridge, of which our common partridge may be regarded as the type) in the presence of knobs (rudimentary spurs) on the
legs of the
males
;
and, generally, these partridges tend towards
the true gallinaceous birds.
t The Mediterranean Herring Gull, constantly referred
Larus
leucophceus,
is
better
known
as L. cachinnans.
to here as
It differs
from
our Herring Gull by having yellow, instead of flesh-coloured legs and feet, an orange-red ring round the eye, and a darker mantle.
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES LEGHORN. "February "
February
151
PISA
^th.
Drove
$th.
Sailed for Naples."
and back.
to Pisa
Birds seen between Leghorn and Pisa, February 4th "
Tinnunculus alaudarius, Corvus frugilegus, Columba
Alauda
Fringilla carduelis,
italia,
Motadlla
cristata,
cznas,
Passer
alba, Fringilla
Calebs."
Birds seen at Sea
" Larus argentatus, L. ridibundus, L. canus, L. melanocephalus, Two small flocks of Puffinus (sp. ?), Uria (sp. ?), Tringa (sp. ?). some sandpiper flying low towards the land, apparently coming
from Corsica."
NAPLES "
We
remained
at
Naples
an accident to the yacht, and
We
March
till
4th, having
generally
very cold wet
Lady Holland's house, Palazzo Mocella, and made as many excursions as
weather.
weather would
stayed
permit.
at
I
had
the the
hardly ever saw any country,
except some parts of France, so entirely devoid of birds, saving the gulls in the port. in
of
market and very dear, almost
the
being in private hands. in the
Game
neighbourhood,
The king
I
sorts
all
the
shooting
fine
shooting
some
particularly at Licola,
an immense quantity of wildfowl.
on sport
has
The
scarce
all
is
where there
is
chief information
had was from the Cavalier Mario Matuno, who
grand veneur to the king. He tells me that bears are still found in some parts of the Abruzzi, and that wolves is
are not
uncommon
in
the mountains, red and fallow deer
1
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
52
in
and roe deer
the preserves,
Hares are pretty numerous, partridge
is
saxatilis is
of
its
is
sent
common found
"
and
from
;
woods.
large
so.
The grey
in the hills Caccabis
be the only species
the Barbary partridge
Sardinia.
Wild
boars
are
and foxes, martens and porcupine more
very abundant,
common
or less
part of Italy
the
less
this last appears to
market
the
all
rabbits
in the plains,
in this
genus to
;
in
in the country.
two good specimens of the Adriatic blackheaded gull (Larus melanocephalus), one common gull (L. canus] immature, and one brown-headed gull (L. ridishot
I
bundus}
* from deck of yacht in the harbour." Other Birds seen about Naples
"
Acdpiter nisus, Fringilla carduelis, F. serinus, F. Moris, Passer Italia, Motacilla alba, M. boarula, Phyllopneuste rufa, Erithacus rubecula,
Anas
Sylvia
crecca,
A.
melanocephala,
S.
atricapilla,
Troglodytes
europtzus,
boscas, Fulica atra, Podiceps minor"
Birds seen in the Market at Naples "
Garrulus glandarius, Fringilla Calebs, F. Moris, F. serinus, F, carduelis, Alauda arvensis, Columba torquata, Saxicola rubicola, Perdioa, Caccabis saxatilis, C. petrosa, Crex porzana, Scolopax rusticola,
cinerea,
pugnax, Limosa melanura, Vanellus Anas boscas, A. strepera, A. clypeata,
S. gallinago, S. gallinula, Machetes
Charadrius pluvialis,
cristatus,
A,
crecca,
*
Mareca
penelope, Fuligula ferina,
The Brown-headed
Black-headed Gull the group of cephalus}.
species
;
hooded
The
Mergus albellus"
Gull {Larus ridibundus), sometimes called the
though its hood is chocolate-coloured belongs to gulls, which include the Adriatic Gull (Z. melano-
gulls
which annually
visit
London belong
they nest on inland pieces of fresh water.
to
this
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES "February loth.
two
mynahsf in Monte I saw
hill
Capo
di
rock-thrush* and
a fine blue
Bought
In
Naples. several
153
the
between
hybrids
at
king's aviary
common
and golden pheasants. "
sunshine
about
with
carriage
to
Noticed
February 26th.
many bats flying in bright One that I knocked down
Pozzuoli.
whip near the Lago d'Aguana proved be Schreiber's bat (Vespertilio schreiberi\ but we saw the
other
Many
species.
lizards
in
sunny
places,
think
I
chiefly Lacerta muralis.
" In one of the dark chambers of Pompeii
down
four specimens of
shoe bat,
I
V.
schreiberi
and
a
I
knocked
dead horse-
think Rhinolophus euryale^ but the other bats
devoured him. " There is a collection of birds and other animals the
University,
but
specimens are crowded and
male
Sicilian francolin.
I
the professors, G. Palma,
He
showed
teristics
cephalus]
of
me some the
very
nothing
badly arranged.
and
There
the is
a
made acquaintance with one of
who
gulls
Adriatic
remarkable,
at
has a small private collection.
which present many charac-
black-headed
gull
(L.
melano-
and the brown-headed gull (L. ridibundus}, and
are very puzzling.
be hybrids.
He
I
cannot help thinking that they must
has a
young
pelican (Pelecanus crispus\ %
shot near Naples, which he considers P. onocrotalus. * See Presidential Address,
p.
39.
t See Aviary Notes. J
The Dalmatian Pelican. The Common or Egyptian
Pelican.
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
154 "
March
air
good
I
of these requisites with a
Torre del Annun-
to
train
had sent the yacht a few days before for and water, as the men were suffering from want
whither
ziata,
Went by
^.th.
which
fair breeze,
left
March
thence
Sailed
at Naples.
yth,
us becalmed just off Capri.
Crept along with occasional light breezes till the afternoon of March 9th, some miles south of Stromboli, when a very strong head wind met us blowing directly out of
As
the Straits of Messina, with occasional fierce squalls.
wind and current were against
we
us,
did not attempt
push through the Straits, but brought up in a little bay to the north of the Faro. Fierce squalls through
to
the
Came
night.
March
loth, where
into
Messina
we remained
till
i6th.
snowy weather, with occasional furious "
men
At Torre
del Annunziata,
M
many
cold, wet,
squalls
of wind.
shot a
good
speci-
same condition.
We
I
saw
ducks, and several flights of peewits going northwards.
M
reported swallows, but
saw none.
I
skylarks at sea off Stromboli, and at night.
Many
family (Procellariidce).
to
saw several
some cranes passed us
(Puffinus) are sea-fowl belonging to the Petrel
They splits
lay their eggs in the
south
which Lord Lilford
end of underground
The
in the rock.
major) probably nests far
shearwaters,
I
shearwaters * and a few gulls seen at sea.
The Shearwaters
burrows or of deep {P.
Very
of
of Larus melanocephalus, getting the black head, and
a specimen of L. ndibundus in the
*
on morning
early
of
true Great Shearwater " " the Equator ; the big
refers
later
as
P. kuhli, and his "smaller" shearwaters probably the
water (P. angloruni), or P. yelkouan.
nesting,
being
Manx
Shear-
*
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
155
MESSINA " March
2th.
1
Thousands
of
Went
out to the Faro in the cutter.
L.
chiefly
gulls,
argentatus, L. ridibundus and
Saw
canus.
L,.
also
melanocephalus,
L.
a very large
shearwater, and a few terns,* the Sandwich tern, I think (Sterna
cantiaca\
At
martins.
the
Saw the
house
near
the
Faro.
little
salt
lakes at the Faro, they stick
first
up wooden herons as decoys it appears that the common and the purple heron (Ardea cinerea and A. purpurea] ;
pass
in
numbers
great
of which
melanocephalus,
in
shot
I
Many
spring.
have
three,
of
the
the
L.
black
head nearly perfect, others show very little trace of it. " About Capo Sant' Andrea, saw the common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus\ the blue rock-thrush (Monticola cyaned],
black
redstart
(Ruticilla
rock pigeon (Columba
kingfisher
titys),
livid),
and
and Taormina, saw several
little
two
of
cranes
off
two
or
R
three
flights
brought
ently
all
platydactylus
"Saw
one
of
me
species
(Larus minutus\ and
(Grus
bottles
(L.
Between Messina
gulls.
gulls
(Alcedo ispidd],
Young
cinerea].
of
viridis},
lizards,
appar-
one
(Gecko
but
?
.
).
ten vultures going north at an
immense height
in the air."
TAORMINA "March Taormina,
i6th.
A
where
we
*
Popularly
bright sunny morning.
anchored.
known
Beautiful
as 'Sea-swallows.'
Sailed for
scenery
all
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
156
along the coast on both sides of the
and went round to the caves and holes
where few seem to exist. " We sailed for Catania of wind and till
in the
cutter
about
cliff,
where many pigeons are reported, but
Sant' Andrea,
Capo
Took
straits.
about
1 1
a.m.,
light
airs-
and did not get into Catania The whole coast, with grand views of
heavy
about 6 p.m.
swell,
The harbour of
Etna, very fine indeed.
Catania
is
small
and crowded, exposed to south winds, but pretty secure
from
other quarters."
all
CATANIA
"March
\%th.
Beautiful
We
they dressed ship for me. vain to see the Biscari
a
town, with wide
fine
and an
many
air
the Benedittini, the
in
museum of saint
a
common
* is
the
birthday;-
well
shut up at present.
paved with
antiquities.
and
lava,
to the old convent of
an immense building with some
church
Catania
birds.
and not so many beggars
Went up a
tried in
fine
library
Curious picture
splendid
and
(date
small
1536) of
with a white-headed duck (Anas leucocephala] and
a
name.
it,
is
and some
streets
of prosperity about
as usual in Italian cities.
marbles
fish
41 st
went ashore and
Museum, which
In the market a great is
My
day.
francolin
(Francolmus vulgaris).*
Saint being fed
The
artist's
by an angel."
francolins are allied to the partridges.
Common
No
Francolin of Europe.
Francolinus vulgaris-
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
157
"
In the market of Catania saw Fulica atra in some quantities, one Porphyrio, Machetes pugnax, Anas boscas, A. querquedula, Mareca penelope, Fuligula
dras
the
live
Great
A
Scolopax gallinago.
rufina,
many
great
quantities
of
of
fish
many
species
in
market
the
from Lentini, and endless varieties of sea the gardens of the Benedittini convent were many Passer
and
tench,
Fringilla
muralis.
eels
and F.
carduelis call
They
"March logical
calan-
cages, and greenfinches, goldfinches, serins, and linnets in Not a great many gulls in the harbours. bird market.
in
the Porphyrio
Went
iqth.
Gardens
lizards
many
;
I
In
salicicolus,
think
L,
'
to
Faccianu,'
i.e.
pheasant."
see the Botanical
and Zoo-
the latter there are a few beasts and
at
;
and
chloris
mullet,
fish.
Tried fishing just out of the harbour and caught
birds.
a few very small fish."
" March 2oM. miles
;
olives,
Drove out
to Nicolosi,
about twelve
the whole country a mass of lava, well cultivated carobs,
vines,
oranges
Round
pear, lupins, etc.
and lemons, wheat, prickly
Nicolosi
lies
a
frightful
of black lava, with here and there scrub oaks, other
shrubs,
with
took mules and rode up
whence there
to
the
is
a splendid
whole plain of Catania.
Very few
crater,
"March
Beautiful
list.
waste
squills,
good deal of Spanish broom.
a
;
day.
Monte
Rossi
an
and
We old
view of Etna and the birds."
We
took the cutter
and went away
to the
mouth of
ten miles to the
S.W.
Fine sheets of water and marshes
and
M
sandhills.
A
great
cannot shoot, so
a canal about eight
or
many birds. I cannot walk and we did not do much."
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
158 "
Saw the
birds
following
:
Kestrel,
marsh
kingfisher
harrier,
common swallow, blackbird, song thrush, black-headed warbler, fantailed warbler, Cetti's warbler, sedge warbler, marsh warbler, white short-toed lark, wagtail, yellow wagtail, skylark, crested lark, calandra,
Spanish sparrow, chaffinch, linnet, goldfinch, jackdaw, magpie, quail, spotted crake, Baillon's crake, water-rail, water-hen, coot, Kentish plover, greenshank,
wood
redshank,
sandpiper,
ruff,
common
snipe,
red-crested
whistling duck, pochard, wigeon, tufted duck, Sandwich tern, black-headed gull, herring gull, and several We only shot i quail, tringa that I could not be sure about. i Baillon's crake one Sandwich tern. i and i crake, spotted snipe,
jack
curlew,
snipe,
Killed a
mark
natrix var., without yellow I think Trepidonodus back of headj several seen. Saw many lizards and a
snake,
at the
rabbit."
Fine day. We took a carriage at lyd. and drove to the Lake of Lentini, about fourteen
" March 6.30 a.m.,
and
miles, first across the great plain of Catania, cultivated
now
flooded, to the river Simeto
;
crossed by a ferry boat,
then over about six miles of undulating stony lake
is
reeds.
a great sheet of water with a thick fringe
We
a
got
at
little,
of
no
and tench, jumping
for the reasons before mentioned.
and about Catania
mouth of
the
which was
boat
mullet quantities of fish,
Did
hills.
the
till
March
Pantani
3Oth,
river,
use. all
We
when we
The
of high
Great
about
us.
remained sailed for
where we went ashore
left of got boats upon the lake on the proper stream and penetrated some distance into the reed jungle
to
shoot
at the "
;
northern end thereof."
Besides
peewit, redstart,
many
solitary
of the birds before mentioned, saw golden plover,
snipe,
bittern,
common
green sandpiper, and cormorant.
heron,
teal,
garganey, black
Heard porphyrio and saw a
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES flock of wild geese
shot 3 snipes,
common
also
"March i
On
2"]th.
i
$oth.
i
rails,
i
curlew,
We
also a hare.
;
Saw
rails.
spotted
i
bittern,
2
snipes,
i
solitary snipe, 4 full snipes,
wild duck,
i
garganey, 2 black-headed
quail."
13 coots, 2 garganey, 2 white-eyed ducks, 5 snipes,
waterhens."
"March $ist. 13 coots, i mallard, i white -eyed duck. mallards and 2 garganeys, besides some coots."
PANTANI "
March out
hired
In a
^oth.
boats
the
marshes, and
I
house where we
stack near the
cutter's
Lost
CATANIA
DI
crew found
a
swarms
snakes, chiefly Coluber natrix, which
quantity all
Poland found
a
nest in
of
about the
fancy one or two of the black variety
Laments atrovirens. I
2
golden plover,
the Simeto river shot
Pantani.
2$>th.
calandra,
"March
2
i
peewit,
starling."
jack snipe, 4 spotted
gulls, i
2
i
golden plover."
"March 1
and a few common wild ducks
i teal,
159
of
the reeds,
fancy of sedge warbler (Schcenobttnus}, with three eggs."
CATANIA.
"March night,
LENTINI, AGOSTA, AND SYRACUSE
ju/.
The
and we landed
at
yacht the
lay
same
off
and on
place to
all
shoot
;
last
lost
I found a nest of a things in the dense reeds. * in a porphyrio heap of growing flags, containing one egg.
several
The
nest
perhaps *
is
exactly like that of a
not quite so
The Porphyries
are
high -sided '
water-hens.'
common as
some
Many
of
blue or bluish-purple, and have red legs, feet and
water-hen, or nests
them bills.
of that
are coloured
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
160
This porphyrio is very common, and day and night, but very seldom seen.
bird. all
a glimpse of one during
the
now garganeys and white-eyed
are
gadwall,
pintail,
shoveller,
two
to be heard
I
only caught
we
days
spent
The most abundant ducks
the reeds and flags.
amongst
whole
is
;
pochard,
I
saw mallard,
also
red-crested
whistling
harriers * very
and white-headed ducks.
Marsh
one or two grey
which look like C. pallldus^ no
other birds
harriers
common,
of prey, except a few kestrels and an odd
two about the Pantani, magpies in swarms nesting the tamarisks with which the reed marsh is dotted,
kite or in
ravens,
hooded
numbers of warblers wagtails, coots in
We
and jackdaws.
crows,
(particularly Cetti's), yellow
now drying and
and an occasional T.
Saw lesser
hypoleucus,
curlews (Numenius
several bitterns,
egret;
The
and
arquatus
T.
common
glareola]
herons
and N.
common.
tenuirostris).
Many Heard %
One of our boatmen
harriers (Circus] are raptorial birds, which,
in the Falconida,
The marshes
sandpipers (Tofanus stag-
a Scops owl calling near Lentini. *
and white
the snipes and other waders becoming
scarcer and scarcer.
natilis,
great
thousands, and great numbers of water-
hens, water-rails, spotted and Baillon's crakes. are
saw
may perhaps be regarded from
though included
their flight
and
certain
arrangement of head-feathers) as intermediate between that family and the owls (Stngidas). As a rule they nest on
superficial characters
(e.g.
The Marsh Harrier (C. aruginosus) is practically extinct with us as a breeding species, but the Hen Harrier (C. cyaneus) and
the ground.
Montagu's Harrier (C. cineraceus) still nest in Britain. The Pallid Harrier (C. pallidus) is an inhabitant of South-eastern Europe.
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES had heard of francolins says no
he
Tretari;
by the name of
as an extinct bird
herons
the
except
161
(Ardea
purple
purpurea] and night heron (Nycticorax griseus] nest about the Pantani. " Yacht went round to Agosta.
We,
took
after shooting,
mules and rode
to
pretty country.
After great wrangling with our muleteers
we got
a
to
carriage
about eight miles through a
Lentini,
Agosta, and, starting about
8
p.m.,
drove through what must be beautiful country by Carlentini and Villosmundo to Agosta, where we arrived about 11.30 p.m., nineteen miles from Lentini.
Found
and went on board.
hot weather
Beautiful, bright,
The country abounds
splendid moonlight nights. flowers, a
small
stonecrop in some
crimson
the yacht
and
in wild
places
being
very conspicuous."
SYRACUSE "
We
from Agosta with a head breeze, which freshened up, and beat into the harbour of i st.
April
Agosta seems
Syracuse.
the bay a fine
sailed
is
a dilapidated,
Syracuse
splendid.
as
is,
wretched town, but
all
the world knows,
harbour, but not nearly so extensive, or
say so well Valerio,
sheltered,
came
off
to
as that
us
of
soon
Agosta. after
we
A
I
should
guide, one
arrived,
and
I
commissioned him to employ every one that he could lay hands upon to bring in birds, bats, lizards, snakes, etc." "
come
April in,
^.th.
and
The brought
villani sent
a
various
out to collect began to
assortment
of snakes, 1 1
1
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
62
lizards,
and
fountain of
the
to
We
bats.
marshes,
but
flourishes
all
very
took a boat in
Cyane
of
Cyane
blue, clear pool. "
The
The papyrus
now.
along the upper part of the river, which
a narrow, insignificant stream,
fountain
Fine snipe
afternoon.
them
in
little
the
up the Anapo river
is
More
the
arrivals
beautiful
a
of animals
brought
expeditions
collecting
in
three
in
kuhli
Vespertilio
;
some Pyrgita petronia
species of snakes, Coluber natrix,
and Zamenis
a Gecko,
and Gougylus
ocellatus,
besides a
of
species
two
alive,
bat,
R. divosus or
and
atrovirens,
species of lizards, one I believe Lacerta muralis viridis
deep
the evening."
Rhinolophus bihastatus, and, I believe, J?. euryale, possibly
and
The
swarming with mullet.
head-spring,
is
three several
and another
(?)
variety of beetles,
great
centipedes, frogs, woodlice, etc., etc."
"April
5//$.
The steward brought
in a
specimen of
Vesp. schreiberi
from the Greek tombs.
Magpies nesting
in
papyrus on banks of Anapo.
two
Villani brought off five rock-sparrows (Pyrgita petronia), alive,
of which soon died, also various reptiles."
"
April 6th.
caught
in a
A
man came
some hundred
cave to the southward, almost
euryale I think, perhaps schreiberi,
with
and one
some R.
Vesp.
shot one snipe and one
Rhinolophus
divosus, five or six Vesp.
murinus.
little
all
bats,
Out
at
the
r
Saline
kestrel (Falco cenchris}.
l
Saw
the western black-throated wheatear (Saxicola stapazind]^ a
few ducks, herons, a spotted crake, and *
The wheatears
(Saxicola) belong
the thrushes with the chats.
to
the
some
species
of
thrush family, allying
The Common Wheatear
(S. cenanthe)
our downlands nests in rabbit holes or in stone walls.
The
of
Black-
throated Wheatear (S. stapazina}, a South European species, has very rarely visited us.
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
M
plover (Charadrius).
-
shot
a
163
and
greenshank,
a
ringed-plover in the bay."
little
A
th.
great concourse of villani on board bringing bats
Rhinolophus egnortum, R. euryale, R. bihastatus, and birds alive hoopoe, golden plover, spotted crake, the latter of which I kept ; some snakes, of which I kept three Zamenis atrovirens var. carbonarius, three
Gougylus
we
find
Saline
The
ocellatus.
any
sparrows, one crested lark. F.
Men
alba).
Many
Saw Saxicola
cenchris.
A
(Z. atrovirens).
At the
plants.
squill
six
of which
two Spanish
jack,
and
kestrels about, F. tinnunculus
Saw an
cenanthe.
common
ashore with a pair of
black snakes
on the
only shot
I
left.
snipes
small snails,
to like
ashore, chiefly
quantity
few
very
seem
lizards
kite
egret (I think
kestrels,
Ardea
and some more
(Milvus regalis\ hangs about the
shipping in the bay."
" salt
IO//2.
April at
pans
but too
church,
to
half explored. I
people the
catacombs
and
they
They
St.
say,
Paul
all
bird-life.
or
places,
In the
subterranean
old
preached
hewn out of
on
his stay
the solid rock,
suppose by the early Greek colonists, but were afterwards
used by the Christian inhabitants. " At the a
marshy
Saline,
right
of the
ditches,
of
Saline,
of immense extent, and not
are
are
the
to
birdy-looking
;
much
These catacombs
here.
bay
-
about for
see
where,
M
with
the head of the
many
afternoon
Went
little
shot
Anapo
river,
we found two ringed-plover
five,
some
or
{Mglcdltls
common
which we shot four,
intersected
three
two
with
snipes,
a
curonica\
sandpipers snipes,
to
flat
(T.
the
proper
streams
and
good number of which
we
hypoleucus),
of
and one spotted crake
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
164
Saw
(Crex porzana).
shank or two, Alpine I
common
few
a
shot one for identification, a great
calandm and A. cristata\
Saw
etc.
di Dionisio,
of
the
some lemon
In
in the catacombs.
seems that
it
streaming into this from in
all
immediately for an
whip, and then redoubled.
A
found
in
fly
which
wood, I
is,
schniberi
roost for
;
they
an hour
about
noise,
kept
which ceased
two upon the crack of a sparrow-hawk was soaring
us
to
M
and Z.
fancy,
across our
brought off
Vesp.
peasant brought a curious longicorn beetle,*
hollow
snake, which
hoopoe
to
quarters
or
A
a
groves, near the Orecchio
in
instant
over them.
on shore
and a whitethroat,
(?)
and made a deafening
thousands,
(Alauda
the sparrows (P. salicicolus]
all
come
neighbourhood
kite
fine
Found
think the lesser whitethroat.
larks
many a
of bay, several kestrels, some pipits I
warblers, of which
some sedge
swift,
ducks, a red-
wild
bows
alive,
another hippocrepis.
in the
beautiful
young
E
saw
a
morning, and one was
but badly wounded,
at
night,
bought."
We
"April nth. having arrived,
were induced by a report of quail*
and the Syracusan nobility having gone
go out to the Scala Graeca to try our luck, but we only found two or three paisani and had no sport. in
pursuit
" *
On
to
the
Longicornes.
the
way
A
Isola
to
the
Bianca, to
Scala
we saw
several
common
group of beetles characterised by the extreme
length of their antennae.
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES and black-throated wheatears which
appear to
have
two
passed
the
or
three
winter
under stones
ocellatus
A
centipede.
Saw
have just arrived.
only
(sp. ?),
(S. cenanthe
in
quails,
evidently
Found
here.
wheat
the
Another
April ilth.
that
Gougylus a
also
large
dormouse (Myoxus\
much damaged
to
specimen of Z. atrovirens
fine
Drove out
Sunday.
and
convent
the
to
birds
in the evening."
brought "
stapazina\
several
fields,
off a
peasant brought
S.
a male grey harrier
the same as the Spanish species, but too
be worth keeping.
and
165
Tornia
degli
the
afternoon
Capucini.
Immense
in
extent of quarried rock, with a great variety of wild plants
and
ferns.
11
April
ferrum
eq.,
some
and one that
think,
and common flights
flock
am
I
the
bats
V. schreiberi,
Round
megapodius. I
Many
I3//Z.
not
brought
off,
two or three R. bihastatus,
sure
about,
but
we saw many
the bay
lesser
kestrel,*
swifts,
a hoopoe,
F.
but were
think
cenchris\
far
off
to
V.
some Alpine
two stone curlews, great stilts,
some diving duck, which looked too
is
kestrels (chiefly,
of yellow wagtails, a small flock of
of
R.
chiefly
make
out.
Shot
a
large
like tufted,t a
common
whitethroat." * This is
little
very abundant
flying
much summer
falcon, in
about the cathedral in
smaller than our Kestrel (F. tinnunculus), in Andalucia. Seville.
t The Tufted Duck (Fuligula
cristata).
Very many may be seen
1
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
66 "
April
wood
M
\^.th.
the
at
,
found
Saline,
of which he shot
sandpipers (T. glareolci],
many two
five,
spotted crakes (Crex porzana], and one red-throated
He
(Anthus cervinus).
many yellow
reports
pipit
wagtails,
some
with black heads."
Just off
"April i6th.
(Coracias garrulus}>
A
yellow
and
these,
and
of
several
on
brought
"April
a
roller
land.
tired,
a
shearwaters.
many
Saw
Scops
owl
many
;
board early,
on our mainstay. Saw many herons, and some little egrets bound shearwaters off Malta.
many
quails
purple heron
came on
turtle-dove
time
long
Great
northwards.
a
A
ijth.
common
reports
a
board."
and rested cranes,
Porco saw
di
making in for the swallow came on board.
very
wagtail
Muro
and small birds
the
in
Steward
market, also
he brought off two Scops owls."
MALTA "
and
a
the
at
much
town
Sardinia.
editor
He
party
large
picnicked
island.
Made a
Got
%
went
on
board
the
the
Antelope
acquaintance
collection
several
birds
of
fashion
with
Malta Times, the
good
Drummond
Admiral
with
to
Gozo
;
Torre degli Giganti, an old Phoenician
after
of the
has
We
%th.
i
April
of
the
Mr.
Murhags A.
C.
ornithologist of birds,
all
killed
from the market.'
in
Wright, Malta. in
the
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES The
only birds
common
bunting,
saw and heard out
I
swallow,
swift,
yellow
167
the country
in
wagtail,
were,
warbler
fantail
Steward bought a fine white-backed rock-thrush in I saw nothing therein in the evening the market. (M. saxatilis) but quails, hoopoe, turtle-dove, common bunting, short-toed lark, (Sylvia
cisticola).
and thick-knee. "Wright's principal treasures are a very fine specimen of the Eleonora falcon (Falco eleonortz), in, I should say, third year's very
plumage,
and bright
perfect
in
a good
colouring,
specimen
of Bartram's sandpiper and of the white-winged plover, also a
Saxicola
leucocephala,
amongst
others,
in
Filfola
which
of this he gave
;
he
V.
the
me
seems that
It
"
am by no means sure. Wright gave me two good
Birds heard
of,
from April iyth to
but
C. leopardinus
kuhli, but
common.
fine
reptiles,
a specimen, as also a young snake,
leopardinus,
two snakes of Malta.
only
has a few
dark variety of Lacerta muralis, found
Coluber
is
says
Z. hippocrepis.
are
a curious,
He
not long ago.
killed
He
gave
V.
think
I
must
it
be
and Zamenis atrovirens
me
a bat,
think
I
murinus appears
specimens of
little
to
be
stint."
observed, and obtained from market at Valetta
May
7th,
1874.
Falco vespertinus.
Monticola atricapilla.
F. cenchris,
Petrocinda saxatilis.
Circus ceruginosus.
Rutitilla
C. pallidus.
Saxicola stapazina.
Strix flammea.
Sylvia rinerea.
titys.
Scops giu.
S. curruca.
Cuculus canorus.
S. melanocephala.
Merops
Phyllopneuste sibilatrix.
apiastcr.
Caprimnlgus enrop&us.
Budytes flavus.
Cypselus apus.
Motacilla alba.
.
CJulidon urbica.
Calandrella brachydactyla
Hinindo
Emberiza miliaria.
rustica.
Muscicapa collaris. Turtur auritus.
Passer
Ortygia coturnix.
Coracias garrulus.
salicicolus.
Oriolus galbula.
1
'MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
68
Larus
Crex porzana.
leucophceus.
Glareola pratincola.
Upupa
sEgialitis fluviatilis.
CEdicnemus crepitans.
Himantopus candidus.
Tringa temmincki.
Totanus
T. glareola.
Scolopax major. Ardeola minor.
T. hypoleucus.
Ardea purpurea.
Puffinus kuhli.
Phxnicopterus roseus.
Tringa subarquata.
Puffinus anglorum.
glottis.
Muscicapa
epops,
collaris.
PALERMO " of
May
In
I3//2.
the
birds, with
Sicilian
Universita
few
a
a
is
mammals and
which were too high up to examine closely out Dysopes
rueppellii,
and
are
there
Doderlein
tells
found wild
a
me
in
other
many
good
some
of
the
M.
stoat),
the
nitela,
fox,
great
pine
badger, rarities
but the
latter
common
are
Doderlein
gives
full
three
fine
(Larus
(Cursorius
(Francolinus particulars
Wolves
(
Myoxus
gits')
the
book.
of
adult
fine
two
and
about
the
birds
specimens
gallicus\
his
(not
tenairostris},
vulgaris), in
the
still
audouim\ apparently gulls
also
are
Amongst
very
still
rare.
and weasel
and porcupine.
coursers
francolins
is
is
dama]
the collection)
marten, polecat,
two slender-billed
cream-coloured
made
I
Professor
Sicily,
noticed the dormouse
1
Audouin's gull (Larus birds,
of
forests
(of which there are specimens in
and
but
;
species.
that the fallow deer (C.
in the island.
bats
several
V. marinus^ V. auritus, Barbastellus,
roebuck (C. capreolus\
found
collection
fair
four
which
He
tells
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES me
that the
hemipode (Turnix
of the south coast of
in certain parts
me
a falcon about
is
sylvatica)*
169
very
Sicily.
common
He
which he was doubtful, which
I
showed consider
undoubtedly a specimen of the true lanner (F. lanarius, Schlegel).t
It
very
much
resembles some of those which
I
from Mogador; it was killed near Palermo. He gave me some interesting particulars of the ornithology of Ustica and Pantellaria, from the latter of which he has Marmora's warbler just returned. obtained the year before
(Sylvia sarda] breeds,
is
very
which must
I
last
common
there,
expect be F.
and
in Ustica a falcon
The lammer-
eleonor^e.
and griffon vulture (Gyps fufous} Caccabh gr^eca is the only Sicily.
geier (Gypaetus barbatus}
uncommon
are not
partridge, and the
in
red-rumped swallow (Hirundo rufula] is I had no time to go into the subject
by no means rare. of bats and reptiles, and must,
"May at the
" gale,
Saw many
i^.th.
if possible,
bee-eaters and
go again."
some woodchats
Favorita."
came about us
in
the
and a poor turtle-dove got knocked into the
sea
May
Several swallows
i6th.
by our mainsail." "
M
ay ijth.
(Lantus *
toe
is
One
rufus\
a
During
the day
swift
(Cypselus
of a group of quails
absent in this group.
t The Saker.
(Genmza
known
as
we had apus\
a
wood
shrike
some dozen of
'
bustard-quails.'
The hind
(See Presidential Address, p. 39.) sacer or lanarius.)
1
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
yo
common
swallows,
cenanthe\
two wood warblers a
garden warbler, doves
house martin, a wheatear (Saxicola
a
(Phyllopneuste
sibilatrix\
(R. phtxnicurus], and several
redstart
on board and about
(Turtur aurltus]
a
us.
Many
shearwaters about."
CAGLIARI "
We
May
Fine morning with a south-west breeze.
\)th.
went away
de
to the Stagno
in the cutter,
Scaffa
la
but could not get her about much, owing to
Landed on the
water.
Antonio Fanni,
him and
"A
whom
his boat for
I
knew here
(Caprimulgus
nightjar
sea
We
wall.
saw
cinerea y
marsh
melanocephala,
toed larks in
great abundance.
S.
harriers
many
curruca),
was almost impossible to scrub on the island. We also saw
leucophtfus,
short-toed larks,
"
few
Only shot i
common
in
past
abundance,
warblers (Sylvia
calandra and
I
common
small
Sandwich tern (Sterna
paria, and coots. 2
a
close
short-
There were many quails, flush them in the thick
it
turtle-dove,
flew
amongst the stones under
lit
S.
thick-knee,
1862, and engaged
in
europteus]
kestrel, hoopoe, rose-backed shrike,
but
very old friend,
a
to-morrow.
the yacht from the sea, and
the
Found
island.
want of
and
2
bunting, and
coots, i
duck H Larus
waders,
cantiacd]
rabbit,
wild
S.
leuco-
2 quails,
young
We
shag."
went Fine morning, strong wind. away to La ScafFa, took the boats, and went right away
May
loth.
to the far end of the Stagno.
N
STANLEY CRANK.
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES "Saw
black
vulture,*
red-crested
herons,
besides birds
last-named
flamingo
and two
and
seen.
We
brought home
coots.
M
two
shot
young
"
;
only
one
leucoph<eus,
found a nest of the short-toed
May
2ist.
village.
festa
There was
of a
S.
fear
of
rain, so
little
holy pictures, lemons,
We
cession of the saint.
Rossi
Vitelli,
wife and family
u
as
women
the
usual at these
About seventy yoke of oxen decked with
festas.
from
drove out
Helena, the patroness of
were not nearly so gorgeously arrayed
and
We
Lowering gloomy day.
Quarta to see the
the
May I
;
into all
his
most
upper windows.
his
wind.
22nd.
etc.,
marched
went off to La
flowers
in the pro-
were taken by the host, Signor house, and
We
Scaffa about 9 a.m., got
sirocco
Antonio
The vultures of Spain other than the Lammergeier are number the Black Vulture ( Vultur monachus), a solitary, :
his
saw the procession blew hard at night."
civil.
It
introduced to
Gloomy, threatening day, with
*
in
L.
one con-
;
with three eggs."
lark
L.
crow,
nests of the
of river
tamarisks by side
the
hooded
Found many
seen yesterday.
in
and squacco
purple
duck,
whistling
two young, which we
tained
to
flamingo,
171
three tree-
nesting species, which lays but one egg; the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fu/vus), which nests colonially on rocks, and lays one, or more rarely
two eggs
;
and the Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus), which on disused nests of other large birds, and
nests in rocks, sometimes
usually lays two eggs; but in no species are these nesting situations invariable.
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
172
with his boat and went away to the birds
and eggs
of.
I
an interesting day, and no rain to speak
brought Antonio and
me
tells
;
that
once
firma
terra
and
during some war in the time of the
Pisan dominion, some one or other
water and drowned the country. the
He
nephew on board.
his
stagni were
the
all
cultivated, but that
"On
Found many-
isolotti.
common
in the sea
let
(Quien sabe?}
we found
isolotti
enemy
a
nests
good many
and
We
the
took about sixty eggs of These are species, and also eggs of the little tern. two most abundant species. The sandwich tern is
also
common, but we
eggs of the this
solitary black tern
of
the
common
ones, and one
too
hard-sat
tern.
no
found
duck
wild
with eggs,
Osprey, kestrel,
grey
stonechat,
plover,
herring
species
coot, gull,
caught
vulture,
crow,
calandra,
bunting,
marsh
a
Sandwich
tern,
tern,
3
little
Kentish plovers, 2 wild ducks. are
in
as yet.
large
nest.
flocks,
I
saw
fantailed
and
tern,
The
do not
tern, I
2
Kentish pochard,
little
tern,,
shot 4 Sandwich herring
gulls,
2.
red-crested pochards-
seem
Prince caught the coots just
lark,
k
warbler,
common
falcon,,
short-toed
water-hen, wild duck, red-crested
4 common
duck
young
harrier,
skylark,
black tern, flamingo, and cormorant. tern,
with young
:
black
common
nests
several
one
about half grown, and an old one on the the following "
Saw one
it.
eggs of the Kentish plover,
Prince
blow.
of
Found
(Sterna fissipes}.
nest of three to
eggs
to
be
hatched."
breeding,
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES u
May
Rounded
24-th.
Wind
Beautiful coast.
behind
Isola Rossa,
found
a Neapolitan
fishing with
him
few small rock
fish,
go
and
tc
rock
I
Old
one
falcon,
peregrine
me
to
brought us off a gave him a bottle of Monica-
The
Cara.
Alpine
shags,
bound
passengers,
He
overgrown with scrub. Made out on the Isola Rossa doves,
p.m.
where we
captain thereof asked
declined.
I
;
Sauterian wine from island
The
2
ran in and anchored
brigantine, full of
and Algiers.
to Boria
we
Bay of Teulada,
the
in
about
C. Spartivento
ahead, so
173
swifts,
two
or
Isola
a
rocky-
number of
great
common
Eleonora
a
is
swifts,
falcons,
a
some
and herring gulls."
kestrels,
VACCA "
May
Beautiful
25/7;.
Went away
morning.
Found and
the Isola Rossa between 5 and 6 a.m.
a good
many
The
birds.
7.30, and stood off and
yacht
on
for
got
us.
to
shot
under way about
Went
aboard about
and stood away with light head breezes round Bore away for the island of Vacca, Cape Teulada. The about two or three miles from Cape Sperone.
9
a.m.,
yacht
lay
to
and we went
black
precipitous
Found
a
on
the
place east
mass
of
off
to
the
apparently
island,
a
volcanic
high rock.
where the two men could scramble ashore Great
side.
ornithological
head
success.
ran
On about
board again about
7
three miles up
Bay of Palmas towards San Antioco,
the
p.m.
;
wind,
so
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
174 and anchored
in a
about ten
in
snug bay
and
fathoms,
had a quiet night. Vacca is covered with ice plant on the steep parts, and at the top are flat places overgrown with coarse grass and other plants. On the south side the rock overhangs the sea
the west side
;
is
quite precipitous,
and weather-worn to an appalling extent."
"May
On
2$th.
the
Isola
Rossa,
which
is
very-
rough, rocky, and overgrown with various bushes and we found a vast number of shags (Carbo grasses,
desmans^}, some young of which were
still
on
steep and craggy,
the east side of the island, which
as
is
the north
end.
west and there are
M
effected.
the
shags
It
many
down
slopes places
is
where
to
in
the nests,
the south and
reports a spring of fresh water.
we saw
falcon,
peregrine
be
a landing can
kestrel,
Besides
rock
dove,
Alpine and common swifts, rock martin (Cotile rupestris}. The swifts are in vast blue thrush, and herring gull.
We
numbers, and there are a good many rock doves. shot 3 kestrel,
adult and 6
rock
martin, of which a
shelf of rock,
Jem
I
Poland,
doves, I
M
of
very
who went
herring
3
shag,
gulls'
gull,
peregrine
falcon,
and
swifts,
Alpine
high
ashore, nests.
but
quite
I
i
rock
many
reported
He
inaccessible.
egg
lizards
brought away one
which was too hard-sat
found and broke an
have been a shag's.
I
only saw a pair with their nest under
not
and several empty egg
young
which
I
to
blow,
suppose
to
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES " Last
heard I
after
night
moaning
strange
convinced
I
sounds
from
or
to
wild
cats
that
they
proceeded
attributed
On
rock.
from the
we
about
the
more
which
of
;
were
island
fringing the
little
rock
a
and
four
of
men
the
went
;
I
got
but
I
knocked
down
hobbyish plumage, several
the
three
and
debris
got
numbers.
vast
We
shot
the
three
birds
makes
close to us."
it
eggs.
five
mentioned
and
grand,
interesting.
(brought says
on
and
Saw
a
shot
but
the
in
nests
caught not
in
turtle-dove.
doves,
the
he
and
one
before.
bag),
their
swifts,
rock
side
They found
cleft,
and
Two
to
was
sooty.
kuhlt]
Some
eleonorx^
most
were
pigeons
of Palmas
swooping over
bagged
aforesaid
shearwaters
wild
those
rest
We
itself.
Bay
and he
(Puffinus
Several
four F.
inexpressibly
of
quite
Cape Teulapa. cleft on the east
the
in
their
the
three
the
shearwaters
big
under
all
island
and
on every
sitting
falcons kept
another,
one
Only
a
at
M
and
one,
more.
three
ashore
The Eleonora
of the island. us
about
vultures
griffon
on
shags
numbers,
of Vitello and
in
make
number of Falco
incredible
shearwaters
many
great-;
cinereous
distinctly
The
coign of vantage on the rock of the
saw
which
did not see any about
anon. in
and
am now
but big
we could
nearing Vacca
deck rock,
seals,
out amongst hundreds of gulls a large eleonor<e
on the
perhaps
shearwater, of which, however,
the
was
dinner
175
and
caught
The rock multitude
is
of
very large seal
1
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
76
VACCA AND TORO "
May
cutter
again
many
birds,
off
many
about
a.m.
6
Vacca
to
The
eggs.
yacht got under
we went on board about of
not
so
find
men who brought
way about 8.30
a.m.,
a light north-west breeze
9 a.m. and ran
Toro (some seven
the
off in
did
;
but landed several of the
and stood down towards us with
side
Went
Beautiful morning.
26th.
miles
down
to the lee
Toro
perhaps).
;
of
is
an entirely different formation from Vacca it is higher and apparently composed of hard sandstone very much fretted and broken by weather the northern side slopes ;
;
a
in
sort
The
of
eastern
of broken
succession side
is
terraces
precipitous,
chiefly
with
The
western
we
did not
we
did
side,
a
plant
bearing
a
bright
sea.
of
masses
The
sea-beaten rock at the foot of the steeps.
overgrown with
the
to
island
is
flower.
yellow
exposed to the blowing north-west wind,
Owing
explore.
not reach
many
to
birds,
the height
but
I
of the rock
had
my
greatest
We
ornithological triumph. got on board again about i p.m., and it immediately came on to blow very hard from the north-west, so we, being rather in want of supplies,
ran on to the bay of Palmas, and anchored off San Antioco. I
stayed on board and blew eggs.
had
The wind
a very quiet night, with occasional
fell,
and we
heavy showers.
Additional Entry
"
On
Vacca
this
Eleonora falcons had,
morning to
a
we
found
great measure,
left
that
the
the rock,
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES and those we saw were shy
in
succeeded, however,
I
;
177
shooting two, one a splendid black
the
bird,
was
other
one of yesterday's wounded birds, and unfortunately fell on a ledge to which the men could not clamber. The rock doves shot
made themselves
also
The men scoured
two.
scarce,
the
and we
island,
and
only
brought
of herring gulls' eggs and twelve eggs
off several dozen
of the great shearwater, with seven of the parent birds, on the nest about the cliffs at the south end of caught o the rock.
was
that
granc),
a
common
saw many Alpine
I
Rossa
Isola
at
few kestrels
;
but not the swarm
swifts,
on the west
;
shags really
side,
in
which
is
very
The
thousands.
have a settlement on the low crags at the I shot a north-east end. very fine raven, one of two
The men brought down two young herring gulls. On Toro we found a great many Eleonora falcons,
seen. 4
but
swifts
'
flew
they
got one,
so
high,
beautiful
a
and
were so shy,
specimen, very black.
some of our boys having landed with some the north side, Tait,
the west side.
I
James
Hills,
and
I
that
I
only
M
and
difficulty
on
lay in the boat on
noticed several gulls on their nests on a
weed-grown slope on the north-east side, not very high up, and directly they took wing I saw that they were not the herring gull (Larus argentatus].
my
to us
delight
Larus
;
a
brought him down dead on the rock Hills went to pick him up, and what was
good chance, and close
One gave me
when
audouini.
I
I I
found he was
a splendid specimen
immediately sent Hills to the I
2
of
nests
;
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
178
found
he
six
herring
but
gull,
wary, and
be
a
I
two,
containing are
eggs
like
smaller.
considerably
but did not get
shots,
nest
The
one egg each.
others
to
one
eggs,
another
;
I
only had No. 4 and 6 shot. of,
colony
perhaps,
those
of
fired
several
the
There appeared ten
or
eight
four
very shy and
are
they
and
in
pairs
the
particular spot mentioned. **
west
We
had
corner
seen
as
we
a
sailed
were so dead on that
The men brought
great
up,
many but
at
gulls
north-
the
wind and
the
swell
did not care to go round there.
I
off one
young gull alive, but I had told them that I did not want eggs of herring gull, so I noticed at least two they did not take any. pairs of Barbary falcons,* but they flew high about the precipices, screaming and chasing the Eleonoras and gulls, and did not
give
a
We
chance.
The men
and few shags on Toro.
On
but caught none.
and
many
snakes,
Jem Poland
also
lizards,
Vacca they saw also many
lizards,
were
reported
to
afraid
on Vacca
handle
them
;
a
small,
dark bird,
he found two
empty
nests built
reports ;
swifts,
many
but
probably Sylvia sarda
saw no rock doves, no
of grass in the scrub on that island.
I
told the steward
examine the crops of the falcons he found in the dark bird the remains of some small, dark coleopterous and in the hobby-coloured bird a yellowish, insect, to
:
transparent-winged *
insect.
Falco barbarus, a small red-naped North African form of the
Red Shahin
(F. babylonicus).
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES "
On
179
we found
going off to Vacca in the morning,
many shearwaters sitting on the water, amongst which were some of the smaller species, but we found no a great
On Toro
eggs of this bird.
which
covers
have
falcons
the a
cry
or kestrel, and, indeed, from the chide,
The
the
peregrine
a sort of hoarse
hobby
on being caught, make
shearwaters,
plant,
Eleonora
of the true Janner (F. lanarius}.
like that
something
from
different
quite
ice
These
Vacca.
in
slopes
none of the
is
a
moaning
sad,
and sometimes throw up green, oily matter. I found the eggs of Audouin's gull almost all hard-sat, and had to noise,
make
eggs were
all
of
May
of Palmas,
Genoese
We
i~ith.
Monday
PALMAS
OF
ran
down
to about our
and
a
Neapolitans, gale.
who
They
had
told
coral in about fifty to sixty fathoms.
our
little
bay consists of low
of lentiscus and is
most
there
shallow
about
it
and
a
small
pools, ;
goatherds,
winter
with
some
the
tamarisks
cultivation.
who gave
us
there
for
dredge
the
in
they
The country round
white sand
water
stream,
run
with a thick growth
hills,
The
euphorbia.
beautiful,
is
anchorage
bay on the west side of the Bay where we found a number of coral fishers, last,
night
from the
shelter
shearwaters*
fresh."
BAY "
The
some of them.
ghastly holes in
the bay
in
wonderfully
now
only
a
clear;
chain
of
and other shrubs growing Conversed with some native
us some milk fresh from the nanny-
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
i8o
We
goats.
most
are
took our guns, but did grievous
and sharp-edged " In this
but
nothing covered
being
walking,
the
;
with
hills
loose
stones.
bay, which
little
little
in
the
bird
gallicus]*
a
few
way
we saw
Success Bay,
call
I
one snake eagle (Circaetus
;
blackbirds,
linnets,
many
goldfinches,
buntings, two or three
ravens, a gull or two, and black-
headed warblers were
about
W
all.
R
,
who
I had no gun, put up a pair of partridges. got two small, young gulls from the coral fishers, taken, they
on
say,
which
Toro,
we bought
also
and
bit
a
on
fair
my
some red of
about
asking
mullet,
tortoises,
Lams
caught
One of
coral.
be
to
believe
I
audoumi
in
this
;
bay,
Sonde goatherds, he had seen one
the
said
morning, and conducted me to a shallow pool in the little stream, where he soon grubbed out an emys
that
with his hoe, which
had
a
sparrow's
blackbirds.
nest,
find
I
hard-sat, and very
"
May
about
28//z.
10.30
I
a.m.
with
almost difficult
Very
Some of
pocketed.
fine
with
eggs, all
to
the coral boys
and a nest of young
the
herring
gulls'
morning; stood out
a
eggs
blow."
light
for
north-westerly
Toro
breeze.
heavy sea outside, which broke so hard and I went off" in the upon Toro that though
Found
a
very
M
*
The Snake Eagle
(Circaetus gallicus)
is
common
in
Andalucia
during the summer, but on the approach of winter, as the snakes and lizards,
on which
it
feeds, retire,
it
migrates
ir>to
Africa.
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES cutter
I
of our boys hardly liked to attempt landing any
we
yet
the
for
had,
great success.
We
anchorage of
Monday
side of the
and a good dark Falco
the
i.e.
eleonorce,
specimens of Larus audouini of which we saw a great many.
fine
much
gulls (L. audouini) do not make not so hoarse as that of Z. lettcopkasus"
The
TORO.
with
Some
bay on the west
first
inside an old watch tower."
Bay of Palmas,
VACCA.
breeze to our
ran back with a fresh 25th,
and
noise,
we
6 a.m.
their cry is
MAHON
SAILING FOR PORT
About
;
time we were away,
short
very
"Off Toro we shot two very
"
181
stood away for Vacca,
May
iqth.
many
volunteers in the cutters, to explore the island.
Came on board
success.
M
Landed
Toro.
again and
went away for
and the captain, with many of
the men.
"
On
Vacca we got two F. eleonor* in the hobbyish plumage, fine specimens, and recovered by aid of a rope the remains of the specimen lost on the 26th ; this
had been picked to pieces by the ravens. fine
male raven, and the
men
containing three callow young.
got a nest of these birds
There were
south-west sides of the island.
and
nightjar
3
The men
of lizards (Gougylus ocellatus]
rock
in
a
doves,
a
alive,
got a tin box
and a shearwater
found the wing feathers of a
Tait
egg.
shot a
good many and rock doves about on the south and
Eleonora falcons
full
M
little i
We
cave.
raven,
i
bagged
shearwater,
2
and
F.
common eleonor*,
the
young
182
A
raven and lizards before mentioned.
we found than
1
great
have
seen
together
I
the
men,
emptied contained
very
of hatching. long shots
great
of
six
not
its
as
trouble,
audouini
quite
certain
of that species
bird
single
Lams
but
am
I
more
eleonor<e,
eggs,
which almost
they
dead and within a
birds,
young
a
found
however,
with
and
scarce,
made out
clearly
before,
On Toro
quail.
number of F.
very
himself
of a
pursuit
a
had made that
in
apparently
reported,
large black snake
day or
;
I all
two
repeatedly saw and had two or three very
I
at a beautiful
Barbary falcon, but
out a wing feather or two. bird that the nest
is
I
only knocked
think from the action of this
I
somewhere
in the precipices near the
extreme summit of the island on the
east side.
The men
report thousands of green lizards, but could not catch any.
We
five
bagged
young "
F.
eleonor<e, six
shag, cut over
May
small bird
Eleonora
in
by Jem Poland with
The
3<D/A.
the
falcons.
eggs of Larus audouini and a a boat's stretcher."
steward found the remains of some
crop
of
The
rest
one of
the
hobby-plumaged
of those shot yesterday con,-
tained several species of beetles, dragon-flies, grasshoppers,
and an animal something
Saw
a great
many
like a diminutive boiled shrimp.
porpoises and a turtle."
PORT "
May
3U/.
Some
In the harbour of Port
MAHON
flying fish
Mahon saw
herring gull, and heard quails."
seen off Cape Negro. kestrel, swift, swallow,
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES "
gloomy day, strong south-west wind which, however, we hardly felt in our
Dull,
i st.
June
outside the island,
nook
sheltered
morning and
here.
to
a
that he
some
del Ayre,
that
five
on
is
in
of the blowing
job, as they
when
miles from the entrance
said
are
isla
many rabbits this we must
;
Took
the wind permits.
the cutter in
and rowed about the north
afternoon,
The
the happy owner
quantity of perfectly black lizards
investigate
the
me
tells
the harbour, and
and
part
greater
either just ready to hatch or rotten.
all
Isla
the
spent
good deal of the afternoon eggs from Vacca, a very nasty
Consul's interpreter
of the
I
a
herring gulls'
were almost
183
side
of the
snug bays, where we found natives fishing with nets and lines, catching large roundbanded fishes with the former and lisa with the latter." harbour
into
several
little
'
*
ISLA DEL '
f
June 2nd.
interpreter
gave
del
Ayre,
to
We
had
ten
miles, as
the
cliffs
to
Fine,
us
the
row
all
leave
the
Minorca
of
of rock overgrown the
an Ivigan, and a
M
shot
in
some
the
island,
some
Isla
rabbits.
some eight or Too much swell on
attempt
The some
Isla
shooting del
places
Ayre
with
lighthouse
Mallorquin, very rabbits.
Consul's
to the island,
no wind.
three
The
day.
to
way to
several.
Found
warm
go to his south-west, and shoot
there was
which we saw
thistles.
bright,
AYRE
of
a
is
jumble samphire and
men,
civil
pigeons,
and
an
Alavese,
intelligent.
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
184 "
We
saw a kite (Mihus
many cormorants (I think Ph. About the cliffs and caves
north side of the harbour, carbo^
and
herring
gulls.
some rock doves, many a
island
good many
some sandy,
me
like
and
swifts
the
an eagle, which looked to
a pair of ravens,
a few
Circaetus gallicus,
On
kestrels.
some pied with white and
rabbits,
rock
and some blue rock-thrushes.
two,
hanging about the
regalis]
or
doves, a gull
The
which
lizards,
are
shining glossy black above and blue beneath, seem to
me
to be the
same variety of race of Lacerta muralis
that found in Filfla, Malta.
there are
The
men
lighthouse
no snakes whatever on the
as
say that
and that many
island,
birds kill themselves against the light at passage times."
CAMERA " at
June
4-th.
Fine morning.
a.m. a breeze
6
sprang
Just as
went on deck
I
up from the
east-north-east,
and we spun away round Cape Salinas to the island
of Cahera,
wood and "
At
scrub in
which
many
is
high
and
lee
of the
precipitous
with
places.
the west of the island, a fine range of weather-
worn limestone
we saw very few some swifts, herring
precipices,
birds
;
a kite,
two or three shags, gulls (one of which was shot), a blue rock-thrush, and a large brown hawk, possibly an osprey, were about flying
fish
as
great
many of
very
dark
we came
ofF to
the
all.
Saw
yacht.
I
a beautiful
noticed
a
the smaller shearwaters at sea, which look
on the back compared
to
the
others.
Saw
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES three
The few
petrels.
out
cetaceans
very large
be quite tame.
said
is
and some stormy
sea
we saw on Cahera appeared
goats
It
at
185
that there are
to
wild goats on
the island."
IVIZA "
June
Anchored
$th.
Bay of
in the
The town
Iviza.
of Iviza stands on a rock of the north side of the bay in a rather
good
situation,
amphitheatre of
We
with
hills
A
but looks a poor place. cultivation
fine
got away with a breeze from
in
pretty
the valleys.
east-south-east
very
;
we got through the passage between Iviza Here we found the water perfectly Formentera.
heavy sea
and
till
and
smooth,
merrily
slipped
and curiously
shaped
little
along past
island,
the
into
a high
Vedra,
Bay of San
Antonio of Puerto Magus, and brought up about 4.30 p.m. in five fathoms close to the little village of San Antonio.
which " the
I
I
heard several quails
had hoped
Apparently a
singular
of Iviza.
coast
We
"
on
June
the
lizards,
islands
good many
A man
are
evening.
saw nothing, but leucoph<tus\
Correjera
and
no snakes
at all
round
all
a
very few
and
a
very
me
that
flying fish."
of San Antonio assured
which are not found on
that there fish
6th.
A
rock doves,
absence of birds
yellow-legged herring gulls (L.
few shearwaters.
warm
Beautiful
for.
No
calling.
Bledas Iviza in
are ;
Iviza.
followed close under our stern for a
black
many
he also declares Several
tunny one long time ;
1
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
86
of them was struck deep by Tait with the harpoon, but wrenched it out. Saw three or four stormy petrels." "
June
for the
Started
9//z.
Dehesa
cutter about
the
in
We
cloudy morning.
;
a.m.
4.30
landed on the beach
near where the pines begin, and wandered about amongst
them with no
result
;
boat
No
sport.
three miles farther on.
and we took "
The
long
paucity of
able.
We
three
kites,
larks,
a
several
warblers, two or
insects
of I
large snake,
of
common
but
lizards,
all
in
abundance,
and
could
a
fantail
ringed-plover.
not
secure
any.
think Calopetta lacertina.
bunting with
six,
June
1
2th.
wind and calm
all
Columbretes
and
day, and
there.
lizards.
Saw one
I
found
a
nest
a nest of black-headed
SEA
We
day.
made but
had
little
light airs
way.
which rather made
water, as there are reported to
doubt many birds
butterflies,
Quantities of shells."
Beautiful
island,
of
quantities
Not many
kinds.
AT
the
and
passerine
kingfishers,
or
buntings, crested
many
black-headed,
warbler with four eggs.
"
remark-
is
sweet plants, myrtle, thyme, rosemary, lentiscus
and wild flowers and
the Dehesa
in
life
woodchats,
three
some
saw
Many
came out very hot
the shade.
siesta in
bird
It
some
only saw about half a dozen rabbits, two
greenfinches,
M
and went down
took
be
of
Passed
my mouth
many snakes and no
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES "
Many
two
porpoises,
sharks, and
Vast numbers of small, snake-like
187
two
turtles seen.
fishes drifting past
us
day."
all
November 1878
to
May
1879
PLYMOUTH "November about
night,
Glowworm
in
a
after
about
sailed
great
frosty
many
guillemots
on
our
hear
of
three
I
morning.
that
come
woodcocks have
T. shot the only one seen of
on Monday "
Plymouth
from
under
Lyming-
steam
and
Fine,
way. inches
of
bright,
snow
at
has been some on Dartmoor,
Lilford, and they say there
and
left
at
Saw some gannets* and
a.m. yesterday.
8
run
fair
Roads, which anchorage we
ton
a
last
1 1
Arrived
isf.
in
in
some
this species in
numbers.
Oxon Wood
last."
November
2nd.
Fine
" November
yd.
A common
moonlight night with slight haze, just the weather for woodcocks on migration."
some years frequented
for at
Ivybridge, *
as
is
Ailsa
The Gannet
where
Mrs.
Craig.
.and the pelicans.
G
garden feeds
(L.
canus]
has
of the Vicarage him,
and
has
(Sula bassana) also called the Solan Goose, breeds,
generally known, in great It
the
gull
is
It is
numbers on the Bass Rock and on
'goose/ but is allied to the cormorants only a winter visitor to the Southern Atlantic.
not a
1
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
88
become quite tame. He sometimes disappears for several days I saw him this afternoon sitting on the top of one of the chimneys of the Vicarage. He does not seem ;
specially to affect the little
pond."
AT " November
steam
-jth.
It
SEA
fell
calm
and
so
early,
we
got fine
all
up proceeded easily Very day. We saw a great quantity of two and much warmer. * shot dead species of porpoise, one of which Calmady with a No.
4 cartridge, but though we went about to
presume he sank. I shot a Saw large numbers of large shearwater. sea birds gannets, gulls, shearwaters, guillemots, and two
pick him up,
we could not
find
him, and
I
small dark-coloured skuas.
"
A
fieldfare,
migrating
several times, but
gulls
November and
flock of
%th.
laughing
wigeon
;
tired,
flew
around
us:
would not come aboard."
AT "
very
SEA
A
AND 'GIRONDE good many
gulls
in
the
lesser
black-backed
Saw
Gironde.
one
and some small birds, larks
also crows,
or pipits, crossing the river."
PAUILLAC " November other
side
of
yth.
the
Went river,
*
The
off"
in
where Captain.
the
we
cutter
saw
to
some
the~
mud'
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES and
creeks
but
backwaters,
We
almost
189 of
devoid
entirely
landed on the
He Philippe and found a beautiful bit of snipey, reedy ground, but we only saw two of the desired birds, and only one shot was fired, bird
life.
without
Saw
result.
a
few fowl and other things."
SANTANDER u November
Cubas
killed
Took
of
woodcocks.
search
in
we
though
2oM.
found
A
one.
three,
cutter
we
good many
Not
only
fowl,
away
much
had
and
Ria
de
luck,
as,
up
shot
a
mud
birds
and
at
about,
but very wide awake."
"November
Fine morning.
2ist.
The
the harbour birds.
harbour
is
now
all
flat
space
Spent the day at inside
wet and swampy,
sea
at
top of
and swarms with
fowl of sorts."
" November
22nd.
Went and
visited
sands for dunlin with some success, then
Tried Bosque del Coronel
:
O'Connor's
Rio de Cubas.
only saw one woodcock
;
no
shot at him."
" November
but very warm. " November
overhead
and
i^th.
A 26th.
very
Squally
gusts
from
south-west
flock of thirty wild geese seen."
Wild warm.
windy morning, but Started
in
steam
fine
launch
towing dinghy about 11.30 a.m. and proceeded up Curlew
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
190
Had
Creek.
several
chases
exciting
after
scoters,*
but
were unlucky in losing two that we knocked down, and also a fine male hen-harrier, at which I fired, but it into
fell
a
Maliano, and was
of Indian corn near
piece
We
not to be found.
lunched
at
Port Plover, and after-
wards went away up Quarantine Creek.
little
Very
sport,
but good fun cruising about." " November i%th.
Left for the O'Connor sands, upon
the north side of which the sea was breaking grandly, the
wind having shifted to north-west. gull and had one long crack at
a
who
as
did not like
cerned, never
and
dived,
it,
came up
We
again.
shot a
I
great far
young herring
northern diver, as
we were con-
landed on the sands,
and finding no birds thereon proceeded to de Soma and across the hill to the left of a
beautiful-looking
but no woodcock
village,
Met
a
a vast
woodcock
it
Found
it.
behind
just
the part of
in
that
we
directed us to a
wind had taken them
weedy
all
snipes.
went on
tired
there,
and found
several.
I
was
about, and only got two or three long shots.
tramped The
nesting
tried.
the
marsh
scoters
time.
The
are birds
Scoter (CEdemia nigra).
boldly sea
away.
lake just south of the village
of Paredo, where he said there were some
*
the
don with a dog, who told us that there had been number of woodcocks some days ago, but that he
feared that this southerly
He
covert
Venta
the
and had
ducks,
referred
sat
Caimady shots,
but
come
inland at
were probably the
Common
although to
several
and
We
they
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
191
somehow was out of form and only shot one jack Minna flushed two or three water-rails out of shot." " December
and
rain
down
\th.
Went away
hail.
to
Bright
were rather too they
knew
and
made
muds
there.
We chases
successful
eventually
at
of
squalls
steam launch and dinghy
on
the
We
way.
when
for the dunlins, as,
late
that the off
in
shooting a scoter
sand-spit,
heavy
morning,
snipe.
disturbed,
head of harbour were bare,
had two long exciting and after a great northern and
red-throated diver."
" December
Went away
$th.
as
steam
with
usual
launch and dinghy to the sand-spit, but found the dunlins,
though
in
numbers,
great
extraordinary
luck
to
Had
unapproachable.
the
two great northern divers
kill
in
three shots."
" December lyth.
soon after breeze
8
for
phalarope
a
Glowing morning. Got under way a.m. and steamed out. Got a north-east few
sitting
t
hours
;
rainy
Saw
squalls.
calmly on the waves
the
after
a
grey
fashion
of a gull."
VlGO "
December i^th.
mountains in places,
all
Scenery very fine
around, with
patches of
and cultivation here and
;
fir
rugged granite and oak wood
there.
reminded of the West of Scotland and
I its
was much lochs.
We
1
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
92
went right miles
as
away
or so, to a
far
little
we
as
could
get,
Found
nice
few snipes,
a
alder tarn,
awkward
but
eight
We
marsh below Villa Boa.
myriads of wild-fowl in the bay, but quite able.
some
saw
unapproach-
to
shoot.
A
most likely-looking place for woodcock,
but saw none." Beautiful morning, but very red
''January 2nd, 1879. sunrise
a
The
bad omen.
doctor and
breakfast in cutter across the bay to a
wandered about through
woods
fine
went off
I
after
wooded point and
intersected
at
short
by granite walls very wearisome to surmount much undergrowth, but here and there patches of
distances
not
;
We
brambles and boggy springs. cock, which escaped us.
he
calls
The
only
saw one wood-
doctor had a shot at what
We
grouse-red-legged partridges.
cruised
along
the north shore after luncheon and shot a few water birds." "
January yM.
about rain
1 1
.
Strong wind in morning, rather better
Started in cutter, but
furiously,
came on
it
and we could not do much.
who
blow and
to
Conversed
up on one of the rocky he tells me that he sometimes gets a heavy shot islands at sleeping ducks wafted down to him by wind on tide. with a native sportsman
lies
;
He
knows of only
teal, scoters,
and mergansers.
of the Gallician dialect Vijo for Vigo,
etc.
of ducks
five sorts
He
instead of senior, and put
e.g.,
I
noticed several peculiarities
the
always
many
mallard, wigeon,
'
g'
strongly aspirated, as
addresses u's
me
in place
as
'
'
sinore
of o's."
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES "January
Went
i^th.
bay, landed near Cangas shoot,
;
off in cutter to north side of
very pretty, but, in the way of
unproductive
quite
193
country
shores
;
with
fringed
reefs of rock.
" Saw great northern diver, sparrow-hawk.
of wigeon going out seaward,
Vast
flights
and two or three
adult
gannets in the bay."
LISBON ff
Went
January 24^.
ashore about noon and
up
to
Made acquaintance History Museum. with Barboza du Bocage, who was most civil and did the
see
the
Natural
honours of the
There
collection.
are
many
interesting
Many things, but the birds are dreadfully badly stuffed. seem be common birds to absent Spanish comparatively from, or rare
mulgus
in
Portugal
Bocage
ruficollis.
e.g.,
Passer
very bad one, of the blackcap from black
hood,
form,
and
apparently a
new
The cream of
triton,
the
lately
collection
a
the
distinct
very
salicicolus^
me
showed
Capri-
specimen,
a
Azores, with a
from
common
the
discovered in Portugal. are
from
birds
the
the
Portuguese African possessions." "
January
here, chiefly latus, or
i^th.
L,
I
never noticed
gulls
so
tame
as
ridibundus, with a few L. fuscus, L. argen-
L. leucophxus"
"January waited for a
We morning. who was engaged to come on board at
28M. pilot,
Very
fine
bright
13
i
6
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
94 a.m.,
till
8.
nearly
unintelligible
;
Got another man, almost wholly
steamed a few miles up under the north
Dense fog came on that soon passed off. About 12 a long, Saurin and I went off in the cutter up the river we found it quite impossible to get fruitless pull, as bank.
:
anywhere near land, immense flat muds stretching in all We did at last manage directions. It came on showery. to land on an island, where I had an ineffectual shot owl, the
short-eared
at a
There
no means of getting
but
merlin,
saw within shot.
number of wild-fowl and marsh
vast
are a
I
only thing
short-eared
owl,
Saw marsh
them.
at
wild
cormorant,
duck,
harrier,
wigeon,
whim-
shoveler, teal, spoonbill, (?) egret, curlew, redshank, brel,
heron,
dunlin,
plover, skylark, (sp. ?),
grey
meadow
plover,
birds,
pipit,
ringed-
crested lark, white wagtail, avocet, goose
snipe."
""January
Started
Very bright morning.
2yth.
in
steam launch a long way up the river Tagus, landed on various snipes,
islands,
saw a great
Met
but totally unapproachable.
in a little canoe,
who
wild-fowl and catching o
He
sixty years.
told eels
wild-fowl
many
me
an
and some
old
shooter
that he
with a
had been shooting bunch of worms for
only had one teal."
CADIZ "
February yd.
cadero, and Real.
Went away
some way up
Great
flats
with
a creek
salt
the
in
cutter
on
river towards
pans, not
many
to
birds."
TroPuerto
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES u
February
\^th.
breakfast and
After
west wind.
morning,
Bright
195 north-
strong several
writing
we went ashore and found Juan Espinar and
letters
his brother
Pepe waiting for us, the former having brought a mare from la Marismilla lent to me by the administrator. I mounted her, and with Pepe's horse set off for the Cara de
la
where
Marismilla,
I
found Juan's
daughter
Maria now married to a carabineer, looking very pretty. We went on thence to the edge of the marisma, found
some
beautiful snipe,
single
except
a
or
few
and missed. season for
snipey-looking
else
anything
rabbits,
all
They small
at
game
say that
"
Saw
died
headed
warbler,
this
a
range
about the worst
is
Last
had.
year
There has
of drought.
send in snipes or woodcocks,
common
imperial eagle,*
blackbird,
see
so full that nothing can be done.
is
magpie,
within
shootable
that they ever
this winter to
and the Marisma
but did not
one of which the captain shot
the partridges and rabbits
been no cold
places,
song-thrush, robin,
pipits,
kestrel,
raven,
chaffinch,
serin,
black-
white
wagtail,
kite,
legged partridge, whimbrel, flamingo,
wild
red-
duck, etc."
SAN LUCAR DE BARRAMEDA "February
i8/A.
vessel every night.
A
white
Heard
owl
shrieks
chiffchaff in
Large flock of wild geese passed over
at
round
the
Alcazar gardens. night."
Aquila adalbertz, also called the White-shouldered Eagle. A tree-nesting eagle, generally distributed in suitable localities in Western *
Andalucia.
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
196
ijth.
Saw,
bustard,
crane,
"February course,
great
besides
quantities
white
time
this
calandra
lark,
first
stork,
of peewits, golden plover, curlews, and
marsh
small waders,
the
for
ravens, etc.,
harriers,
etc."
SEVILLE "
Took
almost
mud,
The
Saccone,
and
with Manuel's
and
was
thirteen,
got
by
stopped
and wind,
which forced
hut,
where T.
eventually Seville
a
me
snipes,
lanner's *
about
used
The Lanner success.
breast into
me
jacks.
also
a
we
kite.
but
off,
squall
lunched.
and
I
of
again in the
to shelter
4.30,
jacks. ;
chiefly
had
T.
to
We walk
saw a good
Old Manuel has
four
of
snakes
and
falcon was formerly
much
bottle
spirits.
in falconry,
qualified
chiefly
for
eggs
lizards in
*
but
after snipes
tremendous
came, and
from San Juan to Triana. <c Saw neophron and common
many
of despond
hut about a mile
his
rain
towards
to
Juan and Triana
and T. went off
safely,
went with old Manuel to shooting
wind.
deep enough to bury a regiment.
ruts,
son
high
interpreter,
impracticable, a complete slough
water,
started
the
road between San
However, we arrived
my
morning, very
with T. and
carriage,
Coria del Rio. is
Fine
lind.
February
'
(Falco feldeggi ).
This
and has been trained It
does not
bars,' as the
England of late years with moult the striped feathers of the in
peregrine does, but the longitudinal stripes
of the immature bird remain longitudinal.
FLAMINGOES
IN
THE AVIARY POND.
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES "
Ruiz brought
to see
me
man
he
;
his
This seems
the evening.
in
me
tells
have turned up
that
Mena, of Malaga,
Rafael
cousin,
197
a very intelligent
more trumpeter
three
bullfinches
Malaga, and that the cream-coloured
at
courser has occurred there three times in his recollection.
He
knows of "
young Gypaetus now
a
February
Started
i^th.
and captain for Algaba his
Perico,
arrived
;
brother-in-law,
bustards.
after
Went
a
in
two
steam
and
sons,
long way,
vultures,
launch
with
bustards,
two horses
saw nine,
only
cranes,
T.
Took
about 10 a.m.
only got one long ineffectual shot. " Saw griffon
the nest."
in
storks,
and
sand
martins, kingfisher, Cetti's warbler, Bonelli's eagle, peewits,
one snipe, great number of larks A very few Calandrella. crested.
T. shot "
up
a
Perico and a
were
Multitudes of kestrels
hoopoe."
February 2$(h.
Saw
10.30.
calandras, skylarks, and
In steam
launch to Algaba, picked
pilot for Alcata deJ
a great
many
Rio, arrived about
bustards, but
our only
impossible distances."
at
"February 26th.
Fine bright day.
We
son
with
horse
a
behind which village are
found and
;
along
many
took steam
Met Manuel
launch at 9 a.m., and proceeded to Coria.
and
shots
river-side
to
Puebla,
likely snipey places.
We
good many, but the full snipes were very wild, those we killed were mostly The golden jacks.
plovers
a
afforded
good
sport.
Bag
:
12
golden plovers,
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
198
14 snipes, 2 peewits,
February
down a
in
brilliant
day.
We
went
steam launch to San Juan de Alfarache, whither
came to meet
carriage
We
green sandpiper,
eagle."
Another
l^th.
I
ringed plover,
Saw serpent
2 thrushes.
"
I
beat
much
fair sport.
:
and took us on to Puebla.
same ground
the
Bag
us,
yesterday, and
as
had
18 golden plovers, 16 snipes, 3 peewits.
Saw stone curlews." " March of
Perico came from Algaba with accounts
8//z.
many bands of
thereabouts.
bustards
out thither to-morrow. " Started at 6.30 a.m. in a carriage
Rio Palo, Badajoz.
to
go
the Venta
de
Settled
to
beyond Italica, on the road to We found a Perico and others met us there. mile
about a
but they came very high, and we Saw myriads of cranes on only got one, a young male.
great
many
their
way
bustards,
north,
Found
nothing new. adult
fine
several
old a
peregrine,
stone
hoopoes,
curlews,
Manuel on board, with wigeon,
and
a
etc.,
a
very
ffom
pintail
the Isla."
" drive
March after
i
fictitious
on to the huts Manuel's
T.
ith.
sons
and
bustards
at entrance to
and
I
Vincente
took
cutter,
and
a
Mayor, then La Corta, where we found in
the
Isla
Anchoren.
Went
and drove some cranes, of which we saw many. one, a long shot.
had
Saw some bustards."
ashore I
got
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES "March
We
quivir.
La
Fine morning; to
I3///.
199
Corta, Guadal-
got away in steam launch about 7 a.m., and
were conducted down the main river and posted out
Manuel and
the open by
The Algaba
people
towards
A
us.
and none
fell,
At
captain.
a
old
all,
came
males,
at
which
at
I
us,
and
rain,
thunder
weather held up. to
managed
bag
We eight
for
ments "
in the shooting line.
there
the
a
very
are
T.
barrels,
threatened
It
but
the
majority great
all
of
Great
bustards.
our previous disappoint-
the
are
number,
of
bustards,
old
which
males,
and
some of them have good beards already, necks puffy.* Saw a good many pintailed sand
quite low
and the a
grouse,
two
fired
distance,
male
old
fine
making up amply far
apparently
had several drives, and altogether
sport,
By
the
in
growled
high,
and low.
some way behind us and was found.
fell
Corta
from T. and
of bustards,
flock
large
La
came over, but
cranes
many
took up positions.
country from
the
knocked down one, and one
fly
also
spite of several barrels
in
last
not
if
mostly,
drove
great
who
sons,
in
;
few
snipes,
peewits,
teal,
and
a
small
falcon,
None of the spring suggest was a lanner, <$. Cranes still in vast herds, pajaros de marisma as yet. which
I
trumpeting
"March *
in
every direction."
14/77.
We
found
a
good
many
bustards,
The male Great Bustard
season a
tuft
(Otis tarda) develops in the breeding of bristly feathers at the base of the bill, and also a
gular (throat) pouch which can, at
will,
be greatly distended.
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
200
and they came well except to me. We went a little way up the Brazo del Este, but had no luck whatever owing to
of which we
sheltered in a
As we were
sitting
the
after
yacht,
boat
having
the
at
given
up
to
fly
past
self,
and
from T., Frost, and
barrels
huts,
female
a
shooting,
to
close
she received four
;
Saw
a victim.
fell
pintailed sand grouse."
many
" March
i
same
line
the
shepherd's hut and lunched.
the
in
weak enough
bustard was
during the worst
Several heavy showers,
muffishness.
We
$th.
as
bustards, but again
started
about
yesterday.
Found
the shooters were
two, an old barbon, and a
7,
and took much a
at
fault.
young male of
many
good
killed
I
year, the
last
only two which presented themselves to me. " Saw vast flocks of white storks. T. shot a fine male also and a mallard (of which we saw several) Saw a few teal, not green sandpiper, one of three.
pintail a
many "
;
March
east
at
took
circuit
them, and
horses
in
good number of vultures."
the
and the
morning, wind veering northglass going rapidly down.
Fine but
We
Brazo
del
Este,
of the
Isla
Menor.
of bustards,
Manuel.
vultures
a
jth.
the
lots
large
i
daybreak,
up
whole
old
and
cranes,
made
and
We
but none of
us
saw one or two
had
a
shot
only animal bagged was a hare, shot
A
the
nearly
at
by
great quantity of griffon and Egyptian
common and marisma of
black kites about some dead Palacios.
Every sign of
rain
2OI at
Saw
nightfall.
good many mallards and garganeys
a
and some marsh
think
I
birds,
ruffs
and
black-tailed
godwits."
"March
i8M.
Heavy
rain.
It
was
rather
better
afternoon, and T. went ashore with the captain, shot two black-bellied sand grouse. They went
the
in
and again
after
bell.
T.
and took one
dinner,
had
a
shot
at
bustard,
alive,
and
with light
without result."
GIBRALTAR "
March
with
afterwards
her
lyd.
M
T. walked up to the signal station and saw Bonelli's eagle on
nest.
"
Went down to see Mr. V at he is much vexed at this new guard ;
the
Waterport law
prohibitory
He goes out to-morrow to shooting in Spain. look after a Bonelli's * nest in some crags near Castellar. about
He
tells
me
east
side
of the rock."
"
March
that the
iqth.
ospreys are
Have
at
the
last
few
already sitting
heard Scops owls these
days about the rock." "
March
2$th.
It is
remarkable that amongst hundreds
of gulls at the slaughter place * Bonelli's
at
Eagle (Nisaetus fasciatus)
the back is
of the rock
with the Booted
Eagle
Europe of a small group of are long-legged eagles. They neat-looking and active birds; the former nesting on ledges of rock, the latter in cork and pine-trees in Morocco and Andalucia.
(Nisaetus pennatus]
representative
in
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
202 I
did not see one herring gull. I
and,
few melanocephalus, but cannot be quite
a
think,
All L. fuscus, ridibundus,
c ertain."
"April yd to April lyd. Between these dates I was kept on board by an attack of gout. The weather was very unsettled and showery, with cold winds."
V
''April 21 st.
nest
of
first
instance
Circaetus
cork
in
gallicus
ever
I
on a
breeding " V
took an egg of neophron from a
heard
of
of
wood the
this
;
the
is
former
species
eggs,
of blue
tree.
and T. took
a nest, with five
rock-thrush (M. cyanus] from hole in wall in Charles V. rampart. "
V
caught a kite
(M.
a trap, and took two eggs in a
on her
regalis} tall
in
nest,
pine tree."
MALAGA " left
April 2$th.
Started in a carriage for a spot to the
of
Torre Molinos, some three miles
M
where were
road
to
expected
The
seen.
covered
with
belongs
to
greater
sugar the
to
canes,
Hesedias,
find
part
and
some of
crakes,
the
almost
who
have
flat
this
large
factory, iron foundries and cotton mills.
We
the house
civil
of their administrator,
a
very
but none country
all
a
off,
is
part
sugar
lunched
at
individual,
from Estremadura, who gave me wonderful accounts of the number and variety of birds near Caceres.
" In
without the
most
remarkable
institute
date
near
killed
gallicus
(Emberiza pusilla). " Mena had a skin of plover, which
doubt that
a
is
it
I
little
Several
fine
specimen
flamingos
bought, having
(Anthus
pipit
richardt)
and
the
2ist,
and
in,
a
bought Richards's
also
I
;
May
brought
just
many eggs of Gyps fuhus
great
bunting
of Charadrius fulvus,
the Asiatic golden plover, killed near Malaga,
1878.
town.
the
he knows of two other occurrences
that
of this species, and a fine specimen of the
little
audouini,
says
*
Cursorius
me
Larus
of
specimen
undoubtedly killed near seven or eight years ago), and a
probably
tells
the
Malaga
Mena
(but
of
specimen
at
immature
an
town,
Mena
203
the are
things
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
swift
pallid
(Cypsclus
pallidus}"
ALBORAN "
April
and
Beautiful
26th.
started about
bright
a.m. to explore the island of Alboran,
8
some ninety miles south-east by of the has
abundance of sea
lately
back
*
We
built,
birds,
and
I
several
sharks
sighted
the
plovers.
wing and on grasshoppers.
to
allied
They foot,
the
are
east.
birds
but
had
fears.
and
one
and
a
lighthouse
We or
exceedingly
lighthouse
and
through
active
birds,
insects,
saw the
two
(Cursorius gallicus}.
pratincoles,
and feed on
had often heard
I
there,
island
The Cream-coloured Courser
-desert
true
of
fins
waters.
been
Got up steam
day.
being
shear-
about
These are
them both
especially
to
the
on
the
fond of
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
204
on getting within a few miles saw several small whales spouting and blowing all around us. p.m., and
2
We
anchored on the south side of the island about 5.45 p.m., in
sand and weed,
fathoms
eight
and Ruiz, T., and
I
went off to a landing-place just below the lighthouse, speaking two of the inhabitants on our way, fishing, or rather
setting
One of
trot.
no birds but
there were a
a
gulls
men
these
"
The
island
a mile long, across.
It
sandstone,
imbedded
therein,
laying.
rather
more than
with
here
and
there
big
and with many caves and
reefs lying off
western
say,
see
half
and apparently only some few hundred yards is all low cliff, some fifty feet high, of a
yellowish
flat
should
I
is,
that
we could
(of which
good many), and only one kind, now
us
told
The
it.
end of the
stones
and
fissures
lighthouse stands close to the Several
island.
rather inhabitants of the lighthouse,
of the natives,
came down
to
or
speak
and told us the lighthouse has only been built that there were four families, no spring of three years to
us,
;
water,
only one
sort of gull
no rock doves, many
seals,
(of which they had
and sometimes
a
birds of passage, quails, turtle-doves, hoopoes,
eggs),
good many and larks.
T. and Ruiz landed to explore whilst I cruised round in I saw the cutter. herring and lesser black-backed gulls,,
and fancied that length
of wing,
I
made out Audouin's
but
1
turnstone, two or three
did
not
common
two or three redshanks and two
get
a
gull shot.
by
its
great
Saw one
sandpipers and whimbrel,. stilts,
evidently on migra-
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
205
and puzzled whither to go. T. and Ruiz appeared on the top of the cliff with a gull, which T. had shot, tion,
and
went round to wait for them
I
at
the landing-place,
where they soon joined me. T. had bagged two specimens of Larus audouini and a whinchat, and told
knocked down two more of the
that he had
out
fell
sea
at
had
he
;
Ruiz had taken three
escaped.
also
a
at
me
which
hawk, which
eggs, but certainly
gulls'
The only
not those of L. audouini.
was
shot
a
gulls,
fine
other bird they saw
a pipit.
"
The
they were
eggs, but
gulls'
On
L. fuscus.
or
seeing
know
very
little
either those of
on the
several
L. leucophteus
our gulls they declared that
common
they were the most
down
us
brought
people
lighthouse
but they seemed to
species,
and
subject,
to
care
less.
The
sun was going down and a breeze springing up, so I was very reluctantly obliged to go back to the yacht, and hope for a calm day to-morrow but it was not to be. ;
M
Mr.
caught a small shark from the yacht's deck
about three feet long.
A
strong
breeze from the west
got up, and we rolled and strained uncomfortably " is
a
all
The only short
specimen.
heathery
The
they -told
Spanish
night.
vegetation on the island except sea weeds
Morocco, which Spain
land.
our anchor most
at
plant,
nearest is
of which
land
me was
Adra.
off a
Cape Tres Forcas,
is
plainly visible
T. brought
;
the
We
nearest
point
in
in
could also see the
They depend upon Almina
for
all
their
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
206
their
only had
had
supplies,
from
three visits
vessels,
supply
twenty-seven
now
days
expecting
this
except
and have been
boat, in the last three years,
They have
last.
turned out a few rabbits, which they say are doing
well.'*
VALENCIA "
April lyth. nearly calm at
fell
Talked of going into Alicante, but it night, and as we were still some way
from that port at daylight of 3Oth, I decided on going so we got up steam and ran along right on to Valencia ;
the
which
very wild and
is
barren
rugged and some peaks, here and there a bay, with a village coast,
gannet, the
first
I
Mediterranean, except
We
did
Saw
Curious Gibraltar-like rock, near Calpe.
cultivation. a
high
not
ever recollect to at the
back of the rock of Gibraltar.
more than
see
have seen in the
three
or
four
gulls
during
these last two days, or any other sea birds, though parts of the coast
" the
Don Manuel
ind.
Crown
shoot to
May
seem well suited
Cabelle,
Prince of Austria
is
on the Albufera, where,
be done
at this
for
some
them."
who
tells
me
that
expected, and wants., to as
there
is
no shooting
time of year, they propose to get up
a mullet fishery for him."
"May yd. Sylvia
In
Museum
melanogaster,
best things in birds are Aquila n&via,
Tichodroma
murarias,
Totanus
fuscus,
T.
I find that Emberiza citrinella is common stagnates, Oidemia fusca. I merely mention the above birds as all having occurred near here.
Valencia while not
common
in Spain."
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
207
BIRDS SEEN AT ALBUFERA
"Neophron Cotyle
urbica,
S.
Ardea
Many
Budytes flavus.
"
T.
calidris,
May
hypoleueus,
&gialitis
all
8
Tracey came to
a.m.
told
landing with guns.
Don Manuel me that they
me
that
Shortly
Cabelle in a great state of
were
nothing was prepared,
that
diately,
(sp. ?),
announced that the Crown Prince
he and his people were
tell
galbula,
Anas
(?),
H.
turdoidesr
warblers of sorts."
of Austria had arrived, and about
afterwards came
rustica,
Cypsdus apus, Sylvia cistieola, A. purpurea, Oriolus cinerea,
6 a.m. and
agitation to
Hirundo
Fine bright morning.
$th.
me about
cteruginosus,
S.
riparia,
provincialis,
Totanus
Circus
percnopterus,
all
going off imme-
and that the Prince
and T. to join him in the expedition. We jumped into our shooting things, and went ashore. Found that the Prince and his people had started in four invited
me
few minutes before
carriages a
a small 'bus with that
be
it
was
shot,
folly,
and
so
we followed
;
Don Manuel, who
at
once
in
on repeating nothing was prepared, nothing would on.
We
soon
kept
overtook
the
other
which were very badly horsed, and on getting within about half a mile of Salar, the fishing village of the
carriages,
Albufera, the Prince lost patience, as the road and horses
were so bad, and jumped myself and T. to him.
out.
I
He
is
got out and introduced a
tall
boy,
not the least like the portrait which he sent to me.
He
was most
cordially civil, introduced
very
me
slight,
to his brother-in-
law, Prince Leopold of Bavaria, and the rest of his suite,
amongst others one of the Brehms, who accompanies him
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
208
as naturalist to the expedition.
and
on to
Salar,
bottomed
the Prince
and we struggled where the whole party embarked in five flat-
brother-in-law
his
put him
I
our
into
'bus,
and went off to
boats,
spot called la Franca,
a
where there are dense, strong reed beds. " We saw but few birds. We talked ornithology and shooting French with the Prince, and English with
These two went off
Brehm.
where we could not
the reeds,
return
outside
purple
heron,
but
wanted
The
to
and we
shot nothing,
party marched
in
amongst
we waited
In
Brehm
landed on
came the
said
and
himself
their
down
retrieved.
back towards
line
in
came off and
present
all
punt
knocked
T.
not be
and
Prince
little
beds.
could
it
a
follow, so
Guardias Civiles
colonel
respects.
reed
the
meantime two their
in
pay
a
the that his
back having
The
Dehesa.
Salar.
I
tramped
along the path by the water-side with the G. C. colonel, a very civil, fine-looking fellow, with the boats following,
we reached
till
passable
A
good many
sail
this
past
disgusted,
Salar,
canal,
which the
across
right
is
only
Dehesa.
river,
foot to the Grao.
On
;
to
boats
the
and
re-
and we went spinning away
a spot
to
to a place on the
several
came
they
spot
had sent on the carriages
and
muddy
shots were fired by the party.
embarked rather under
of
sort
each end, and cuts
at
"At
a
on the canal whither we
went got into them again and
whence there
is
a
short cut by
our way we found a clap-net
wretched swallows pegged
down
as
set,
decoys.
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES The
these
cut
immediately
Royalties
209 and
adrift
let
them go." IVIZA " in
May
Ran through
gth.
Iviza harbour about
pretty
and
bay
several
islands
;
Frena and anchored
of
sort
well cultivated and dotted with object
salt
lake
anywhere of some
to
is
The Consul
Formentera. a
here
but
there,
there salt
with in
pans
to
me
tells
there
is
to
explore
he has property and
no
which
of lying
possibility
We
wind.
detestable
Iviza,
My
houses.
over
get
by with
hills
them apparently
flat-topped
try
this
of
amphitheatre
scrubby vegetation, the plains at foot of
principal
A
on morning of 9th. snug anchorage formed
a.m.
7
tolerably a
the
sounded
heard for
likely
and went about with the son of the Consul to try
birds,
and find the to shoot, but
of the Civil Guard to give us leave
officer
he
The town
was not to be found.
is
crowded on a rocky hillside with a fort and church at the top. Good market places. We bought a poun4 of tunny brought in this morning from Formentera. People talk
a
curious sort of Valencian patois.
Catalan seem to be "
May
loth.
but not so cold. cutter,
skirting
Red
much
the fashion here."
Fine
and
We the
all
shores
bright,
went away to
the
wind after
caps a
still
strong
breakfast
south-west,
la
in
chiefly
We
rocky, with here and there stretches of sandy beach. landed first at the foot of a range of sombre hills and
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
210 found
and
a
of
full
but not
fish,
went right away
lake near the sea
few
birds.
We
a fine osprey.
round her
on other
T.
birds.
captain
westwards and reports a great
Ruiz took a
few small
The
birds about.
many
the
to
salt
a
some pools of water, shallow,
with
flat
great
side the
on the
stroll
hung about
the
island but very
and shot
hillside
pools and
shot
lunched on the beach and proceeded
rocky point where we disturbed a raven from
a
Landed
nest.
on
a
spot
sand-hilly
with
growth of juniper and lentiscus. Found great T. and Ruiz shot a few birds and I again.
strong
salt
pans saw one
which utterly puzzled me. "
some
Seeing
round
wistfully
of
her.
information
on
nth.
These
them
invited
I
yacht,
and showed them over deal
youths
respectable-looking
the
They
the
gave
zoological
cruising
on
me
board
a
good
capabilities
of
Iviza."
"May martens or
and
animal
other
abundant
them
;
white.
a
the
in
genets
danino
;
boys island,
hares
that
say
no foxes very
scarce
there
are
or
weasels
;
rabbits
many bats of various sizes, some * of They told me that many gulls breed in the great
and Espalmador, and that when they they bolt from the burrows many
islands of Espandelle
go ferreting there birds which they also
'
virots
shearwaters.
These are
caught and eaten by the fishermen in great numbers.
They and
'
call
say that there are a great
in the winter
many
many woodcocks and
partridges in Iviza, snipes.
The
birds
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES they
211
mentioned were hoopoe, bee-eater, quail, coot, heron, flamingo, and peewit. Curiously
specially
landrail,
professed to recognise Dresser's plate of " Chettusia gregaria* and said that it was found here (?) all
enough, they
!
BIRDS OBSERVED IN IVIZA Pandion
Calandrella brachydactyla.
haliaetus.
Falco peregrinus.
Emberiza. miliaria.
F. subbuteo
Passer domesticus.
(?).
F. tinnunculus.
Hirundo
H.
Fringilla Moris. Linota cannabina.
rustica.
'
Carduelis elegans.
urbica.
Cypselus apus.
Turtur
Cotyle riparia.
(Edicnemus
Muscicapa
ALgialitis cantianus.
grisola.
auritus. crepitans.
Phyllopneuste trochilus.
Strepsilas interpres.
Sylvia phragmitis.
Hcematopus ostralegus. Totanus glottis.
Turdus merula.
Totanus
Monticola cyanca. Saxicola tenant he.
Tringa
calidris. (.?).
Pratincola rubicola.
Numenius
Parus
Larus fuscus.
fsp. ?)
(?).
Lanius rufus.
L. leucophceus.
Budytes flavus. Galerida cristata.
Puffimts cinereus.
Upupa
epops.
BARCELONA "
May
morning. *
The
\Afth.
A
nightjar
came
on
board
in
early
Several laughing gulls f in the harbour." Black-bellied Lapwing, an eastern bird.
t L. ridibundus.
So called from
the Brown-headed Gull.
its
call.
It
is
also
known
as
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
2i2
May, 1882
to
February
SEVILLA "
February
ing with him
a
in
two
maturity,
the
grey-lag
ledge all
;
of
last
Noticed trees
"
owing
the
others
know-
his
were destroyed went to the Museo and Casa de Pilatos,
P
to see
old
to me,
who
F. Barlow,
wren (Phylloscopus
willow
quite laid up.
is
trochilus]
Manuel
brought a young imperial eagle alive, was of another species, which only appears
it
Drove out
(in
the winter.
afternoon)
along
Las
Alcata de Guadeira. the
and
Delicias
away back by the Canas de Carmona on
titys,
orange
also
these parts during
" Noticed
in
Plaza under our windows.
in the
Ruticilla
two
he got some three clutches of eggs,
this species
insisting that
"
and
birds nested in
amongst
year,
eagle
of im-
that
says
number of
of which, except that one sent
by mice. and I
in
He
cookt).
which had not done so before to
ibis,
glossy
bring-
imperial
{Anser ferus},
geese
to the abundant rains a great
marisma and cotos
came,
sandy mottled plumage
Spanish magpies (Cyanopica
the
Llanos of the
good specimen
adalberti)
(Aquila
Manuel
Old
$th.
the
road
to
Lovely bright warm day."
following
birds
:
Circus cyaneus,
Pas>er domesticus, Fringilla
Carduelis elegans, Anthus campestris,
ccelebs,
Alauda
Sturnus vulgaris, Turdus musicus, Grus Motadlla alba, Emberiza miliaria"
Hirundo
urbica,
Fringilla serinus,
cristata,
A. arvensis,
cinereus, Pratincola rubicola,
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES "
Left
8//z.
February
train
by
for
213 All
Cadiz.
the
marisma about Las Alcantarillas seems to be perfectly dry." "
O.
Noticed the following fresh birds
tetrax,
:
Milvus
regalis,
Otis
tarda,
Hirundo rustica"
CADIZ "
February L.
fusfus,
Saw
yth.
the following birds (in the harbour)
L.
kucophaus,
Larus
:
canus."
SAN LUCAR DE BARRAMEDA, GUADALQUIVIR loth.
"February
Under
for
sail
Huelva
the
shelter of
under heavy sea, ran Point, got a pilot, and waited till the tide we got over the bar of San Lucar without in
but, finding a
"Birds seen: torda,
Phalacrocorax carbo,
Pttffinus,
river,
Chipiona
served,
and
difficulty."
two species,
A lea
Fratercula arctica."
nth.
"February the tide
made
Menor, about
wigeon (Mareca
the
up
river
just
before
upwards, and with one or two temporary
groundings, anchored the Isla
Started
at
the
6 p.m.
penelope),
some
(Ana s boscas\ geese (Anser
lower end of the Corta,
in
We
saw great numbers of
pintail
(Anas acuta\ mallard
ferns] in great quantities,
some
curlews (Numenius arquatus}, whimbrel (Numenius phceopus\
redshank (Totanus
calidris),
dunlins (Tringa variabilis\ and
other small waders, besides several species recorded before."
LA CORTA, GUADALQUIVIR ''February breeze.
We
iith.
Fine bright day with
moved up
early
to
the upper
north-west end of the
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
2i 4
the
ground several times, but getting off without much difficulty, and anchored about 10.30 a.m. Corta, taking
and Manuel's two sons, Miguel and Francisco, appeared about midday with horses, and said that their Vicente
would be here to-morrow morning. They brought them a very fine disembowelled wild cat (Felis
father
with
which they
catus],
del
We
Rey.
We
list.*
killed
a
time ago
short
in
saw various birds new, to our
Goto
the this
year's
saw many geese, a few bustards and cranes.
de Algaba turned up, and gave a most woeful account of the floods of last spring at his village his Perico
;
house
was
completely
drowned, many of
his vicinos
and many took refuge was destroyed, and the year there
is
in
were the
vines
donkey and
his
destroyed,
in a
and
the
wheat
ruined.
This
All
tower. olives
pig
worse plight,
still
hardly any water in the marisma.
Francisco
went out and brought in a couple of grey lag geese,f which he killed by stalking with the horse. He sat for some time with us in the cabin after dinner, and
some of Dresser's
* "
I
which he gave
plates of ducks, etc., of
Gyps fulvus, Neophron percnopterus,
showed him
Corvus corax,
hiaticula"
t The Grey Lag Goose (Anser ferus) of our domestic goose.
chief originator
which nests
in
Britain
(Scotland).
is
commonly held
It is
Although
it
the is
The name means
lagging-behind goose spring.
would be winter
(Prof. Skeat) the lagging goose,
staying to nest
when other
be the
said to nest very
occasionally in Andalucia, the birds here referred to visitors.
to
only wild goose
i.e.,
the
species leave in the
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES me
the
duck (Erismatura
his
Olalla
We
knowledge.
the
for
year
which
species
time to
first
our plans for an early
laid
about
5
on wild geese,
Intent
"February i^th. rose
this
a
start
to-morrow morning."
after the geese
I
one of
as
white-headed
the
recognised
leucocephala]
Santa
at
appeared
He
names.*
local
215
and
a.m.,
steam
the
in
started
and
I
launch
with the captain and the gente to a spot some two miles
down
the river in the Isla
The
Menor.
de Manuel
hijos
me
and Perico borrowed a big hoe and soon dug hole in the open field, the captain and I themselves as
concealed
and Miguel with the horse and try
they could
best
out a
farther along,
and Francisco went away to stalk to put the geese (of which many hundreds were feeding These ninos went a long in sight of us) over our heads. way, and we waited more or
less patiently for
hours, but the geese passed over
of shot, although they both
and T., quite out
I
One
fired.
or sixteen
settled
not very far behind us, and
of some
flock
bustards passed out
fifteen
great
some three
when
of shot and
the ninos
came
back with one goose we went and took up position along Perico went round to
the bank of the river for them.
put them over, and before they got up some geese came, the
and, passing close to * "A. boscas, 1
1
Ruilla
'
;
A.
Carranaca
tarro.'
"
'
;
f
Pato real '
clypeata,
Tadorna
'
;
bagged two
captain, he
A. acuta,
Sardinero
P.
rabudo '
Q. crecca,
; '
cornuta,
'
'
Ansereta
'
;
A. marmorata,
Sarcereta
'
;
T.
one
at
'
;
Q.
cirtia, '
rutila,
Pato
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
2i 6
The
shot.
had no
and
effect,
a
big
cock bird
and was coming well for
others, fired at
when
quite out
bright
day, with
it
Beautiful
We
arrived. for
bustards gave one of the ninos a shot, which
found
A
all
they
wounded
a
easterly
started again about
but
geese,
I
of shot
passed
one, which
from the
separated ,
but the captain
and turned
it
away.
Old Manuel
wind.
4 p.m. to try flighting high.
The
ninos
brought
on
board
too
they
many griffon vultures about a dead horse Vicente tried to tow it up some way down the river. to give T. some amusement with the vultures, but the alive.
great
ebb tide was too
moored "
for
much and he had
to leave
the beast
to-morrow."
Fresh birds seen
:
Pterodes arenarius, Totanus
glottis."
LA CORTA, GUADALQUIVIR u
February
\^th.
We
started
breeze.
Beautiful in
morning with
the steam
launch
easterly
about 9 a.m.
and went away through the Corta to the Brazo del Este, some way up which I got out and beat part of jhe bank on proper right for snipes, I cruising along in the launch.
up left
to las
We
did not find many.
and took him to
I
bank, whence
look for snipes Alcantarillas.
shooting
at
he
sallied
whatever
a spot
higher up on proper
with Miguel and
Francisco
the wet places in the direction
at I
After a while we picked
cruised offered
was not much, though
backwards itself
we saw
on
and
forwards,
the river,
enormous
of
which
numbers
of
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES and
wigeon I
few mallard and
a
us and
rejoined
About 4.30 p.m.
teal.
he had found very few
said that
but had seen swarms of geese and various duck
snipes,
On
fowl.
we
our way back
some wigeon crippled some small waders. Our
shot
by the shore gunner, and also bag consisted of one goose, caught one
217
teal,
three peewits,
five
one
snipes,
one
alive,
little
wigeon,
stintj
and
some twenty ringed plover, Kentish plover, and dunlins." "
Fresh birds seen
Totanus hypoleucus,
:
Vultur monachus, Chara-
drius pluvialis, sEgialitis cantiana^ Scolopax gallinago, Linota cannabina y
Tringa minuta. "
I
Reported by
riparia,
Anas
beautiful
day.
Hirundo
:
clypeata, Pterocles
alchata."
"
with
sallied
at
attempts
we
and
1
February
la
Most
yh.
about
gente
but
the bustards,
came
home
and
a.m.,
9
entirely
absolutely
and
I
I
had
several
without
success r
We
empty-handed.
noticed in a flock of geese, one very considerably smaller
than
her
{Anser
goose
erythropus\
We
day or two ago.
and,
little
white-fronted
which has occurred
I
think,
more
saw
a
The
come
vultures decline to Fresh birds seen
''February a coldish wind.
:
\6th. I
a
these
in
good number of bustards
than
geese
swarms of wigeon and
"
the
possibly
Vicente reports having seen hoopoes (Upupa epops}
parts.
a
companions,
had
seen
before,,
few black-bellied sand grouse. to our dead horse."
Falco peregrimts,
Another and
we
I
(Edfcnemus crepitans"
beautiful,
bright
day,
went away down the
but
river,,
2i
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
8
but had no chance see
We
many.
mouth of it
on
had
a
we did not
bustards, of which
at the
of
bit
little
about the
sniping
the Brazo del Este and a soft place just below
the
right
bank
of
Isla
We
Mayor.
one
got
golden plover, one peewit, eleven snipes, thirteen dunlins, two ringed-plover, one Kentish plover. A lad from Coria brought
me
a
otter (Lufra
young
vulgar is}
caught
near
We
went
that place, small and very tame."
17 fh.
"February steam
in
away
Very about
launch
day.
8
a.m.
for
del
Este
leaves
Brazo
the spot where the
hot
fine,
la
Campania, the
main
Saw very few snipes, and those few very wild. Some way down the brazo we came to an island covered
river.
with
thick
which we
brambles,
startled
and white
reeds,
birds
many and
I
impenetrable
of
common
out
of
harriers,
heron, and
landed, but found an
Francisco
full
jungle,
marsh
kites,
e.g.,
barn owls, sparrow-hawk, water-hen, wild duck.
poplars,
old
which
nests,
Miguel
declares to be those of the night heron (Nycticorax griseus]
and
purple
down
the
heron
brazo
(Ardea
We
'pur-pur ed}.
and had some tolerable
altogether four mallard, two wigeon, one plover, quail,
peewits,
two marsh
captured regular reed,
two
alive.
bouquet
one
harriers,
On of
water-rail,
and
our
marsh
and bagged two of
*
proceeded
sport,
teal,
three
bagging
four golden
one
snipes,
a water tortoise (Emys, sp.?)
way
home
harriers
them."
out
we of
flushed
some
a
high
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES "
Fresh
seen
birds
Gallinula
bubulcus,
Isla
we have
Mayor, and went away look
to
river
for
snipes
brought
home one
(Limosa
belgica},
western brazo of the
and a
was
last
blackballed
the
a
grouse,
some curlews and redshanks.
many golden
and
altogether,
to
1,
my
down steam
launch
farewell
to
godwit
only fresh
*
species
fair
of
pintailed
We
were unlucky
managed not Sent
chance. the Corta
she
;
the
gente
at
sundown, and rushed
at
to
upper
kill
the
at
huts
sand
five
us
for
la
plover,
shame,
which gave me a to the lower end
bustard
only
saw a good many bustards,
cranes,
great
landed on the
saw very few, but we
;
We
which we met with.
of the
perfect
We
had.
to the
bustard
which
most
the
Perhaps
lovely days that
many
Ardea
ftammea,
Rallus aquaticus"
chloropus,
"February i8M.
Strix
nisus,
Accipiter
:
219
a
yacht the
left
Bade
end.
down
la
Corta with a swinging ebb tide found the vessel right away below the mouth of Brazo del Este, having had a ;
very narrow escape steamer
at
her
from Vicente
:
of being
run
moorings above. " Al cazador lena y
down
Good al
by
a
Spanish
Spanish proverb
lenador caza."
" List of birds observed in Andalucia, February
:
Vultur monachus,
Gyfs fulvus, Neophron percnopterus, Circus ceruginosiis, Circus cyaneus, Buteo vulgaris, Accipiter
nisus, Milvus regalts, Falco peregrtnus, F. tinF. nunculus, cenchris, Strix flammea, Turdus musicus, Ruticilla titys,
*
A
wading bird belonging to the Scolopacidce (sandpiper,
and curlew
family).
-draining of the fens.
It
A
has
snipe,
ceased to breed in England since the winter migrant to Andalucia.
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
220
Pratincola rubicola, Erithacus rubecula, Phylloscopus minor, Ph. trochilns. Cettia
cettii,
Hirundo
Cisticola cursitans,
Chelidon
rustica,
Motadlla
urbica,
alba,
Cotile
M.flava, Anthus pratensisr
Linota cannabina, Emberiza miliaria, Galerita Calandrella pica
(sp.
Ardea
dypeata, A.
cristata,
Alauda
arvensis,
Melanocorypha calandra, Sturnus vulgaris, Cyano-
?),
Corvus corax,
cooki,
cinerea,
Carduelis elegans,
riparia,
Passer domesticus, P. salidcolus, Fringilla Calebs,
Serinus hortulanus,
bubulcus,
A.
crecca,
Upupa
Ciconia
epops,
Mareca
acuta,
Phalacrocorax carbo, Ardea
Anser ferus, Anas
alba,
penelope,
Pterodes
boscas,
A.
arenarius,
Pt. alchata, Coturnix communis, Rallus aquaticus,
Grus dnereus,
Otis
drius pluvialis,
tarda,
O.
tetrax,
^gialitis cantiana, SE. hiaticula,
Scolopax gallinago, Tringa alpina, T.
calidris,
Numenius
glottis,
(sp.
Fratercula
(two
Puffinus
?),
Vanellus cristatii$t
T. minuta, Totanus hypoleucus,
phceopus,
Larus ridibundus, L. canus, L. Lestris
Gallinula chloropus, (Edicnemus crepitans, Chara-
N.
arquatiis,
Sterna
leucophceus, L. fuscus, sp. ?),
Alca
torda,
L.
Lomvia
.
I.
(sp. ?),
marinus^ (sp. ?),
arctica"
SAN LUCAR DE BARRAMEDA "
A
most lovely morning. In the steam launch for San Lucar about 9.45. Very pleasant run read a good deal of Spain and the Spaniards by February
i
yth.
;
Azamat Batuk. and
Saw
sheldrakes
six
plovers
(Squat arola
present
list
Lucar
at
numbers of geese and wigeon^ (Tadorna cornuta\ and two grey vast
helvetica},
both
species
of birds seen in Andalucia.
new
Arrived
to
our
at
San-.
3.25 p.m."
CADIZ TO GIBRALTAR "
Fine bright morning. As it did not so hard we started about 8.20 a.m. for
February l^th.
seem to blow Gibraltar
;
met
a very
heavy sea and fresh breeze outside x
.
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES and ploughed slowly through
off Tarifa,
till
it
221
when Tracey
stood over under the African land and got smooth water
and strong current our
birds fresh to
a
in list
Bonelli's
remained
petrel
as
reported
eagle
We
station.
reports
(Oceanites
two
bulweri}.*
near
sitting
Gibraltar
at
I
gannet (Sula bassana\ and
viz.,
Bulwer's
probably
petrel,
favour.
his
the
signal
the
end of the
visits
from Rafael
till
month."
MALAGA "March Mena, who
that
said
winter for birds of
Mena
with said
Had
nth.
\st to
to
had been an exceptionally bad
it
all
several
made an
sorts.
I
chorro
in
el
search
expedition
of lammergeiers
(Gypaetus barbatus\ but could not find the nesting place
or get a shot at the birds, of which they saw one.
He
brought back one chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus\ of which
saw many, and
they
also
fuha), black chat (Saxicola (Monticola *
The
leucura],
and blue rock-thrush
,
nostrils
This division includes
of the world.
and Peck
made
many and
varied forms, from
the giant Wandering (Albatross (Diomedea exulans) to the Petrel fall
The
(Procellaria pelagica).
into
this weird,
touch land but of wandering
at
the
restless
nesting
waters
Bosphorus; yelkouan glacialis)
of
the
several
belong to a large division of birds distinguished (Tutbinares\ which frequent every sea and ocean
petrels
by tubular
golden eagle (Aquila
I
T.,
cyanus}.
reported
of
Arctic
impressed every voyager
little
Storm
shearwaters, as before said, also
group of birds.
Some
of
them never
time; and they have the general habit like lost spirits. Ames damnees of the
the to
Arab,
those of
in the
from
the
Fulmar
the Southern
same way.
seas
(Fulmarus they have
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
222
headed (Larus
sandwich
(L. fuscus\
Mediterranean
small
(Podiceps sp.
brought
in
a
present
skua
Richardson's
brown
uniform of
a
and
great
and
kuhli
(Puffinus
herons (Ardea cinerea}, two grebes
one specimen of skua
nearly
the
sp. ?),
gulls
one diver
cantiaca\
and an osprey (Pandion
?),
undoubtedly the
shearwaters
common
yelkouan},
(Sterna
brown-
torda\
black-backed
lesser
skuas (Lestris
several
(Colymbus^
terns
(Ale a
bills
a~nd
ridibundus]
found numbers of
and
bay
(Oidemia nigra], razor
scoters
!P.
the
in
expeditions
boating
alive,
(Lestris
is,
I
They think,
richardsoni\
in
Mena made me
plumage.
hemipode
haliaetus').
which
(Turnix}
which seems
alive,
well used to a cage."
"March
We
\ith.
the skua out for a walk and
let
wash on deck." "
March
called,
i^th.
bringing
that
all
told
me
(Cypselus
Fine, but the
this
apus)
and
is
He
in,
and
tiles
the
also told
March
1
6th.
me
came aboard
in
to their nests,
latter
that
on I3th
We
Mena
remarkable
Mena common
by their the former
swifts (C. pallidus\
pallid
AT
hoopoe
It
that he could always distinguish between
species this year
"
easterly.
those of the smaller species are females.
straight
entrance.
still
the shearwaters' skins.
manner of going under the flying
wind
always pausing at
he had seen the
first
the
of
inst."
SEA
left
Malaga
the
morning.
about
We
8
a.m.
saw
A
many
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
223
lesser
black-backed gulls, shearwaters, some porpoises, and
near
Adra
of cranes
a flight
making the Spanish
coast
from the southward."
VALENCIA
"March is
melanopogon
more
not
Arevalo
uncommon of
in colour as those
me
told
that
Sylvia
was formerly much
here, but
so (sic) near Malaga, and
much
as
Senor
list.
that
its
Cisticcla.
eggs vary quite
He
also told
me
of the occurrence on the Albufera of the African pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus\ and of a specimen of Chelidon, which
they cannot determine." "
with a
March 22nd.
Don Manuel
me
time.
for
some
says
that
came and
been
has
this
sat
wonderfully good season for wild-fowl on the Albufera
asked
he
village at
next
T. to
He
tells
requires
"
him
Don
March the
Jose
the
of a bird three times the size
;
now
!
!
and about
to be seen
must
this
five feet
high
!
!
!
stuffed at the Casino
surely
be
a
myth,
but
investigation."
Don
i^th.
unknown
nothing but a
see,
me
entirely white
!
Cazadores
los
out
go
shot near here, and
de
;
and join him at the fishing the Albufera to-morrow evening, to shoot the
day.
of a swan
in
He
Cabelle
stayed
shape
Jose
Chelidon,
which
common house some
of a
time,
Arevalo, is,
with
bringing as
far
as
I
can
martin (Chelidon urbica}.
and gave
me
sketch of the head of a
a
memento
pallid swift
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
22 4
T. came back about 6.15 p.m., with
(Cypselus -pallidus],
Don M. fowl,
Albufera
the
at
year,
shovelers,
pochard,
and
wounded
in
a
after
Cabelle,
fair
garganeys,
a
the
wigeon,
pintail,
common
adult
fine
very
back
brought
they
;
of
time
the
for
day,
thirty-four
and
teal,
heron,
alive,
wing."
MINORCA "
March
decided on going into Port
I
rest,
Being Sunday, and
26th.
the
in
Noticed
a
harbour,
great
(Phalacrocorax
number
the entrance of the the
gulls
here
(Larus
gull
an
graculus\
another bird of prey
of
harbour.
appear to
leucoph<eus}.
be I
p.m.
and, running ;
not another
under
repair.
some
shearwaters,
shags
many gulls, and common buzzard) about
osprey,
think a
(I
i
steamer
a
except
of us wanting
Mahon,
up, anchored before the town about ship
all
It
the
do
remarkable
is
that
all
Mediterranean herring not
see
either
black-
backed or laughing gull." *
PORT MAHON " March $oth.
Saw
several
common
kites.
We
found
a heavyish sea outside, but very light breeze from south-
west I
steamed along, rolling gaily. ever saw before together. Saw ;
arcticd]
lovely
alone sunset
More a
shearwaters than
puffin
(Fratercula
some miles out from Port Mahon. and
fine
moonlight night."
Most
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES AT "
March
Saw
^\st.
of
melanocephalus}
robins (Erithacus
the
nearest
through the rounded the "
came on board.
no sign of
we
ran
6
at
;
with
the
p.m.
Very
we
tired
12
a.m.
were off
of
Strait
on the
light
and
Bonifacio,
At about
island
We
about
fast
midnight
8.30 a.m. the captain reported
of ripples
faintest
ran
of Razzoli."
coast of Corsica
the
the
light westerly breeze.
a breeze, so I ordered steam for
along
three
At
lovely moonlight night.
;
\st.
April
or
miles from Cape Caccia, in Sardinia,
Asinara
porpoises
Two
cruise.
lighthouse at the latter spot.
Many
black-headed gull (Larus
Very soon afterwards we made Cape
land.
and
Argentiera
first
rubeculd]
we were twenty-six
SEA
the
this
225
;
a
10 a.m., and
lovely
morning,
from the south."
SPEZIA "
April
Drove
^rd.
in
afternoon
to
Porto Venese
very pretty views over the bay, but country
by the masses of noticed
few
gulls.
We
great
torrent
titmouse,
went afterwards
of the Magra, over river
Birds exceedingly scarce
olives.
chaffinch,
bed,
a
low
with
picturesque villages
crested
swallow, house martin."
hills
lark,
kestrel,
;
spoiled I
only
besides
a
for a drive to the valley
the north-east, a wild
little
very
and saw
and
To
col.
perched on
sparrow,
much
;
water
in
it
round about.
cirl
bunting,
now
;
Heard
blackbird,
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
226 "
An
April 7th. into
of black-headed
flock
a
in a sort of coracle shot
old fellow
and
gulls,
them, which he brought on board
me
he
that
small
fishes
from
shot
la
alive.
Great
passione.
round the vessel
playing
bagged two of He informed of
shoals
dark."
after
LEGHORN "April
outer
the
in
of war moored inner
the
at
"April
The
line
i$th.
We
got leave to go into
and found the R. Y.
and
Many I
S.
town
rather
a
gulls in outer harbour."
took
runs through
the
but
squares,
large
Golden
s.s.
ashore and drove about
streets
melancholy place.
Leghorn and anchored Three United States men into
mole.
the
Went
wide
clean,
beat
harbour.
harbour,
there.
Eagle
We
\Afth.
train
the
for
forest
with
Pisa
10.42 a.m.
at
of Tombolo, oaks,
ilex,
pines, gamey-looking locality under-covert of brambles, thorn, heather,
a
very
and thick
fern, with
great
of fine-looking snipe ground in the open spots. Saw a troop of camels, but nothing in the way of birds, stretches
except
kestrel,
warbler, and
magpie,
common
skylark,
crested
Arrived
heron.
at
Pisa
a.m. and went straight to the Natural History
which a
is
chiefly rich
in
fossils
fan tail
lark,
and minerals
;
at
Museum, they have
good great auk (Aha impennis\ and apparently a
collection of local birds, but
the others, and
some
11.9
fair
they are not kept apart from
are without labels, others placed so
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES There
high as not to be distinguishable. well stuffed
head
groups
shoulder
his
in
starlings (Pastor roseus]
on
a
pendulinus]
with
some very
and two dogs, a party of rose and golden orioles (Oriolus galbula)
and
tree,
cherry
are
wild boar with a lance-
a fine
viz.,
227
nests.
titmice
penduline then went
I
(Mgithalus
bookseller's
to
to
and find Salvadori's Italian Ornithology, which was not to be had. I saw the first number of Giglioli's book on try
Italian Birds, something in the style of Bettoni. a
I
bought
good copy of Aldrovardi's Birds for 7 francs 50 cents."
ELBA "
i
April
We
gth.
went
eastern end of Elba, but so
it
into
Porto Longone,
looked anything but aviferous,
we went round Capes Fina and
ever,
Piombino channel, was coming down steam off the high hills, and though parts of the very
for
good
the island
is
there
is
a
one of which
some
scattered
good
we
least
well cultivated, and
the outline of the hills
is
anchored. are
A
natives,
the place
is
it.
full
work
On
would the east
of iron mines ;
and some
;
on the south fine bays,
in
gentleman's house
and
head of
this
at
placed
bay, with a sandy beach and vines
The name of
of
very picturesque
deal of cliff
cottages
boat
pigeons,
have been unpleasant to say the
side
apparently
the
in
coast looked
side
We, how-
Calamita.
found that the wind, which had been
dying away like
the
at
;
the
high land
Acona on
the
all
charts.
two of them exceedingly handsome young
around.
Some fellows,
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
228
came
and said that there was nothing to be procured here except wine no fish, no vegetables. to us in a boat,
oft
;
There
are,
they say,
wind dropped "
April
some pigeons about the
at
night."
loth.
We
went away
in
The
rocks.
the
cutter
after
breakfast and cruised along the rocks to the westward as
doves (Columba very wild. boat
to
I
but not in
livia},
got two, but only by lying up and sending
them
stir
Campo. Saw rock any great numbers and
point of the bay of
far as the eastern
up.
Ran
across
the
bay of Campo,
where we took boat and went to the westward, but only Beautiful saw two rock doves, of which we got one. distant
view of Corsica, with a great deal of snow on the
high tops
;
Fianosa, low as
it
is,
distinctly
We
visible.
came back and explored the southern point and eastern side of the promontory which separates the bays of Acona and
Saw more rock doves, but they were very The and we only managed to bag one more.
Stella.
wild,
rocks of black
this
promontory
and yellow.
anchorage of
(Written
last
to
stratification,
and
of the colours
red, green,
We
came round and took up -our night in the bay of Acona." " The rocks of
later.)
Elba present
are
the
unlearned
apparently
this
every
southern side ot
variety
geological
of colour,
formation
;
in
places they are certainly limestone, in others red
and some
black conglomerate, with here and there blocks
of black
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES marble with white
there
whilst
veins,
229
are
of
patches
bright green and brilliant yellow sandstone in some spots. " The absence of sea birds is very remarkable.
We
only saw a
nest
four
what
in
When
I
the
shot
be
to
appears
on the eastern
spot
The
and two shags.
gulls
a
ravens have accessible
tolerably
side
of the promontory mentioned.
first
two
rock doves,
of
several
the air were caught and carried
their feathers floating in
by the crag martins which are very numerous.
off
"
The
" Birds (sp. ?),
doctor reports two pair of partridges (Caccabis
seen
:
Corvus corax, Cotile
Columba
tivia,
Falco
Neophron percnopterus,
Fako
tinnunculus^
Monticola cyanus, Chelidon urbica,
rupestrts,
Larus kucophceus, Phalacrocorax graculus"
"April 21 st. Another lovely day. The doctor landed with gun and Zulu at the head of the bay on east side, and T. and side of
very
I
went away
wild,
siege of the ravens' it
We
our promontory.
and we
the
in
did nest,
round the
cutter
saw few pigeons
not bag
one.
We
but the
cliff
was so
;
east
they were
attempted
friable that
was a service of danger, and we had to abandon
The
Steered
(Sterna fluviatilis). full
of iron, worked in
off to
many
cutter again to the south-east
but
We
yacht came round to us.
falcon,
no
gulls,
the
:
splendid
no
far
out
shags,
common
eastward
We
places.
we only saw two pigeons
peregrine
saw a
;
it.
tern coast
went away
cliffs full
in
of caves,
of shot
no
a
seals.
;
saw
a
Came
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
230
round and anchored with high
and
hills
good deal of
a
MONTE "
Steered north.
for
Monte
The
eastern
cultivation."
CRISTO AND GIGLIO
Most
iznd.
April
Porto Longone, a pretty harbour,
in
beautiful
with a
Cristo
of
side
this
cloudless air
light
island
morning.
from
side,
steamed slowly along near the western end of which is a
cove and valley, with
few houses and an old ruined
a
convent on a peak above them tion,
vineyards,
cutter
many
and
figs,
;
ilexes.
a
good deal of cultivaWe went away in the
and explored the whole of the western
not
did
a
see
rock
but
side,
We
found a good apparently breeding on a bit of table
single
herring gulls,
there,
W
and one or two watercourses. northern
mass
a sloping
is
of grey rock, with patches of green scrub here and
the
the
land at the top of the
pigeon.
cliffs,
two or three
shags,
and two
which evidently had nests in the crags, which are very high and full of most suitable ledges and We came off" to the yacht about i p.m., and holes. pairs of peregrines
*
steamed slowly along the is
extremely picturesque.
south
We
side
;
the
made away
whole island
from
for Giglio
the south-east end.
" the
Giglio on
greater
terraced
An
part
with
ancient
south-west
the west side
high and rocky, but for
sloping to the sea,
vineyards
village
point
is
is
lies
and
dotted
on the
top
every
with
of the
low, with a lighthouse,
available spot
white ridge
cabins. ;
the
on rounding
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES we went away
which
the
in
whole of the southern side of the of
We
crannies.
doves,
moderate
of
cliffs
and
found
island,
with
(not
of them
four
shot
height several
and
cutter
231
which
small
a
great
and a
the
explored
formed
is
caves
and
many) rock
green
sandpiper
(Tot anus ochropus\ which seemed quite out of his locality amongst these rocks. A pair of peregrines had a nest, which we could see in a hole of the cliff, not far from
the
Saw
lighthouse.
melba\
kestrels,
falcons
seem
We
a
pair
of Alpine
swifts
(Cypselus
and one or two blue rock-thrushes.
The
Mediterranean
race.
of
be
to
the
small
steamed across and anchored off Port Ercole on the
We
mainland. hypoleucus]
saw
also
a
common
sandpiper
(Tot anus
on Giglio."
PORT ERCOLE
We
"April iyd.
caught a small
the
Scomber family, but with
the
first
caudal
on
sharply armed, a short
fin
above
either side
very
large,
colour
three
light
of the
posterior
somewhat
green
anal
on
back
half of the
long with
about seven inches in total length. this
or ventral
prickly dorsal and
in
specimen
in
a small
bay
body.
proportion,
darker Tail
markings, under parts silvery white.
compare with
apparently of fins,
long
very forked, and a row of prickles
tail
snout
fish,
Can
Eye bony,
mackerel-like fine,
yellow,
find nothing
Couch's Fishes
to
of Great
Britain.
" Port Ercole
is
at
the
southern foot of
2
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
32
Mount Argentaro on
situated
;
west
its
small
a
town
walled a
side,
conical
and with
hill
are
fort fort
on
the other, and a small marina at the north-east end of the
Peck and T. went
bay.
well-cultivated,
ashore,
English-looking
and
describe
country, with
a
pretty,
good road
hedgerows of whitethorn, brambles, etc., and a profusion of wild flowers, of which they brought off a good many."
GlANNUTRI "
April
Very
24-th.
fine
to Giannutri, about eleven miles, let 9 a.m. in the
northerly,
westerly, close
the
to
limestone
much
or
for
the most
eastern
water-fretted,
go our anchor about
winds
southerly
The
the
steamed over
gulf of Palmatoja, a snug harbour in
shore.
hills,
On
scrub.
little
We
morning.
red,
island
side
of undulating
consists
with
part overgrown
the sea
grey,
thick
are low, very
cliffs
and
fathoms
fifteen
;
was
There
black.
such a very heavy swell that we could not do any good
with the
boats
landed,
but
warned
off
on western
shot
by
nothing
lighthouse
T., Peck, and captain
side.
and
saw
people,
very
who
A
subalpina] picked up on deck dead. " The off a fishermen brought
(Phycis
blennoides],
another
fish
greater
which
I
the
preserved for
warbler
sub-alpine
were
;
that
said
northern half of the island was rented and
shooting by some Livornese. " fine of specimen
little
(Sylvia
forkbeard
take
to
be
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
233
Pagellus erythrinus, some small mur<en<e (Mur<ena Helena]
and
curious
a
on
Later
of
fish
basket
a
brought
they
the
apparently
full
Cottus
amongst which the most conspicuous were some coloured
wrass
little
(Coris
a
on many
to
allied
nearly
some
and
us,
These fishermen spoke
found very
take
I
fishes,
brilliantly
the
rainbow
species.
Many
be
of various species of the Labrus family to
brought
fishes. I
or
julus\
small specimens
were
which
fishes,
family*
of small
and
other
a Neapolitan jargon,
which
blennies
to understand, but they lied freely
difficult
subjects.
They had
gulls are
breeding
few fragments of pink
a
coral.
"
The
The
eggs in the evening. (Zoo t oca mura/is,
I
the
;
off nine
doctor caught two small lizards
The
think).
there are no rock doves
on the
were many wild boars,
now
wi]d
men brought
lighthouse island, that
men
said that
formerly there
and many
plenty of rabbits
and that red-legged and grey partridges come the winter that there are two pairs of ravens,
cats,
here in
and
!
that
There
the
!
lessee
has
turned
down some
pheasants.
no fresh water, except in tanks, on the The men set a trot, and caught some small conger was carried off by some "
island.
is
Birds
seen
:
fish
Falco peregrinus,
from the of
;
a line
vessel's side."
which T. shot
a
fine
adult
female as she was feeding on a rock on north side. We also saw the male bird. Upupa epops, Phcenicura ruticilla, Sylvia melanocephala, Cypselus melba, C. opus,
Larus
Cuculus canorus, Totanus hypoleucus, cannabina, and other
hucophaus, Turtur communis, Linota small birds not distinguished."
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
2J4
GlGLIO "
Fine, bright morning, but a heavy south-
April i$th. swell
westerly
prevented
side
of the
men
got some more
island
going round
the
to see
the
to
west
The
and grottoes.
caves
eggs, and caught
gulls'
mentioned
fishes before
our
some of the
The
in the trammel.
the doctor landed and walked about the
captain and
southern
end of
the island, but shot nothing, and only reported a solitary
saw
and
T.
quail.
I
loafed
about the
Went
a beautiful female peregrine.
the
bay in
cutter
;
aboard again to
luncheon, got up steam, and ran over to the
little
port
of Giglio, a nook under high hills, where we fondly dreamed that, with this westerly swell, we might lie but the swell came in from the south-east, and snugly ;
we had
a
port officer
Smart young reports no birds of any kind except on passage, very roily evening and
night.
but the boys in boats say that there are in
the
cliffs
many rock doves know more than the
and probably
close by,
official."
SAN STEFANO "
Ran
April ibth.
across
to
San
Stefano, where
found an excellent harbour on the north Argentario.
There
is
very
the Sailing Directions, but
with southerly winds.
little
side
said about this
we could not have
The town
of
lies
on
a
we
Mount place
in
a better place little
bay on
a slope of the mountain, with a good deal of cultivation
about
it,
and
iron
mines
and
foundries
not
far
off.
GREENLAND FALCON.
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES There
a
is
sword
thynnus] and
a
we went
off
in
get into
Lake
mullet traps
;
took three large
they
fish
we
so
tunnies
In
(Xiphias).
steam launch with
Orbitello,
town
;
once with no result, but
net
their
haul
subsequent
in front of the
tunny fishery just
saw them haul
235
a
in
a
(Scomber afternoon
the
a view of trying to
but the entrance
coasted for
we
little
barred with
is
way along
the
which separates the lake from the bay, and then away as far as the heavy sea would let us towards sandy
strip
the west under high
"
cliffs."
Bright morning, but the glass very low
April i^th.
and stormy, squally wind from south-west, with sea
heavy species
outside.
running
scudding about the
larger sort
T.
May
three
of the
from on deck."
MADDALENA
STRAITS OF BONIFACIO. "
shot
very
of both
shearwaters
Many bay.
a
i st.
We
crept round
Razzoli with
its
light-
house, past Santa Maria, Budella, Spargio, Spargiotto, into
Maddalena i
roads
the
oft
town,
and
anchored
about
These islands are very rocky and barren-looking, We saw the Sardinian coast is green and wild.
p.m.
but
Garibaldi's
house
on
prevented any sort of pleasure.
seems clean and
The
Caprera.
well-built.
I
I
say
extraction.
that
they
are
all
wind
went to the town, which
find that the people decline
to be considered as Sardes, but call themselves
and
east
strong
of
Genoese
or
'
islanders,'
Corsican
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
236 "
A
few swallows
Peck reported
I
the
my
harrier
us
of
birds except kestrel, one shag,
One
shearwaters, and two terns.
to recognise
A
vessel.
think) was nearly blown foul
Saw no other
off Razzoli.
came on board-
rustica]
a quail flying past
(Circus cineraceuS)
gulls,
(Hirundo
seems
old native
description of Audouin's gull."
MADDALENA ''May the cafe,
Received a note from the
ind.
and with
whom
had
I
man who keeps he
a talk yesterday, that
had found an individual who knew the places for various birds and the soundings, so we fetched off this Trojan, an old shipwright,
and went
some small rocky islands Maddalena from Caprera,
in
the channel
in
front
day came out
the
enjoyable.
We
fine
held away round
San Stefano and
fine "
the
rather
mainland
and elsewhere.
of
to
it
the
to
did not do
the
was
much, very
south-west end of
call
Came back through
next to nothing.
launch
which divides
and hot, and
Caprera to a small island which they
Parao, Sapari,
and
We
north-west of Garibaldi's house.
but
steam
in
away
Porco, but found
the channel between fe
Sardinia
;
called
Heaps of
charcoal
peregrmus,
Nisaetus
and
at a
spring of water." Birds
Pandion
seen
and
heard
Corvus
:
Falco
bonelli,
Merops apiaster, Sylvia melanocephala, Troglodytes parvulus, Columba livia, Caccabis petrosa, Larus Our old Trojan leucophtzus, Phalacrocorax graculus, Sterna fluviatilis. seemed to know Audouin's gull by my description, and called it. '
Cirulia.'
haliaetus,
"
corax,
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
237
"
Maddalena, Caprera, and the little islands which lie between and about them, seem to be entirely composed of granite, and to produce very little natural vegetation except macchia,
low scrub.
i.e.
I
think that the islands visited by
us had been harried before, as
we only found two
herring gull with hard-sat eggs, and on Porco
We
water's nests were empty.
and
two of
nests
their
found
the shear-
few rock pigeons
a
On
coming on mate, had killed
without eggs.
board we found that Goodridge, the
all
nests of
first
a fine Audouin's gull from the yacht's deck with a ball at three is
the
'
hundred yards on the wing '
cirulia
who
of our Trojan,
fellow and seems to
the truth.
tell
is
!
rifle
and that
!
this
a very decent old
The shag
is
abundant,
and we shot several without any sign of a crest, and saw two white-bellied young birds which almost looked like products of this year.
The
osprey seems to be common,
and terns very few. Our Trojan that Porco and some of the other small islands are
gulls not very abundant, said
so
infested with
that
it
forests
is
enormous
rats,
unsafe to sleep there
in the north
!
!
which he !
I
am
calls
'
pontici,'
told that
all
the
of Sardinia have been, or are being,
destroyed for charcoal, and that from that cause and the
number of
professional pot-hunters,
game both small and large "
May yd.
I
is
who come from
becoming
was called on deck by news of a
billed gull' just before breakfast,
hovering under our
stern,
and found a
but having
Italy,
very scarce."
large
fine
'
red-
Audouin
shot in
the
MEblTERRANEAN NOTES
238
gun and the bird being near
small or
at
all
events,
came
fishermen a
hound
nurse
not
(Squalus
We
of the
cliff
canicula),
a siege.
and
as
us and
we
make
found a falcon's
nest,
a
managed to miss, Some Neapolitan enormous
of
the
and some
fine
large
out,
skate,
fish
with young, in a hole
near the south-west point of Maddalena,
saw one old and the young for
an
with
cannot
I
him.
bag
alongside,
shark family, which lobsters.
to
I
birds,
Several rock doves,
and
but had not the means
of which T. shot
one,
lay ofF the rocks an Audouin's gull hovered over
fell
to T.'s gun.
We
saw another of these
distance, an osprey devouring a fish a Bonelli's eagle high in air,
and
on
a big
boulder stone, After
a blue rock-thrush.
we came aboard another Audouin
fell
to T.'s
at a
gun over the
All these three specimens, although apparently in
stern.
plumage, are somewhat smaller than those from Toro and Alboran, and the legs and feet are of a dusky fully adult
green instead of dark lead colour, as in the former They are by no means abundant, but seem to specimens. olive
be
much "
We
wary here than the herring gull. went away to the falcon's nest mentioned Jess
before,
and then cruised off round a point on the mainland into the bay of
Trana and back
on eastern side of
this
lands from Maddalena
again, lunched in a
point,
little
cove
where the telegraphic cable
went away to a sandy beach at the head of Agincourt road, shoved the dinghy over the beach into a small river and proceeded as far as we could get
up
it,
;
but were soon stopped by shallow water.
This
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES is
spot
known
as
Mezzo
The banks of
Sciffo.
with spike rushes,
are fringed
green scrub, and altogether
tamarisks,
it
239 the stream
flags, reeds,
and
looks likely for wild-fowl,
woodcock or two, and perhaps a pig but it is crossed at a short distance from the sea by a bridge and
snipes, a
;
carriageable road to
"
May
Tempio."
The
4//z.
was
nest
falcon's
got
easily
at
by our trusty climber going hand over hand up a rope lowered from above. It contained two fine young birds, male
and
which
female,
Found very few rock Audouins
we took
and
on
sent
doves, and only shot two
board.
saw two
bay of Trana, but could not bag them. ScifFo T. shot a purple heron, which looks
in the
At Mezzo
like a bird of last year."
"The Emberiza
birds
new
miliaria,
to our
Maddalena
Turdus merula,
list
were:
Linota
Circus aruginosus
cannabina,
Anas
boscas,
Ardea ptirpurea, and Gallinula chloropus"
" the
May
Saw
$th.
several
One Audouin's
town.
from which
island
the
Alpine swifts hawking over gull
goatherds
seen
off
San Stefano,
brought off a nest of
blue rock-thrush with five eggs in the evening. " " The falcons feed themselves young ravenously 11
May
After luncheon, Peck, the captain, and
6th.
went away
in
steam launch with
coast of Caprera, to
know
where the
every hole
the
old Trojan to the
latter tried for conger,
amongst
the
I
stones.
He
seeming threw in
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
2 4o
some very fragrant little fishes down a strong line and hook was
It
perch.
"The
San
Stefano
"
M.
new
to
May
a
small
sea
Sterna
two very
off
another
fine
very
Buteo
cantiaca^
and heard Emberiza cirlus"
shot on San Stefano
list,
Melizophilus undatus, T. shot another Audouin from deck."
sardus, Muscicapa luctuosa.
"
Saw
deck.
let
successful.
brought
shot
Tracey
Fringilla carduelis,
Birds,
with
baited
shepherds
and
ground-bait,
amusing but not
very
young rock doves. Audouin from on vulgaris,
as
:
Tracey shot another beautiful Audouin,
%th.
?
,
from deck." "
May nth.
We
north-east. Barretini
Very fine and warm; light went away with steam launch
islands,
way, without great " Boys brought
small
several
exploring
from
air
islets
for
the
on
our
result.
me
We
a
with
nest
found
four
blue
young
good many rock doves, and took eight of their eggs from a small islet off of Maddalena, where common swifts the west side rock-thrushes.
were
also
species
breeding,
was
found
but
a
the
only
On
empty.
several gulls' nests, with young,
Peck
off
brought
as
leucophtfus, but,
day,
I
Barretini
feel
very
island,
herring gulls,
an
we
egg,
did
doubtful
which
is
another
this
last
we found
islet
and eggs ready to hatch. small
remarbably
not see a
about high,
some rock doves,
of
nest
single
it.
were
and
a
for
Audouin
On
the
a
great
raven,
L. all
nearest
but
many the
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
have been harried, and, as a party of Neapolitan
gulls' nests
were
fishermen I
at
did not think has
islet
"
its
May
the
T.
shot
the
island
but
nothing new shot
bee-eater,* believe
lay
from
their
of
a
or
fine
raven on
three
ospreys,
;
viridoflavus.
Peck caught
On
two
one or
Explored
result.
of shearwater, empty
fancy that they
I
shot
two
saw
manners, and the
list, except grey crow (Corvus of the bay of Arraguena saw
terns.
without C.
coast
our
to
head
at
T.
yet.
We
Capucini.
many common I
but
ovaries being very small,
have not begun to
cornix\
an Audouin off the
saw two or three more of these birds off
of Sardinia, the
in
same game on the outer island, worth while going to it. Almost every the
or more, of blue rock-thrushes."
12th.
coast
eggs
it
pair,
We
Caprera.
241
a
nests
small
snake,
Porco we found the nests
some evidently destroyed by
;
of
rats."
SPARGI AND SPARGIOTTO "
May
side
eastern
low,
broken
there
patches
ten or * is
as
of
Spargi
and
cliff
of
and Spargiotto. The the sea, and ends on
Explored Spargi
i^th.
slopes
to
boulder
white ,sandy
with
stones,
beach.
We
here
found
and
some
twelve pairs of Audouin's gulls on one of these
The
Bee-eater (Merops apiaster).
This
brilliantly
plumaged bird
familiar to those acquainted with the countries of the Mediterranean, it
flies
about the gardens and
fashion of the swallow.
It
fields
hawking
for flies,
after the
nests colonially, excavating burrows like
those of the Sand Martin (Cotile riparia).
16
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
242
and T. shot three of them, and might have shot more, but I do not wish to exterminate them ; on being disturbed they flew a short distance, and settled on the spots,
water in
a
body.
which
cry,
is
heard for the
of
note
anger
more
hoarse, and
not so
time here their
first
the
like
something
but
leucoph<us,
I
L.
Our
plaintive.
Trojan and others landed and searched for eggs^ but, although they found a few nests, one broken egg-
old
was
shell
the
northern
and
We
result.
only western
of
sides
cruised
round
which
Spargi,
the for
are
most part high and rocky saw a good many rock We went off to Spargiotto, doves, of which T. shot one.
the
a
;
small
confusion
;
falcon's
in
high
shags,
mile
blocks
the
to
a
of ravens,
pair
west
of granite
were many rock
here
;
buzzards and
a
a
of immense
consisting
anything
about
island
in
doves
but
we
apparently almost
had an
cliff;
ineffectual
which could not
fly
;
Spargi,
the
wildest
and
common
could not
returned to western side of Spargi. nest in an
of
bag
Discovered
inaccessible
chase after two
hole
young
went back round northern
end of Spargi lunched in a cove where there is sdme fresh water ; saw a raven pursued by two kestrels, and two We found or three ospreys, one of which carried a fish. ;
the
A
Audouins
the
same
spot,
and T. shot one more.
further search only resulted in a few broken fragments
of egg-shells as
at
the
;
the nests are
eggs are
which there
is
laid,
a herd
either
evidently plundered as fast
by
rats,
on the island."
ravens,
or
pigs,
of
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
243
MADDALENA "
May
1
T.,
5//z.
and
Peck,
went
captain
off
to
Spargi for Audouin's eggs, but only found a few broken egg-shells, the ravens having been beforehand with them.
We
went
luncheon to the islands between Madda-
after
lena and Caprera
The
fish.
large
Sardinian
;
warbler
saw nothing except an osprey carrying old Trojan shot another specimen of
some
;
Neapolitans
brought
a
fine
specimen of dusky perch (Serranus gigas} 22 Ibs. from Tavolara. Boy brought Passer
salicicolus
Trojan and captain brought two
with eggs
alive.
and
several
birds
{Alauda arborea] "
May
also
woodlark
to
Saw
several vultures (V. monachus and
The western
the
sardus*
new
i6th.
G. fuhus").
round
Melizophilus
nests
weighing
list."
captain
and
the
Trojan went
old
end of San Stefano
to
inspect
the
bones of a whale which was cast ashore on the northern side of
Maddalena and towed
brought off the "
to this
spot.
Secured and
two jaw-bones."
The
went off before daylight to the haunts of Audouin on Spargi, but found nothing but
May
broken
i
*]th.
captain
egg-shells.
monster; nothing now
left
The whale
must have been a
but bone.
Trojan shot several
MeHzophilus sardus and caught a young one *
La Marmora's Warbler.
See
p.
253.
alive,
well
2 44
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
feathered.
Fishermen
two
brought
and
Ibs.
1 1
bass,
Ibs."
6J
WEST COAST "
May
and
sea
1
We
8M.
breeze
fresh
rounded Maddalena, found heavy held
;
passed close to Bonifacio
of Corsica into a calm.
Corsica
but
about
thereof in
not
did
straits,
and crept along the western side Ran into the bay of Sagona and the
at
head on north-east This
fathoms.
eight
my
please
the
away through
anchored in a sheltered nook corner
SAGONA
OF CORSICA.
eye
so
much
the
as
of
coast
other,
it is full of bays, and clouds hid the mountain tops. " Saw a flock of white birds flying along the coast,
which "
I
believe to be
May
1
several times
A
9/A.
and
Ardea gar-zetta" tired
turtle-dove
tried to alight
round
flew
us
on our rigging."
NICE "
had many night herons (Nycticorax griseus), purple heron (Ardea purpurea), one little bittern (Ardetta minuta), one red-footed falcon (Falco
May
vespertinus\
whiskered
a
good
here
;
several
tern
He
Nice.
Louis Galle
12nd.
grey shrike
(Hydrochelidon
told
specimen he
lesser
me of
had various
beautiful specimen
alive
fissifes],
that
last
the
Caspian
reptiles,
(Lanius
killed
lately
spring tern
he
near
had obtained
(Sterna
of which
minor],
I
of Coronella girundica.
cas-pia]
bought
He
a
had
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES also I
Ctflopelth lacertina,
found that our
me
Lacerta ocellata, and L. viridis. eats
turtle
had
Galle
that
a
245
fish
pure
readily,
which reminds
turtle-dove
white
(Turtur
***** a
communis\
which
variety
I
do not
have
to
recollect
met with."
before
Lord
maintained
Lilford
to
the
devoted
a
last
attachment to that land of his old delight, Spain, whose
You could tongue he spoke like a pure-bred Castilian. touch him to enthusiasm in a moment by any reference to The
experience in his magic region of Andalucia. father
had early 'entered'
was to him personality.
we
had
less
it
chanced that years
possible
the
meant
long search,
a
counterpart
of the same form the
shops, to
place
to
ourselves
set
still
full-sized
find
of
because,
old
a
that
ago
At
Andalucia near
as
Don
the
wore.
miniature
although
brass
in
helmet
as signs
hang
copies in crockery.
in the purlieus
who
Quixote,
hero of the imagination than a living
a
So
Don
his sons to
editor's
as It
basins
outside the barbers'
basins last
have long given in
a rubbish
shop
of Granada the veritable thing was found
one of old red brass that took a polish like gold, and
was
all
dinted over as though
of the poor
mad
from the many encounters
knight.
was a great delight to be able to send^ one who, on his travels, had been wont to keep It
of the great book
in
his
pocket, and
so to say, in the original text.
knew
it
by
this
a
to
copy heart,
MEDITERRANEAN NOTES
246
"June " de
I
delayed
a
reply
to
yours
of
Mambrino should appear, and now
5th
%tk,
till
1895.
the
Jelmo
fear
that
this
morning
sin
obliged for this recuerdo
de
I
you are
off to Sweden.
"The
celebrated head-piece
novedad^ and
I
am
sincerely
arrived
Espana, Cervantes, our Don, and
of days gone by."
many happy
associations
CHAPTER Tributes
VII
Knowledge, Kindness, and
to
Sympathies His own
written words perhaps bring out
more
faithfully
man
than any outside tribute could, what manner of
this
naturalist was.
And
yet there are claims, the claim
of long acquaint-
ance really to know, of distinguished attainment fairly to
judge, which
been
that
put within that
study,
him
in
of
as
him
:
what reach
a
greater
this,
namely,
himself
whose by
happy he
on
who
happiness the
Lord
as
wrote
of any
the
by men
work
be disobeyed, but rather gratefully
And more
allowed.
have
cannot
shared
men whom
he
have
the
years
been
his
especially
be
love for
his
of
appreciation
opinion
should
birds
would
would
Lilford
for
lifelong
respected,
had
made
love.
The Drewitt,
following letters were written to sister
to
Lord
death. 247
Lilford,
the
shortly
Hon. Mrs. after
his
TRIBUTES TO KNOWLEDGE,
248
From
REV. H.
the
B.
TRISTRAM, LL.D.,
D.D.,
F.R.S., Canon of Durham.
The Fauna and Flora of
Author of
and many
Palestine^
other
works.
" the
It
down much
set
the
of
result
that
goodness of character
Our
Tunis for
1858, and
we
had,
common
In
marked
it
real
mutual
soon
his
his return
more
far
found,
merely our cognate I
young man,
marked
a
to
visit
friend,
!
few
very
who was
should
me
:
I
am
sure
I
this,
men
such
with.
a Christian
I
in
wonderful
a
be
as
and
last,
suffering,
What to
his
say
the
not 4
of
tastes in natural
feature to
must have,
Lilford
sufferings
from
subjects
was placid cheerfulness, and
remarking to
sense, faith
religious
under
a
and
amiability
him during years of constant
God
therefore,
very soon ripened into intimacy;
society, as a
pleases
remember any
I
know, was
sustained as
as
characteristic
well
you
and,
whose
him
say of
to
friendship,
one
outsider
would be impossible to exaggerate under which I knew him.
it
interest than
history.
would wish
acquaintance began soon after
in
an
it
in the various aspects
"
I
was
he
impressions of
my
brother, because
personal
But
exaggerated.
write
to
character of your dear
might as
not an easy task
is
cheerful
so
could not stand them
without feeling resentment against Providence.' "
His
proved
it.
and word.
faith
was
He No
childlike,
and
his
whole demeanour
was so pure and reverent one in his presence ever
in
thought dared an
AND SYMPATHIES
KINDNESS, or
irreverent
would have lectured or even
because he It
was simply the reverent so
may " social
was
he
inferiors,
affection.
and
not
I
who used
I
of hauteur,
no one could
a
he was
;
Porter's
in
case of
her voyage
paid for
many
sickly-
was a
it
her
restored
believe,
a
work
that
but
respect,
noticing
to
he
unasked,
only one instance of
absence
his
without
simple,
their
only
and being told
which,
Australia,
unaffected
won
consumption,
incipient
is
if
humblest of his
the
remember
I
bookbinding shop,
This
rebuked him.
his presence,
with
his intercourse
in
Then,
looking young woman,
to
purity of
not
this
speak.
being patronising, and their
innuendo, and
or
profane jest
249
health.
to
yet,
with
an
ever
take
a liberty
utter
with him.
"As
naturalist,
His powers
of observation
escaped him,
a
were
however minute,
in
animals, especially of birds, and
He
typical
has been
written, accurate
Nothing ever the habits and ways of
he could describe them.
he
naturalist,
would
fresh
to
allow,
allow
nomenclature
many
try to
but
he was
though
him
and bring
his
such
idea
really
love
to enter
into
of his
more
far
the
into
all
observation will
for nature
dry-as-dust
themselves
in spite of
that,
personal
always be of infinite value. " He modestly deprecated the scientific
naturalist*
great.
exemplified his favourite saying,
that
field
being a so
was
wrangles
topics,
notice.
by
But
than
far too
about
which for
all
TRIBUTES TO KNOWLEDGE,
250
no man had a
that,
of
the
clearer
of
principles
classification,
He
wrote on structural anatomy. a
That
history of man. his
it
he
though
would say
grasp
never
that writing
skeleton was not writing a
the history of the living man,
is,
mode of
only add that
can
satisfactory
and family relations should be with the history of lower creatures.
habits, ideas,
and so I
human
account of the
full
more
or
of the happiest
my
life,
;
him was one
friendship with
of a
episodes
art,
happy
From ALBERT GUNTHER, M.A.,
life."
F.R.S.,
M.D., Ph.D.,
President of the Linnean Society. Late Keeper of the Zoological Department, British
Museum
of Natural
History.
"
From
exercised
has been
the
day of our acquaintance Lord Lilford the same power of attraction which
first
upon me felt
into contact
by
who had
all
with him.
the
good fortune of coming
His handsome, open, and
intel-
animated by cheerful conversation, gave you the impression of a thoroughly sincere character, with
lectual
face,
whom one could be to whom one could
at
ease
from the
first
moment, and
open one's thoughts without reserve. Devotion to sport and love for nature were common to both of us. As to the former, and as to all matters referring
to birds,
me
a ready pupil
to
give him
in the South
;
some
he was in
my
master,
and he found
other zoological subjects
assistance in return.
From
I
in
was able
his travels
of Europe he brought back with him a keen
AND SYMPATHIES
KINDNESS,
As
to fishes, he
his
own "
mammal and
every kind of European
interest in
restricted
to those
interest
his
251 reptile.
found
in
river.
Within
the
hour of
first
my
Lilford
to
visit
first
(how well do I recollect that glorious day in July !) we were exploring the uppermost accessible parts of the and the early morning of the house in search of bats ;
next day (about 2 a.m.) found us on the river trying for
which never would
bream, for
bite,
us ample leisure
giving
In
of their curious habits.
discussion
conversation,
was apparently searching for instruction, he imparted from his rich store of knowledge most valuable information, inasmuch as he never made any statement whilst
he
which was not based upon, observation.
observer
reliable
;
and
as
He
perfection.
he cared
comparatively
special
field
acquainted with classification,
the accurate
animals,
if
-entering
the
may be
or
little
of study, the
more
or
knew some
about
that
internal
with
own
he devoted almost the whole of
would say This was true
naturalist.
his
by,
more accurate
it
sense,
that
branches beyond his
he
made himself
never
of animals,
structure
technicalities
that
in
parts of
he was not a
that
often
scientific
own
a
confirmed
study of nature, he
his life to the
to
knew
never
I
or
of zoology.
their
But
if
and systematic observation of the habits of searching
for
the
mazy ways of
facts
in
hypothesis
nature or
without
imagination,
called science, he could claim the title of scientific
naturalist
with
any
other
in
the land.
Often,
when he
252 was engaged
of admiring his
opportunity well
as
specific
examination of specimens,
in the
judgment in appreciating real or characters. His long experience and with in
advantages
forming
or in the
questions,
His caution
in
animals
living
a
sound
identification
a
many
on
opinion
museum
of
delivering an opinion
scientific
him
gave
studied by himself was remarkable, and '
had the
power of discrimination,
his
acquaintance
to
I
on
as
so-called
intimate:
immense doubtful specimens.
not
subjects
may be an example Thus also in his
ornithologist.'
writings he invariably distinguishes his
own
observations
from information received by him from other sources. " His amiable nature made him friends in every grade of society
;
and he seemed to be particularly attached to
who were in sympathy with his love of nature. my own recollection I never saw him so happy as
those
In
when he
started
the
in
morning
the
for
day's shooting,
company with his old friends, or when, in the evening,, he could smoke with them his after-dinner pipe and 'talk
in
shop.'
A
fluent
conversationalist, never at a loss for the
most appropriate expression, to
him,
especially
as
was a pleasure to
he blended his
touches of exquisite humour.
He
it
As he
conversation talked, so
was the most punctual correspondent
;
listen
with
he wrote.
to every letter
addressed to him, even to such as required no reply, the next post brought one in response.
reckoned among his friends, he gave he wanted to
know
all
about their
To
those
whom
he
his love unstintedly life,
;
and shared their
AND SYMPATHIES
KINDNESS,
Nothing touched him
sorrows.
their
as
well
as
joys
253
more unpleasantly than any disagreement between them. " He is but whoever had the happiness gone now ;
of knowing him intimately, corner
for
his
memory
loving
;
by
and when
the
heart
a
present
has
his works, will last for ever."
HENRY
From
his
monuments which he
generation has passed away, the built for himself,
in
retain
will
DRESSER, F.Z.S., F.L.S.,
etc.
Author of The Birds of Europe. <c
have looked over your
I
late
brother's
published
notes on European (chiefly Mediterranean) Ornithology, and though there are very many most interesting notes, there is nothing of great novelty recorded. His best find was,
I
think, that of
breeding on recorded
it
Vacca
Larus audouini which he found
(Ibis,
from Corfu
1875,
(Ibis,
P-
3
1860,
p.
X
)>
an<^
356).
ne
a ^ so
He
also
found Marmora's warbler (Melezophilus sardus} nesting on Spargi (lifts, 1887, p. 282), which is worthy of noticing, as
these
are the
recorded
first
only authentic Sylvia
eggs
melanothorax
procured a new titmouse (Parus his collectors,
and
I
him, as he could
I
know.
from
Cypriotes']
Also
Cyprus, there,
he
and
through
described and exhibited this bird for
not
come
to
town
to
do
so.
Also
he
was the only person who has obtained Numenius hudsonicus (an American whimbrel) in Spain (Ibis, 1873, p. 98). "
You
will, I
no record respecting the many brother so often did, as he was
fear, find
kind actions your
late
TRIBUTES TO KNOWLEDGE,
254 one
who
did,
and
but
those
carefully
avoided
believe
I
who
knew him
well were
many kindly and generous one
concerned
that
letters
all
destroyed
cognisant of
actions.
publication of the Birds of Europe,
I
very
need only name
I
When
myself.
any good he on the subject,
to
allusion
all
undertook
I
the
was rather troubled
about
ways and means, for had it proved a failure, it would have entailed a heavy loss on me. I talked matters over with him, and he encouraged me to go on, assuring me that my friends would stand by me. Later on he
should
made me
need
I
it,
a formal
adding that
be called on to refund
any interest in any
need
it,
would
I
case.
avail
were
if it
and that
it,
I
it
promised
myself of his
assistance still
I
feel,
do not
I
;
as
grateful
find
any
commenced),
in
I
publication,
should
bear
I
ever
but determined
am
thankful to
come
to
to
time,
to I
him
for
and
felt,
I
find
one
letter,
however, written
1870 (a year before the publication was which he says I would offer, if not '
:
interfering with your plans, to share
of
I
not
had borrowed the money. on the subject, and doubtless
if
letters
have destroyed them.
February 23rd,
as
was
offer,
managed without having the same though, at
should not
lost I
that,
not to do so unless hard pressed, and say that
me money,
offer to lend
plates,
etc.
If
you
some of the expenses accept
my
offer,
I
should not for an instant think of interfering with your ideas
on the management or form of the publication, or
be in any way offended or hurt
'
if
you decline
my
offer.'
AND SYMPATHIES
KINDNESS, From
'The
MURRAY MATTHEW.
REV.
Author of the Birds of Somerset,
"
time
the
the
enjoyed
Lord
late
of correspondence with
privilege
not
Lilford,
ments were ants to
revealed
plainly in
the
natural
for the
his
of
impatience
courtesy to impart
with
collections
church
politics
information
:
all
;
his his
sympathy
the
in
;
from
correspondents
as
in
his
of
;
his
his anxiety
trust
that
in
;
and
readiness
aviaries all
depend-
sacred
liberality
these are
course
which they
for his
a
attain-
high
with
subjects,
patronage
modern
general
brought out
may be
his
His consideration
specimens
his
and
friends
were
;
as
letters,
a
very and goodness were
poor people upon his estates
administer
students
his
history
chiefly concerned. ;
his
in
formed
have
to
sincere regard for him, as his kindness as
etc.
would be impossible for any one, who had for a
It
long
255
helping
and
large
befell
his
matters which letters,
which
truly stated to have been such clear exponents
of
on any question He was brought before him could be surely anticipated. so real and thorough himself that he had a hearty his
character
his
views
beforehand
I
believe he only once addressed
House of Lords, and
that was to support a Bill for
impatience of the
that
all
shams.
the protection of his favourites during the nesting season,,
when he was
by receiving Lord Beaconsfield's approval of the manner in which he had stated his case. It must also be added that he possessed a great sense gratified
of humour, and enjoyed nothing better than
hearing or
TRIBUTES TO KNOWLEDGE,
256
a
receiving
good
folk-lore
upon
bearing
peasantry,
especially
dear to him
;
or
of
history
deeply
is
from
quaint
the
while
illustrating
the doings
in
travelling
conscious
were
to
of
and
patiently
had become
he
Spain.
A
spirit
of
make
the
best
of
His long
bravely
borne,
illness
and
had been taken from him,
that
all
the
were very
whom
in
gypsies,
of
country,
west
the
Anything
sayings
also apparent in his letters.
infirmity
while
any
;
it.
repeating
with a determination
cheerfulness,
and
in
was also anything
as
interested
everything,
and
story,
and not without natural regret for power to enjoy once more the old days of sport and travel, he often expressed his
that were gratitude for the mercies
As
is
needless
to
still
left."
Lord Lilford was ready
say,
to
side of
on the
any cause having for motive the protection of the birds. But he did this its with an eye, not wisely, carefully and seriously, always
throw
his
influence
alone to what was possible, but to what was for the best.
He
was statesman to the
he that you
may defend
defend a bad
a
cause well.
was bad defence
;
No
birds.
one knew better than
good cause
He knew
badly, as
that over-statement
to insist with the
that
you may
sentimentalists
that certain given birds, which
do an immense amount of
bad good, do no harm, was as
in
How
clear he
was
in his
was unwisely framed, and following remarks show ;
policy as untrue in fact.
own mind
his reasons for
that the
Egg Act
thinking so, the
AND SYMPATHIES
KINDNESS,
257
"May yd, "
I
think the
Egg Act
only possible good that
it
the public have free access
of terns,
breeding-places
1895.
The
foolishness as a whole.
is
may do
is
on the
etc.,
which
places to
New
the
e.g.,
in
Forest and the
The im-
coasts.
possibility of conscientiously swearing to the identity of any egg off which you do not see the bird fly is an
insuperable obstacle to protecting species by name, and the
only way
in
which the Act might work
fixing a close season for
all
eggs
efficiently is
by
*
in certain
places."
"January 24^, 1895.
"I most your of
heartily congratulate
with the County Council for the protection of all kite, buzzard, and eggs owls,
efforts
the
kestrel,
The
butcher-bird.
vexatious
man ought
them,
prosecution
swear
to
and
;
so far as regards
endless
do
other birds
require legal protection tion,
you on the success of
to
I is
not,
fear
in
that if the
granted,
and
my
it
may
litigation,
as
opinion, applica-
lead
to
no sane
any egg off which he did not
personally see the parent bird fly
and
if
your magistrates are (as a body) capable of distinguishing between the egg of a sparrow and that of a wagtail, I can only say that ;
they are more learned than nine-tenths of their brethren.
However, the intention
you and Mr. Cobb." 1
2
To To
is
excellent,
and
all
"
E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. E. Cambridge Phillips, Esq.
honour
to
4J 8
On
the protection of terns on our coast, he
follows
:
" "
writes as
May
I2th, 1892.
your indignation at the destruction and harassing of the terns on the Suffolk coast, I
but
fear that
I
in
sympathise
quite
it
but
all
is
impossible to stop
it,
as
I
presume that even the owner or lessee of the land cannot warn people off the foreshores, and our legislators have repeatedly declined to protect any eggs but those of birds.
and
I
am
before
him should
to
like
permission to send your letter to him, as
on
my own
state
of
with
experience
affairs."
to
regard
tection see as
Association similar
is,
associations a
at
very
beneficially in the interest
now uncommon of course,
locality,
as
I
have
this
lamentable
At
birds.
much
we have
i6M, 1892.
Islands Bird Pro-
the
heavier than
etc.
In
small
the
of breeding, and often, $f
Fame it
Islands the expense
need be on a mainland
Lord-Lieutenant
and can permit or forbid whatever he 1
To
cannot
and work
expense,
to pay the wages of several
Scilly
I
should not be formed,
and watchers, and for the maintenance of boats repair,
your
cannot speak
has done infinite good, and
local
they might be,
most
Fame
perhaps you know, the
why
to
,
l
"May "As
R
not personally acquainted with Lord writing
game
G. Hope, Esq.
likes,
boatmen in
good
is
absolute,
as
we land-
KINDNESS, owners are
AND SYMPATHIES
259
permitted to do (in the unconfiscated parts of our possessions) with regard to feathered fowl." * still
"June "
would not
1
altogether prohibit
the taking of eggs
should be done under expert supervision, as
it
many
peewit
the
to
breeding-places,
1892.
3/tf,
material
done on
is
increase
"May
am
I
of
2
healthy birds."
"
;
glad to find
that
Lord
R
2tfh.
appears to be
quite inclined to protect the terns as far as possible
regard to his legal rights,
I
suggested to him, in
my
;
with
reply,
the formation of a local association for the protection of these terns during the breeding season, adding that should
an association be formed,
such 5
annually to
in these
There
cases
special
is
funds.*
its
no season
is
an
would gladly contribute But what is urgently needed I
extension of the close
for killing
terns
think that even the all-powerful resist
the
local
1
2
but
To G. Hope, To the same. 1896),
little, is
it
"His
to
this
aid
not recognised, certainly societies
the
if
of
Judicious egg-
any harm to well-stocked bird
indiscriminate
slaughter
of
the
Esq.
* In reference 14?%,
do not
I
could effectually
Arry
supported them with vigour.
taking really does ;
'
extensions of close time if the inhabitants
localities
colonies
but
at all,
'
time.
correspondence Mr.
Hope
writes
:
(July
and suggestions in 1892, though perhaps helped to sow the seeds of which the present
on our East coast are the outcome."
TRIBUTES TO KNOWLEDGE,
260
for sport,
and feminine
birds
in
plays
the mischief with our coast-breeding
the
August
Fame
Association has been
Islands
number of
hats,
eggs, the
birds.
Since
a
certain
started,
layings of various
first
that
folly,
are
species,
taken and sold for the benefit of the boatmen and fisher-
men, with manifest advantage to
increase
islands,
all
would
allowed
if
who,
overcrowd
the
probability, degenerate in strength
and
without
and, in
to the birds,
check,
any
l
beauty."
Himself President of the Northampton Field Naturalists' Club, he encouraged and helped such local work
He
was invariably patient and kind to ignorance, knowing well that men's leisure and opporGet a love of nature into the heart tunities are unequal. wherever
centralised.
of the people, he would have
come
in
its
None
turn.
humour, an incident such delightful letter
the
and knowledge will with his keen sense of
said,
less,
as that described in the following
would amuse him immensely
:
"fufy
"
A
small
fruiterer
at
Peterborough
saying that he had shot a strange hawk,
enquiring
from
buzzard'*
(sic\
a
that
friend
and that
I
* prey,
To G. Hope, Esq. The Honey Buzzard now exceedingly rare
was
1895.
wrote
The
(Pernis apivorus)
bird
is
to
me
and found on a
*
humming
was an ammature of
so that he was sending to me. 1
it
ith,
birds,
arrived in due
a migratory bird of
as a nesting species in this country.
AND SYMPATHIES
KINDNESS, and proved
course,
be
to
but the point of the story
who the
declared
Hon.
"
Scientific Society
While
Lilford
in
commercial
most
felt
bitterly
and
speculation,
that
spirit
men
prompts
larger series
to
to
not
expect
be
that
stick
is
of
Canarian
island
work
sweep the
the following
;
steadily
of
the
so
the same
or
a
as
traders,
have
to
that
demand.
the
recorded the
the
a
clear
E.
Cambridge
a
For
extremely
cream-coloured
island
in
get
a
Britain,
kind of practice
circumstances
these
they
much of human
Fuertaventura,
To
wholesale
could he under-
certain
of their
Phillips, Esq.
nature,
dealer
will
example,
a
interesting
courser
:
1
was ever
seen,
refused
Nor
nothing,
too
asking
under
having
establishment
to
at
birds
found to meet
naturalist
or for
study,
than others have, of eggs taken
It
personally
of possession or vulgar rivalry which
or of rare British elsewhere.
about
hands
the
at
interest
senseless destruction.
anything to do with such persons. stand
own
we have
as
man,
of birds
eggs
of being able
naturalist
no
the
recognised
fully
wanton and
to
he
one of
is
Natural History and
necessary for his
collections,
Further, traffic
a
specimens
more opposed
'
l
and importance to
national
peregrine,
!
Lord
to collect
humming buzzard
of the
Secretaries
adult
splendid
in the fact that the person
lies '
to be a
it
a
261
chymist eggs.
in set
the to
Hence
TRIBUTES TO KNOWLEDGE,
262
"July yd, 1889.
"
had heard of the horrible raid upon the coursers'
I
Their coming over
eggs in Fuertaventura. to breed there,
is
would show up
remarkable.
sufficiently
robbery in the
this
such numbers
in
wish that you
I
Field.'"
*
"August i6M, "
understand that no one will look
I
or eggs that
the
at
shall
I
marked on
prices
not be sorry
if the
his
G
at
of
skins
's
and
list,
results
1889.
confess
I
this expedition
sicken him of devastating the island of their peculiar and
very interesting denizens."
2
"September
" the I
gave me
latter
G
R
enclose a copy of
I
permission
's
at
the
time,
I
am now
I
1891.
D
to
letter
make what
to
might think proper, but although
indignant
i"jth,
of
use
Spanish
mas vale
It
is
put a
stop
officials,
to
doubtful
horrible
this
as
the
to
trade,
except
and they probably are of opinion
dinero qua palabra de caballero.*
refreshing to speculate
"
3
*
To To
Money
is
3
the that
upon the number of egg-
E. G. B. Meade- Waldo, Esq. the same.
no
3
buyers taken in by such a swindle as the following 1
it
was very naturally
advisability of calling public attention to the matter, as
one can
;
To
the same.
worth more than a gentleman's word.
:
KINDNESS AND SYMPATHIES
263
''March 2$rd 1892. }
"
was with Edward Verreaux (egg dealer)
I
when
there
a
arrived
consignment of skins and was asked to assist at the
large
I eggs from South Russia. unpacking of the two cases. There was no
The first box contained of any kind. hundred eggs, or I should say perhaps species beautifully packed, and with species in Russian, written on each locality.
A
two
perhaps fifty
or
sixty
names of the
the
egg
name
separate and
brothers proceeded to
or invoice
list
no
;
date,
no
and the two
note-book was produced,
big
Paris
in
the eggs in the
I seemed to me, purely as fancy dictated. was consulted now and then, and prevented some eggs
book, as
it
of
bustard
little
melanocephalus})
but
questioned, and
a
and priced
in
held
I
lot
my
as
to
a
(Larus
gull
tongue,
when
except
named
of redshank were
of eggs
book
the
down
put
being
Some eggs
a rare plover's.
of a crane (Grus virgo] did duty for those of an eagle (Aquila
imperialist
and probably H. a pratincole, and species.
;
eggs
of H.
leucopterus, all
nigra^
black
the
were lumped into those of
labelled
Four white eggs that
belonging to
this
last
have no doubt were
laid
as I
by the eagle owl (Bubo maximus} went down as those of the
ad
infinitum*
black stork (Ciconia
The
naive
tern,
way
in
nigrd]^
which
in
the
list
and so on the
brothers
confessed their entire ignorance, and shot at probabilities, * This experience.
is
further
supported
by
Mr.
Dresser
out of
his
own
TRIBUTES TO KNOWLEDGE,
264
was most amusing, and gave me a lesson about buying I feel convinced eggs that I have never forgotten. both
that to
their
the
were
brothers
lights,
which were
honestly
business in Paris at the time,
report of the wanton
Any
the
I862."
old friend and schoolfellow
I
of
Prince).
I
him
at
met
him, and
Thus he
to an
writes
:
March
4//z,
1890.
boy,
who
most
characteristic of the eager,
The
is
gone
the
;
(the
had some correspondence with Valencia, where he was most
and friendly to me, and
especially civil
it.
birds
breeding
have read poor Rudolph of Austria's book
Crown
late
zoological
leading
"
"
the
in
1
killing
invariably aroused his indignation.
according
very dim,
certainly
of oology, and theirs was
matter
dealing
book
is
my
very
eldest
darling
interesting,
and
impetuous boy who wrote
slaughter of breeding birds
is
simply disgusting,
and only to be excused by the youth of the
writer,
and
the cold-blooded brutality of his ornithological guide aad counsellor
The a
to
B
ladies'
fashion nesting
His notes on Spain
.
are
faulty."
fashion of wearing feathers in
sometimes
involving
enlisted
birds,
all
most
Lord
1
To
2
Colonel H. Barclay.
their
barbarous Lilford's
the Rev. Murray Matthew.
hats,
cruelty
chivalrous
AND SYMPATHIES
KINDNESS, indignation, and he did
he could to further the good
all
he writes to the Secretary of that Society
:
"July
You must
permit
me
regard
devoutly hope that
be crowned
it
it
may
so fully deserves.
mischief
from
arises
to
difficult
extremely
am
I
I
arouse
the
and
swallows',
other
who would
feathers,
mean
I
success
the
and
ignorance,
that
common never
and
dealers,
with
mind
public
against a
that
from wearing British
a
give
is
it
come immediately
believe
I
would shrink
plumiferous ladies
1895.
convinced that the whole
and
apathy
the
to
long-established barbarity, that does not
under their eyes.
20th,
applaud and thank you for
to
your energetic action with
that
Thus
of the Society for the Protection of Birds.
efforts
"
265
robins',
or
skins
birds'
to
thought
many
wearing
bright plumage of birds with which they have no personal
in
the
and forget
all
protest
about
supply
meantime,
it
seems
extinction
of is
the
would that
birds
very
occupiers
' :
How
could
soon
off
fall
themselves.
;
'
shocking
but
fail
in
well
who
be will
law in public places.
stopped take
the
This
by
private
trouble
to
the
from the
Personally
home.
!
the
stop
think
I
a subject that calls for state legislation, at
of
letters
only
supply must
the
more than the egg-stealing
may
we
If
it.
and
articles
exclaim
newspapers,
demand, the
that this
the
read
People
acquaintance.
last
much
offence
landowners think, and
and
by
TRIBUTES TO KNOWLEDGE,
266 "
Whatever may be
the
are
you
event,
a
fighting
l
gallant fight."
And
again
:
' '
"
December 26th, 1891.
beg to wish you many happy New Years for yourself and all who are dear to you, not forgetting our friends, the birds, for whom you are making such I
a gallant effort.
I
am
quite certain that the only reason
you do not enlist more actual members idleness and want of interest, certainly not
that
in
sympathy
I
however,
you
a
you
will
to
happen
that
;
know
are
you a
as
see,
society.
am
I
suffered
sending
which copy of my Coloured Figures, under the head of great white heron and
am
think, in
terns,
gulls,
of
in
tern, that I I
simply
want
gaining ground,
fact.
duplicate
common
it
your object
is
doing
all
this country,
and
birds
diving
in
some of our of various
more than others from the
has played havoc
all
for
my power
your
sea-birds species
feather fashion, but
the world over."
1
v
He
would have had
interest in natural
most
the
who
were
better 1
To
kind
shown than
To
generous
and always offered
encouragement
to
popularise
in
the
it.
Nowhere
following letters
those
to is
this
:
Mrs. Lemon, Hon. Sec. to the Society for the Protection
of Birds. 2
the world take as great an
history as himself,
and
trying
all
Mrs. Phillips.
AND SYMPATHIES
KINDNESS,
'''January
" This in
for
birds,
when
tell
I
inland
miles
distance
had one hundred and
he
as
locality,
told
rich
decidedly
believe
will
ornitho-
first-class
me
that
May
last
of twenty-four
nests
fifty-six
1895.
$th,
you
and
that a clergyman,
few
is
Northamptonshire
an
you
a
at
logist,
of
part
267
the curtilage of his vicarage, without counting
species in
those of house-sparrow, but including a rookery of some nests.
fifty
will
It
be
a
real
pleasure
me
to
if
can
I
you any information about any special points in zoology, but I must tell you that for the last nine years
give
I
have been entirely crippled, and confined to a wheeled
and therefore almost debarred from personal outdoor observation. I have loved and studied birds and chair,
beasts
since
and have
I
a
was
a
child,
alas
some
!
sixty years
collection of living animals
fine
should have great delight
in
showing
to
here
to
Pray do not allow any want of
you from continuing
deter
on natural at
bought
history.
We
have
Father Jamrach's
in
your a
scientific
When
and
quiet,
Spain, 1
I
To
1895.
knowledge
charming writings
1867
here, ;
he
rare species, the great blue-eyed cockatoo of the Islands.
I
l
cockatoo
April
that
you."
"February $rd,
"
ago,
that is
I
of a
Solomon
had him he was delightfully tame but on coming home, after three months in I
first
found him savage, wild, and intolerably noisy, Mrs.
Owen
Visger, Editor of
A
Son of
the
Marshes.
TRIBUTES TO KNOWLEDGE,
268
and
1868
in
who
bourhood,
her
till
ever,
old
as
bird
stuffer at
a
his
*
one
feather of any other
of a living
all
bullfinch,
or
black
tint."
I
day long.
'
sooty,
absolutely as
is
but
I
book just very
received, in
great
as
good
poor birds species
crowd
windows missel
are having
:
coal,
without a
I
greatly
for
intense
cold,
bad time.
real
^ist,
1895.
your little have no doubt of finding
have
our scraps
for
all
on
The
the terrace
and
the
following
beneath our
rook, jackdaw, starling, blackbird, song thrush,
thrush,
sparrow,
a
have seen
brown, but
dingy red
you
which
We
interest.
bullfinch,,
2
to thank
write
only
bird-
they were
"January
"
iStA, 1895.
person, full of importance,
little
black
dark-coloured,
simply
in the shape
natural notes
so-called
sent
a
from a
present
interesting
a very cheery
and singing
many
an
was
them again."
to look at
like
Northampton,
jet black,
this
had
have
for
a joy
heart rejoices the
"February
"I
neigh-
read your papers in Cornhill with
I
and should
the
now
executors, and
the
him
when
year,
the
in
lady
and cherished
loved
of our housekeeper. delight,
an
to
death, last
me by
back to
him
gave
great
robin, tit,
1
2 ?
hedge-sparrow,
coal
To To To
tit,
Mrs.
marsh
Owen
the same. the same.
nuthatch,
tit,
Visger.
chaffinch
and partridge."
K
AND SYMPATHIES
KINDNESS,
We letter
leave
this
with
chapter
the
269
following
delightful
:
"
April
"
When a
live
and found
small boy,
a
show me.
to
curiosity
not a British
is
on a wall
"
it
my
we
as
kindness
and good sense,
called
(for the date) a
at Little '
I
Chertsey, which has I
well
James. of
the
Don
There
first
I
Quijote de
but la
attached
birds,
and the
to '
my
as
this
Little
personification
great
of
of Nature,
love
a pure delight to
same
now come
seeing
There was
lived.
collection of bird books, a stay
the
remember
night-jar,
Holland House,
with a
good
much
say
at Little
was
her,
Holland House was
may
mother declined
cottage,
Aunty,'
and
of
full
garden,
old-fashioned
charming,
my
Miss Fox,
mother's aunt,
delightful
As
off in a bandbox.
used to be a great deal
I
where a
carry
genuine
in the garden.
had probably escaped, but had never seen one before, and
;
me
a
he
once
off at
had caught
was a lovely animal I was most bitterly disappointed when to let
went
that
it
species,
it
Lord
grandfather,
I
that one of the gardeners
green lizard (Lacerta viridis}, this
my
me word from Holland House,
sent
Holland,
had
was
I
1895.
\$th,
into
made also
of
St.
my
hands, and where
Fox
Mrs.
Anne's,
widow
of
the acquaintance,
of
the
Mancha,' who
me. near
Charles
not only
'
Ingenioso has
and constant companion ever since, and
been first
Hidalgo,
my
delight
inspired
me
TRIBUTES TO KNOWLEDGE,
270
with the passion for the things of Spain that can
I
brightly.
never
and
about
gone
in for a large
than at home."
No
anything that you write, confinement,
and serious could
only
became
I
not
elsewhere
see
birds
1
that
of
spirit
we
1893 to
exploration
which,
have
I
collection since
were
of
Kolguev
an untouched land,
as
As
ornithology.
the island
by an Englishman
it
characteristic
refers.
contemplating
Island
the
so
generosity
of Lord Lilford to which Mr. Dresser In
burns
one has better reason than the Editor gratefully
remember
to
mind
therefore
still
'
keeping birds in
and
crippled,
'
a
of
voyage Barents
in
Sea,
results in
promised great
had never yet been visited
was necessary to make
a preliminary
voyage with the object of trying to obtain some information from the sealers and fishermen of the Arctic littoral.
This
we wrote our the
we
did
that
experiences to
following reference
his
in
On
our return
Lilford,
who makes
summer.
Lord letter
of reply
:
%.
"Ju/y
" It
I
I
really
about
think that
I
should
'island of the blessed'
1
To
fit
is
all
still
quite
had the
new old
out at once for a
(birds)."
Mrs.
Owen
Visger.
to
1892.
me
most obliging of you to send
It Kolguev. was not infirm, and
report if
is
4th,
me,
the
and
Glowworm, visit
to
this
AND SYMPATHIES
KINDNESS, Lord
on
Later
Lilford
wrote
to
suggest
271 that
nephew, Mr. Mervyn Powys, should also go, adding "
steamer per month,
small
tering a to,
care
you
:
share your ignorance of the probable cost of char-
I
come
his
would pay half the
I
hire
to
An
her."
but whatever
sum
total
offer
it
may
for as long as
more than made
he
good.
A
later post
brought a
letter in
which he writes
:
"
Jan. 2$th, 1894.
"
am
I
the
yacht,
pressly
for
to
writing ss.
a
make
Glowworm, which was trip
to
about
enquiries
Spitsbergen.
my
old
originally built ex-
I
do not know her
present owner, but a great friend of his
is
an old friend
and remote connection of mine."
The Glowworm was not the
s.y.
Saxon, was obtained,
available,
so
another yacht,
and made the voyage
well.
APPENDIX THE
which
notes
are
follow
taken
everyday book on the events of it
1
from
his aviaries.
Lord
Lilford's
We
have put
an Appendix, simply from the consideration that it not be so interesting for the general reader as other
in as
may
parts of the book. collection
is
Its
interest
for
all
keepers of a
living
of course beyond question.
LILFORD AVIARY AND LIVING COLLECTION NOTES, ist.
January
the
"Grip"
1893.
raven
English
rolls
and
enjoys
himself in the snow.
January for
Great black-backed gull
Afh.
of third year,
received from
C.
F.
Dyer
in,
I
should
say,
plumage
of Ramsgate, in exchange
couple of mallards.
January maculosus,
came
to
Two
horned owls, that I believe to be Bubo received from Jamrach, who avows positively that they 6th.
him
direct
from Natal.
January \vth. Grey-headed green woodpecker (Gecinus canus} and one of the large northern race of pied woodpecker (Picus cissa) received from Jamrach, who declares that both these birds came to him from Siberia. Chestnut Zoological
Gardens,
Southampton offices
winged last
of Miss
N
grakle
(Amydrus
This bird
month
R
for
is
the
tristrami]
survivor
of
received
from
two landed
at
me, and procured through the kind by one Dauod Jamal of Jerusalem,
from the monastery of Mar Saba not 372
far
from Bethlehem.
These
APPENDIX birds were
sent
most
in
miserable
I
273 emaciated and un-
condition,
from Southampton to the care of A. D. Bartlett speakably one died in a few days and was sent at the Zoological Gardens to me, cleaned here by W. Edwards and presented to Alfred filthy,
;
Newton. to
the
restore
female
survivor
but not
well
the only one of
is
of
chide.
Its
believe
I
three
four
or
managed
and
somewhat
its
species
and primaries are a
tail
now
and
notes,
feeds
It
fair plumage. fond of beetles. very
is
be a
to
it
otherwise in
is
it
various soft food,
upon
that this
whistle,
grating
good deal broken, but
health.
lively bird, constantly uttering a
unmusical,
occasionally a harsh
care Bartlett has
skilful
excellent
to
an active and
is
it
;
tedious,
and
dint of unceasing
By
believe
I
alive in Europe.
i2th.
Waxwing (Ampelis garrulus). Very poor, ragged This is the first of the species specimen, that I have received alive for some time, but I have refused several January
received from Jamrach.
and
though the birds are beautiful, they are gluttonous, stupid, in habits, and seldom live long in cages.
as,
offers,
filthy
Tiger bittern (Tigrisoma tigrinum) received from This bird, in ragged plumage, was so weak
January 13^.
W.
Cross of Liverpool.
when
that
arrived
first
it
Cosgrave's care
has been reared from the it
unable
by hand.
nest
to
but
stand,
under
evidently a young bird that
is
me
tells
Cosgrave
that
fond of being noticed and handled, a very exceptional trait in experience in birds of this family. Cross of Goliath heron (Ardea goliath} received from W.
is
my
Liverpool. it
was
it
soon recovered, and
A
very
fine
bird
young
with another of same species that
but
months,
we
had
soon
to
I
We
South Africa.
from
have
had here
them
separate
as
for
they
put
some fought
viciously,
The latter bird lived and did well in summer and early autumn, and lived on two
bearded
young
they were wings,
at
kept
put on their
The
perfect
about first
vultures
(Gypaetus
liberty,
and
this
particular
arrival before
giant heron never
the fairly
courtyard during the amicable terms with
barbatus),
acquired division,
they could
the into
who
full
although
use of their
which
they were
fly.
became tame, but on being
stirred
18
up or
274
APPENDIX
,
I
approached by man, would throw up the undigested portion of its meal of flesh or fish, which was immediately devoured by the
last
vultures.
Common
heron (Ardea cinered) from South Africa
(?),
received on*
approval from Cross and returned.
January
Manchurian
\6th.
been here
several that have
some months,"
for
died,
find these
one
viridirostris),
which had been
years,
of
ailing
Bowdler
desire to
Museum.
most beautiful birds
most tame of the
the
(Grus
some
and was sent by express
Sharpe, of South Kensington I
crane
for
family,
of
as a
rule hardy,
which
I
possess
and amongst every
known
species, except the wattled crane
(Grus carunculatus), alive. Grey eagle owl (Bubo cineraceus) that had lived here for more than twenty years, purchased from Jamrach, died.
An
zoth.
January
Indian
bulbul
(Pycnonotus
jocosus)
died,
apparently of old age.
La Marmora's perfect
in
falcon (Falco eleonora) died of frounce.
plumage, and by
species that I have kept alive
This bird,
most beautiful of many of its here, was bought last year of William
far
the
Blake of Ross, Herefordshire, through an advertisement in the It had been Bazaar^ sent to me by Lieut-Colonel E. Butler. obtained two years ago by the present vendor from a London dealer, and in all probability came originally from Morocco. Nutcracker (Nucifraga
January is
2^th.
the second that
Four received from Castang.
caryocatactes).
Marbled duck (Anas angustirostris) died. Thjs have lost out of a consignment from Andalucia
I
in the summer of 1892 the first of their species, as I have reason to believe, that have ever reached this country alive.
received
The the
species
is,
common enough
however,
marisma of the Guadalquivir, where
than usually abundant in floods of January
January
26th.
Blake, of Ross.
1892,
after
it
the
as a
summer
visitor to
breeds, and was more
subsidence of the great
and February.
Hen
harrier (Circus
The vendor
informs
cyaneus) received from
me
that
this
bird,
W.
which
is
APPENDIX half
moulted and
Sutherland
last
in very
ragged plumage, was taken from a nest in olor) sent as a present
This bird, a very
.
275
summer.
White cygnet (Cygnus S
I
fine
from
me to L me by
male, was presented to
the
Cambridge, where for many years I am Alfred informed Newton) a pair of common swans have (as by produced broods, of which one is always pure white after losing the down.
authorities of St. John's College,
January z^th. Little bustard $ {Otis tetrax) brought in dead. This bird, the only one that I have received alive for many years, was sent to me as a present by H. Shorland, of La Fontaine, near Tours,
last
autumn, and was,
I
believe, captured in that neighbourhood.
Boobook owl (Ninox boobook} received from Jamrach. Cayenne lapwing (Vanellus cayennensis) received from W. This
is
the
first
of the
species
that
I
have ever bought;
Cross. it
in
is
ragged plumage, but appears to be healthy, and is very tame. Tiger bittern (Tigrisoma tigrinum} received from W. Cross.
An
older bird than that previously recorded, very ragged and savage.
Pied woodpecker from Russia, brought in dead. $oth. White-necked crane (Grus leucaucheri) died. This bird, which has long been ailing, was one of three obtained from London dealers
January
about three years ago. My idea is that unless these birds pair or mate (as my other two of this species undoubtedly have done) when they reach maturity, they gradually droop and die.
February
\st.
and much bruised.
Hen-harrier (Circus cyaneus), in very bad feather This bird was said to have been received from
Holland by vendor. February yd.
Cereopsis geese (Cereopsis nova-hollandta) nesting
Those birds, purchased from Ed. courtyard (fide Cosgrave). Marshall, of Marlow, last year, are not by any means amicable with other birds, and are all-round savage now. in
February
6th.
Marbled
duck
;
another brought
in
dead,
in
excellent condition.
February
ith.
Hill
mynahs (Gracula H. P
birds received from Mrs. E.
.
intermedia).
Two
very fine
276
APPENDIX
<
could not
I
resist
The
imitative vocal
other of the
One
one more chance of keeping
have
I
species, although
lost
after a
many
power of the
which
most amusing
this
few months of captivity.
mynah
hill
talking birds with
many
I
I
surpasses those of any have any acquaintance.
of these two imitates the sound of a railway engine.
are
They
both in exceptionally good plumage and apparent health. Blue bird (Sialia st'atis), of North America. Pair received from
P
Mrs. E. H.
many
I
years.
they often
do
February
.
This
a species that I have been without for
is
have never had well,
\oth.
much
and have bred
luck in keeping
in
them
but
alive,
England.
Alpine accentors
Thirteen
{Accentor collaris).
have received a good many of this species from London dealers during the last few years, all said to have come received from Jamrach.
from Switzerland. aviaries,
They do
and sing very
February \\th.
I
not
so
well
in
sweetly, but are rather quarrelsome inter
se.
fairly
Cereopsis geese
well
in
cages,
antea) are making a second
(cf.
nest.
February \^ih. Barbary falcon (Falco barbarus) brought in dead> frounce. This bird, a most beautiful adult, was bought last autumn and came from Mogador. I have been most unfortunate of
with
many
of this species.
February \^th. Alpine accentors Murray A. Mathew.
antea), two sent as present
(cf.
to Rev.
February 20th. Bewick swan $ (Cygnus bewickt) died after wasting This bird was bought of Castang, desperately wounded for some time. by a shot from punt gun on the Essex coast in 1879, and recovered marvellously here; though on the water lop-sided fashion,
become
One
on land
it
was very
it
swam
active,
a helpless and
in
and of
late
years
occasionally very aggressive towards human visitors. of two whoopers (Cygnus ferus) which I put on the
pinioned, this last
summer
(having lost
its
companion by
of a ruffian at Aid winkle in the autumn) took up
its
had
river,
brutal spite
headquarters
above our bridge island, but for several months past has waddled up every morning and spent the whole or greater part of each day just outside the wires of the enclosure, in which the Bewick swan just
APPENDIX We
mentioned was confined. the
was
result
whooping is
heard,
loudly.
277
inside
on one occasion, and
The whooper
is continually swan's note, comparatively seldom
and
shorter
different
entirely
him
fight.
The Bewick
'
'
let
a -desperate
I
less
musical,
but both of
these birds have been a good deal excited of late by the presence
on the
both species.
river of several wild birds of
22nd.
February caratus).
francolins
Double-spurred
sent
Six
(Francolinus
bical-
These birds are from consignments of
away.
about
twenty individuals, all told, received from Dar-el-Baida, or I am sending Casablanca, on the Morocco coast, during the past year.
these three pairs to the
down on
his
Goto
From
all
that
Comte de
Paris, via Gibraltar, to
be turned
Manrique, Seville, where he has already turned out a few, ordered by me from Morocco as a present to him. at Villa
can
I
these
learn
birds
are
extremely local in
Morocco, and although tolerably abundant in the neighbourhood of Casablanca and Rabat, are virtually unknown at Tangier, Tetuan,
and Mogador. They are said to frequent thick covert in the neighbourhood of water, to afford good sport with dogs, and to be most for
excellent
pale,
the table.
from Rabat
alive here
have had a few before the present lot, laid several eggs of an unspotted,
I
one of them
;
creamy colour, but would not
sit.
February 2$th. White-bellied nuthatch (Sitta albiventris, Mihi). Three received from Jamrach. These birds, of which I had already five,
I
in all their habits closely resemble our
fancy that there
a perceptible difference in
is
they are extremely pugnacious, of
them
together.
rich
Said to have
in
;
March
unknown 2nd.
of this year. in
1884.
It lays
I
I find
colour,
come from
Small gallinule (Gallinula, approval
and
it
species, although
some of
to
sp.
only call
;
in
others
is it
extremely is
barely
Siberia.
Two
?).
him and me
Cape barn owl
This bird
whilst
their notes
impossible to keep two
In some of them the chestnut on flanks
prominent, and very visible.
common
;
received from Jamrach on
said to have
come from China.
(Strix capensis) laid an egg the
first
is
the survivor of two purchased from Jamrach
it
as
above on the authority of the vendor.
a few eggs every year.
278 March yd.
me
I
Shag, $ (Phalacrocorax graculus), Northamptonshire This bird was picked up near Higham Ferrers
died.
specimen, after
APPENDIX
i
heavy gales in the by one Shelton.
first
days of September 1892, and sent to
alive
March tfh. Lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus) lay on the grass basking in front of the house. This is one of two young birds of last These year, procured through G. Frank from Western Switzerland. been
birds have
complete liberty since
at
before they could
till
fly,
Cosgrave told
I
received them
me
that
summer
last
one of them seemed
be suffering from the cold of early January, and was taken into The bird, still at liberty, shelter, where he has completely recovered. to
never goes to any considerable distance, and very seldom mounts to
more than seventy or eighty
He
from the ground.
feet
roosts about the courtyard walls,
generally
seems to be more sensitive of wet
than cold, and remains quite tame.
March (fide
P.
Small gallinules (Gallinula angulata], Sundevall and R. B. Sharpe). I sent these two birds to
\$th.
L.
Sclater
London for make them
inspection by Sclater,
out
as
specimens
of
who
me
tells
that
he and Sharpe
above-named South African
the
This species, in immature plumage, is figured under the name of Gallinula pumila, Sclater. species.
March first
\6th.
Night
heron
(Nycticorax griseus),
in Ibis, 1859,
in
aviary,
laid
egg of season.
March and very
Two
received
of the species ever seen alive by me.
Active
Mexican jays (Cyanocorax luxuosus).
\*]th.
from Jamrach.
The
first
pretty birds, with a curious squeal, that reminds
of the cry of the
March bird, laid
greatly^
buzzard.
Vultur monachus), old Spanish ( This bird was taken from a nest in a high pine
Cinereous vulture
2oth.
an egg.
tree in the
common
me
forest
near San
Ildefonso,
Old
Castille,
in
June, 1865
(Ibis, 1866, pp. 388, 389).
March I
me at
2-jfk.
White-shouldered eagle
d
(Aquila adalberti) died.
believe that this bird was the only male of three brought
from a nest
in the
various times since,
home by
Goto del Rey in 1869 but I have had several and having been so much away from home, ;
APPENDIX and,
when
home, so much shut up
at
I
279
in the winters, I
cannot
feel
quite sure.
began to 'boom' on 2oth inst. In two of this April 1891 species made a nest in a cage in our courtand five laid yard, eggs, upon which one or other of the parent birds Bittern {Botaurus stellaris}
but did not hatch.
sat continually,
Pair in aviary have two eggs,
Woodpigeons (Columba palumbus).
and
sit
thereon.
Mexican
One
jay.
died, in apparent excellent condition.
A pair Grey coly shrikes (Hypocolius ampelinus). These birds {fide Bartlett) were received at received from Bartlett. April
loth.
Zoological Gardens, with
others
same
of
species,
from the Persian
can detect very little affinity in them to the shrike family, and only name them as above for want of a better name. Their favourite food is fruit, but they are also fond Gulf.
are remarkably tame.
They
I
of meal-worms, and would, I feel certain, very
much
like house-flies,
we could find any. In fact, they are evidently of waxwing-flycatcher The picture of this bird in Ibis for 1868, p. 181, is much more slender in look than my birds, and their colour is mousey, not
if
affinity.
creamy, as in picture. in aviary
Woodpigeons
April \$th.
have hatched both eggs.
Military starling (Sturnella militaris) purchased last
summer, died
from abscess. Great bustard (Otis tarda) in aviary, picking up and
April i6th.
swallowing feathers.
April
iSth.
coloured than
April \qth.
d+A. which
albifrons, it
Cinereous
vulture
another egg,
rather
better
Hybrid bean + white-fronted goose (Anser segetum, ? ), bred on aviary pond last year with others, of
the sole survivor,
is
laid
first.
is
very fine plumage.
in
lender neck and orange-coloured legs and feet
of
its
It
has the
male parent,
with a small white frontal patch; no bars on breast.
April 2oth. as
Goliath heron
Ardea
Jamrach and is much
atricollis, to
larger.
(cf.
which
antea) received on approval from it
has no resemblance in plumage,
APPENDIX
280 Porphyrio (Porphyrio,
sp. ?)
I
Three, supposed to be P. caruleus, Said by him to have been pro-
received on approval from Jamrach.
cured from
Sicily, through a dealer at Marseilles. cannot believe that these birds belong to that species, on account of their small size and the very dark plumage of their backs, and I I
was inclined
look
to
upon
them
Australian black-backed
the
as
porphyrio (P. melanotus), but on the following day Jamrach sent down one of the latter species for comparison. This bird is considerably larger than the three others, differs
much from
theirs, so that at
and the shape of
present I
am much
frontal shield
puzzled about
species of latter.
April 22nd. Chilian pintail (Dafila spinicauda) sits on eggs in sunk fence of pinetum. This nest is almost in the same spot as last
and the bird on the nest was almost
year,
of dead leaves, with only her head
and very
entirely
hidden
in a
and small portion of neck
mass
exposed,,
difficult to see.
April zyd. Australian native companion (Grus australasiand), one of four in pinetum, has lately developed the unamiable habit of driving away all the other cranes from their feeding boxes, though not apparently hungry himself.
Senegal pies (Cryptorhina afro). One of two of this species received last year, with brilliant coral red beak, has changed the colour of that instrument to black, like that of its male, or
April 2^th.
companion. April 2$th. adults, received
Lesser kestrels
(Falco
Chinese laughing thrush (Leucodioptron approval from, and returned to, Jamrach.
Hooded
April 2%th.
Four,
cenchris).
apparently
from Jamrach. canoruni)
crane (Grus monachus),
in
received
on
pinetum, broke
a leg.
April 2gth. with the only
and
sits
May
Sardinian starling
common
$
starling in the
(Sturnus unicolor)
has paired
same compartment of
aviary,
alternately with her on eggs in a box. ist.
For the
first
time
heard
the
call
note of double-
APPENDIX spurred francolins
;
and strident, somewhat resembling more prolonged and guttural.
very powerful
that of guinea-fowl, but
May
The
2nd.
having again
281
I
paired
white-fronted this
year,
goose ? and bean goose hatched four of six eggs
to-day
$ at
aviary pond.
May
Pochard (Fuligula ferind)
^rd.
sits
on
eggs in pinetum.
six
American peregrine or duck hawk $ (Falco anatutri) received as a present from Major Ernest Anne, who informs me that it was taken on board ship at about 1500 miles off the coast
May
'
6th.
This bird
of Canada.
considerably smaller than an average Falco
is
same
peregrinus of the
'
and
sex,
is
very
dark in colour.
I
am
disposed to consider her as a bird of last year.
May I
6th.
Jiave a pair,
into a nest of
of latter birds
Bronze-winged pigeons (Phaps chalcoptera}, of which produce many eggs, but will not sit, so we put two
woodpigeons a second
in
aviary
sitting
antea),
(cf.
that
removing the eggs
omitted
I
to
note
in
this
book.
May Two
White-bellied
loth.
very
fine
sea adult
specimens,
eagles
and
(Haliaetus
immature,
leucogaster).
received
from
Melbourne as a present from Edward Marshall.
May
\6th.
Five
of
hybrids
ducks (Anas pcecilorhyncha,
c?,
spotted-billed
and yellow-billed
and Anas xanthorhyncha
<j>
)
hatched
out at aviary pond.
May
17 th
and
nest
and would not
Ural owl (Syrnium uralense\ one of two in 1888, laid an egg but made no
i%th.
received from Russian sit,
Finland so
we
transferred
the egg to a nest in the
park that contained four of barn owl (Strix ftammea).
May
iqth.
Ruffs
(Machetes pugnax)
are full of antics, pugnacious
May Melbourne
2oth.
Boobook
as a present
all
in
splendid
'show,'
and very amorous.
owl (Ninox boobooK) from Edward Marshall.
received
from
Madeiran woodpigeon (Columbn trocaz\ one of three now in the aviary received from Dr. Hicks of Funchal, made a slight nest under one of the box bushes, on the bare gravel, and laid one egg.
APPENDIX
282
1
Yellow-breasted bunting (Emberiza aureola}, one of four purchased year from Jamrach, laid an
last
at
attempt
May
making
Seriemas
zgth.
egg on floor of cage, without any
a nest.
(Cariama
Two
cristata}.
received
from
A. Thomson, head keeper at Zoological Gardens.
May young
June 2nd. Yellow-breasted more eggs, but will not sit. June
pair
have hatched out three
bunting
last
These ducks, the only
alive
for
ways
till
antea)
has
laid
a few days ago.
me
were ever offered to
that
pair
are
They
stupid and heavy
all
birds, only
and remarkable colour of heads.
Trumpeter bullfinch (Erythrospiza githaginea]
$th.
two
bore the winter very well, and in fact throve in
sale,
interesting from their rarity
June
(cf.
Pink-headed drake (Anas caryophyllaced), one of pair year from Jamrach, died after pining for several
$rd.
purchased days.
A
Sardinian starling.
$vth.
in box, old aviary.
an
laid
egg.
Sardinian starlings
(cf.
antea), three young, all
dead from parental
neglect.
June 6th. Common curlew (Numenius arquatus). Two young in down received from T. Mann, of Aigle Hill, Allonby, as a present. The smaller of the two died on the following day the other soon ;
took
to
greedily
became June
a
diet
of
earth-worms,
chopped
liver,
etc.,
and
perfectly tame.
White-breasted gallinule (Gallinula ph<xnicura\ received'* from W. Cross on 7th inst., died in its cage next day.
&th.
in a dying state
Shamas (Cittacinda macrurd).
Common
bittern laid
first
Long-eared owls (Asia
egg of
otus).
Adams, of the Lodge, Cockley June
qth.
Little owls
June this year.
\Qth.
Common
Two
received from
Woodpigeons
Cross.
this season.
Three young received from a Mr. Cley,
Swaffham.
bittern has another egg
(Athene noctua).
W.
and
sits.
Thirty received from Castang.
in aviary
busy nesting
for
third time
APPENDIX Knot (Tringa
June i^th. is
I
An
canutus).
283 egg that
am
I
convinced
of this species laid in aviary.
Larger white egret (Ardea
June 17 th. Ditto. mine the species of West
died in fine condition.
have never been able the
this bird, as
satisfactorily to deter-
by the vendor,
locality given
was most certainly incorrect.
Africa,
June
I
sp. ?)
Received a shama from Cross
iqth.
one deceased.
in place of
Received through F. Collier two Chilian eagles (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) in immature plumage, said to have been sent from
These birds are so much smaller than any of their have ever previously seen, that I sent them up to species about them. to assured Bartlett be They are very fine, healthy Bahia Blanca. that
I
and remarkably tame, agreeing amicably with a crowd of other raptores in western yard. birds in fairly good plumage
June 22nd. Twenty-three little owls received from Castang. Three black woodpeckers (Picus martins) received from Jamrach .all
young
;
birds.
Two
pied woodpeckers (Picus major). black woodpeckers are in very bad condition of flesh and One died on 25th inst., the other two I think will live ; plumage.
The
they feed greedily on ants' eggs, but prefer wasp grubs to any other for them, though they will not touch the
food that we can find
developed imago of
them from
this insect.
Gratz.
Jamrach assured me
The pied woodpeckers,
that he received
young birds from
also
the same locality, are the finest of their species that perfect health
and plumage and
as
tame
Received four young
June 22nd.
I
ever saw, in
(Ibis
rubra) from
as possible.
scarlet
ibis
Jamrach.
One
June 2yd.
of
my
northern nuthatches died.
Sent to H. E.
Dresser.
Two young P. A. Pichot.
goshawks (Astur palumbarius) received from Mons. These birds are male and female, and were, as I believe,
taken from a nest
June cracked.
2ith.
in
a forest near Rouen, whence
Madeiran pigeon
laid
I
had received
others.
an egg on the ground, found
284
APPENDIX
<
June
Two young
zqth.
I
ringed plovers (sgiatttis hiaticula),
one
dead, received from Cumberland.
Tawny eagle (Aquila rapax} and golden eagle (Aquila from chrysaetus) Abyssinia received on approval from Jamrach. I kept the tawny eagle, which is a fine bird of the light brown, June
$vth.
much
very
race,
resembling the most recently received of the two
already here, and the light-coloured bird of
Wolfs
plate in the Ibis.
Jamrach declared that this bird came to him from North Africa, probably Morocco. I returned the golden eagle, as I do not want one of that species with pure white ist.
July
aviary,
the
this
was a remarkably
young bird
large, strong
maned goose <$ (Bernida jubata] died in This bird was one of a pair purchased last year
Australian
condition.
good from Jamrach
;
tarsi.
done remarkably well
they had both
;
feeding chiefly on the grass growing therein.
commencement
I
in
the
new
suspect that
of the moult was the cause of death.
July yd. Great bustard cT (Otis tarda) died after long weakness. This was one of a consignment received some years ago from Seville,
and presented by me to W. H. St. Quintin ; it was injured when it arrived, and St. Quintin, after keeping it for a year or more, sent it
back
me, rather than kill it, was always weakly on the
to
here, but
October 1890. legs from an injury in
It
did well
to
the ribs,
and probably to the vertebrae, on the journey from Spain, though it fed well, moulted clean every year, and was impudently tame and pugnacious.
Woodpigeons 6th.
July
(cf.
Little
antea) have hatched out one young bird. bitterns (Ardetta minutd).
%
Three very young,
received from Castang. 8/A.
July
Australian crane
(cf.
antea) died after failing for
some
time.
Great
white
Siberian to
cranes
be
(Grus leucogeranus) in pinetum, suffering from the excessive heat more
reported by Cosgrave than any other birds in the collection.
July
\\th.
Bearded vulture
received from Malaga.
(cf.
antea).
Very
fine
young bird
APPENDIX Bonelli's
I
285
Young male
eagle (Pseudaetus bonelli).
received
from
Malaga.
Marbled duck
July \2th.
Was
(cf.
antea), long
lame and
ailing,
died.
a female by dissection, and despatched to Bowdler Sharpe at South
Kensington.
Booted eagle (Aquila pennata),
bad condition, received from
in
Jamrach.
July i$th. Egyptian eagle owl (Bubo ascalaphus) received from a Mr. Weeks, of Cheswardine, near Market Drayton, who says that it was captured at Luxor.
Common July
bittern
(cf.
Three eggs
antea).
all
proved
rotten.
Japanese kite (Milvus melanotis?} received from E.
i$th.
Marshall.
Owl from Japan July
2$th.
approval by Cross
Two
(Scops sp.
Two ;
great
id.
?),
blue
herons
(Ardect
sent
herodlas}
on
returned.
caracaras (Polybonti brasiliensis) from Uruguay, received from
O. V. Aplin. Pileated jay (Cyanocorax pileatus),
Four long-eared owls (Asio Cockley Cley, West Norfolk. August
ist.
Tawny
eagle
id.
otus) received
(Aquila
rapax)
from Mr. Adams, of
(cf.
antea).
Killed by
white-bellied sea eagle (Haliaetus leucogaster\ through the bars of the
compartment
in eagle yard.
August znd.
Redshank (Totanus
calidris) received
from
F.
Dyer
of Ramsgate.
Three black woodpeckers (Picus martius) received from Jamrach.
One Montagu's harrier (Circus aneraceus\ melanic variety, received from Mons. P. A. Pichot, of Paris, with four others of the same species of ordinary type, which I
left at
Zoological Gardens.
In the individual
above noticed the whole of the plumage is of a uniform very deep brown, almost black, the irides of the same colour. I believe that all this lot of harriers were taken from nests in northern France.
One honey buzzard (Perm's apivorus), white mottled variety, received from Mons. Pichot (as above). This bird was still unable to fly, and
APPENDIX
r
286
I
has developed into a very beautiful and charmingly tame pet, only showing a little restlessness at the autumnal migration time.
August
%th.
One
nutcracker (Corvus caryocatactes) presented by
One
lanner
Dr. A. Giinther.
August Hunot, of
One I
gth. Saffi,
serpent eagle
(
Circaetus gallicus),
presented both the
August
loth.
(Falco feldeggi)
from Consul
received
Morocco.
Diuca
last
named
diuca,
id.
birds to the Zoological Society.
from
Chili, received last year, identified
by P. L. Sclater.
Three porphyries (P. edwardsi)^ South China. Brown-headed gull {Lams ridibundus) pinioned by shot on Tichmarsh.
August
\2th.
Red-backed shrike (Lanius
collurio),
young, received
from Bazeley, of Northampton.
August
igth.
Thirteen
bitterns (Ardetta ininuta),
from Holland,
(Avocetta
six
little
received from Castang.
August
zisf.
Six
avocets
recurvirostra),
redshanks
(Totanus calidris\ and black-tailed godwit (Limosa mdanura\ from Holland. Received by order of F. Blaauw.
August 22nd. Three herring gulls (Larus from south coast, presented by Alex. Berens. August
2$th.
Little
kestrel
(falco
argentatus), immature.,
cenchris),
(Sturnus unicolor), great bustard (Otis tarda\
little
southern
starliftg
bustard (Otis tetrax),
glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus\ marbled ducks (Anas angustirostris), from Andalucia, received, per Ochenden, from Gibraltar.
August
soth.
Black-headed
partridges
(Caccabis
mdanoccphald}
received via Bartlett from Aden.
White-shafted .francolins coast,
(Francolinus
infuscatus],
from
Somali
id.
Singed sand grouse (Pterocles exustus) received via Bartlett from Aden.
APPENDIX But
was
there
this record
already
the
I
287 of
collection
years
to be kept in this particular form.
began
before
Of
the
extent and variety of the Lilford Collection of living birds during the whole period of its existence some general idea
may be
gathered from the following
It includes,
list.
new
but the greater proportion of the birds
between the date
last
not
all r
to the Aviaries
given and the third week in
March 1896
a space of not three years. Mantell's apteryx
Apteryx
Owen's apteryx Greek partridge
Apteryx oweni.
.
Caccabis saxatilis (Austria).
.
Barbary partridge Black-headed partridge
Bamboo
Common
mantelli,
Caccabis petrosa.
Caccabis melanocephala (Aden).
Bambusicola
partridge
thoracica.
Francolinus vulgaris. Francolinus granti.
francolin
Grant's francolin
White-shafted francolin
Francolinus leucoscephus.
Double-spurred francolin
Francolinus bicalcaratus.
Madagascar francolin Guinea fowl
Numida
Crested colin
.
Ma rgaroperdix Eupsychortyx
.
madagasca riensis.
sp. ?
cristatus.
Scaly colin
Callipepla squamata.
Chinese button quails Pintailed sand grouse
Excalfactoria chinensis, Pterocles alchata.
Singed sand grouse
Pterocks exustus (Aden).
.
Madeiran woodpigeon
Columba
Laurel pigeon
Columba laurivora.
Bolle's pigeon
Spotted pigeon
.
Columba
.
trocaz (hatched in Aviary).
bo Ilit.
Columba maculosa (South America).
.
Snow pigeon
Columba
leuconota
hatched
Grey-headed
fruit
Carolina crake
American water
Ypacaha
rail
pigeon
.
rail
.
Columba
cenea
Porzana
Carolina.
Aramides
(S.
in Aviary). 1
(India).
cayennensis.
Aramides ypacaha-
Himalayas
;
APPENDIX Pectoral
rail
.
.
Green-backed Gallinule Allen's gallinule
Martinique gallinule White-breasted gallinule .
Black-throated diver
Fulmar
gull
Sandwich tern
Porphyrio smaragdonotus
.
Porphyrio
.
Colymbus
arcticus.
Fulmarus
glacialis.
.
Fratercula arctica.
.
Larus canus.
.
Sterna cantiaca.
sandpiper
Knot
.
.
Sardophorus
pectoralis.
Avocetta recurvirostra.
Tringa canutus.
Oyster-catcher
.
.
Black-tailed godwit
Black-necked
Totanus ochropus. Totanus hypoleucos.
.
Australian wattled lapwing .
crepitans.
Otis tarda.
,
Green sandpiper
Avocet
alleni.
CEdicnemus
Great bustard
.
Porphyrio martinica. Gallinula phoenicura.
.
Stone curlew
Common
Porphyrio edwardsi.
.
.
.
Puffin
Common
Rallus peetomlis.
.
Blue water-hen
1
.
stilt
Himantopus
Pratincole
White-necked crane
Stanley's crane
Tufted umbre
nigricollis.
Glareola pratincola.
Sarus crane
Wattled crane
Hcematopus ostralegus. Limosa melanura.
.
.
.
antigone.
Grus
leucauchen.
Grus carunculata (South
.
Purple heron Great white heron
Grus
.
.
.
Africa).
Tetrapteryx paradisea. Scopus umbretta (Bechuanaland).
Ardea purpurea. Ardea alba. Ardea
ralloides.
Little egret
Ardea
garzetta.
Buff-backed egret
Ardea
bubulcus.
Night heron
Nycticorax griseus (Arabia).
Squacco heron
.
Botaurus
Bittern Little bittern
Tiger bittern Roseate spoonbill
.
stellaris.
Ardeola minuta. Tigrisoma tigrinum.
.
Platalea ajaja.
APPENDIX Spoonbill
Smew
.
Gadwall
.
Garganey Shoveller
Rudocimus
ibis
ibis
.-'-.
Mergus
Anas Anas Anas Anas
.
.
strepera.
querquedula. clypeata.
caryophyllacea.
Fuligula ferina.
.
Golden Eye Tufted duck
Fuligula clangula. Fuligula cristata.
White-eyed pochard Red-crested pochard
Fuligula nyroca.
.
Fuligula rufina,
Merganser Eider duck
Mergus
serrator.
Somateria mollissima.
Maned goose
Bernicla jubata.
Spur-winged goose
.
Cassin's snow-goose
.
Plectropterus gambcnsis.
Chen hypoboreus. Chen albatus.
Snow-goose Bewick's swan
albellus.
Fuligula marila.
.
Whooper swan
albus.
Ibis melanocepJiala.
Pink-headed duck
Scaup Pochard
289
Platalea leucorodia.
.
South American white Black-headed
1
Cygnus ferus. Cygnus bewicki.
.
.
South American flamingo
.
Ph&nicopterus ignipalliatus. Phcenicopterus roseus.
Flamingo American darter .
Plotus anhinga.
Pygmy cormorant
Carbo pygmceus.
Marsh
Circus (zruginosus.
harrier
.
Montagu's harrier
Circus cineraceus.
Goshawk
Astur palumbartus.
.
American sparrow-hawk
Accipiter fuscus.
Common
Buteo vulgaris (very dark variety
buzzard
;
-
Holland).
Red-backed buzzard
Many-zoned hawk
Buteo erythronotus (Patagonia). Melierax polyzonus.
Chanting falcon
Melierax canorus.
Ljimmergeier
.
.
Gypaetus barbatus (Switzerland and Almeria). T
9
APPENDIX
290 White-shouldered eagle
.
I
Aquila adalberti (Southern Spain).
Imperial eagle
.
.
Aquila
itnperialis.
Spotted eagle
.
.
Aquila
ncevia.
Golden eagle
.
.
Black kite
Common
.
kite
Hobby Peregrine
Lanner Merlin
Cinnamon
Common
.
.... .... .... ....
Barbary falcon
.
kestrel
American
.
Spotted eagle-owl
Falco feldeggi.
.
Falco cinnamomina.
Falco cesalon.
Falco eleonorcB (Morocco).
.
.
.
Burrowing owl American hawk-owl
Falco subbuteo (Southern Spain). Falco peregrimts.
.
.
Cape eagle-owl
,
.
.
Short-eared owl
.
.... .... .... ....
Long-eared owl Lapp owl
Tawny owl
Spot-bellied owl
Masked owl
South American barn-owl Barn-owl
.
.
.
...
owl
.
regalis.
Falco tinnunculus.
Mediterranean peregrine Eagle owl
Little
Milvus
Falco barbarus.
.
.
kestrel
Australian peregrine
Ural owl
.
.
kestrel
La Marmora's falcon
Aquila chrysaetus. Milvus migrans.
Black-headed caique Great blue-eyed cockatoo Red-faced parakeet
.
Orange-flanked parakeet Carolina parakeet ,
Bubo maximus. Bubo maculosus. Bubo capensis. Speotyto cunicularia.
Syrnia funerea, Asia brachyotus. Asio
.
Syrnium lapponicum.
otus.
.
Syrnium
aluco.
.
Syrnium
uralense.
.
.
.
Carine spilogastra.
Athene noctua. Strix castanops (Australia).
.
Strix guatenialte.
.
Strix flammea.
.
Cdica melanocephala.
Cacatua ophthalmica. ,
.
,
Falco melanogenys. Falco punicus.
.
.
.
Falco sparverius.
Platycercus novce-zealandice.
Brotogerys pyrrhopterus. ,
Conurus
carolinensis.
APPENDIX Guira cuckoo
I
291
Guira piririgua.
.
Indian black cuckoo
Eudynamis
.
....
orientalis.
Senegal touraco
Corythaix persa.
Toucan
Pteroglossus wiedi.
Green woodpecker
Gecinus
.
viridis.
Pied woodpecker Black woodpecker
Picus major.
Brahminy mynah
Temenuchus pagodarum. Gracula intermedia.
Hill
Picus martins.
mynah
Sturnus purpuracens.
Purple-headed starling Long-tailed glossy starling
Malabar
Lamprotornis
.
Rose pastor Tristram's grakle
Amydrus
Black-collared grakle
Blue-winged magpie Nutcracker Australian
ceneus.
Sturnopastor malabaricus. Pastor roseus.
starling
tristrami.
Graculipica nigricollis.
.
cooki.
Cyanopica
.
Nucifraga caryocatactes. Cocorax melanocephala.
"chough"
Alpine chough Blue hunting-pie
Fregilus alpinus.
Indian oriole
Oriolus indicus.
.
Golden
oriole
Urocissa occipitalis.
Oriolus auratus.
.
Red-winged hang-nest
Agelaius phxniceus. Chibia hottentota.
Hairy-headed drongo
Regent bird
Sericulus melinus.
Beautiful grass-finch
Gouldian finch
Poephila mirabilis.
.
Poephila gouldice.
.
North Queensland grass-finch
Poephila
House-sparrow
Passer domesticus.
.
cincta.
Brambling
Fringilla montifringilla.
Greenfinch
Fringilla chloris.
Teydean
chaffinch
Brazilian finch
.... ....
Mealy redpoll Twite Crossbill
Pine grosbeak
Fringilla teydea.
.
.
.
,
.
Guiraca cyanea. Linota linaria. Linota flavirostris.
Loxia curvirostra. .
Pyrrhula
APPENDIX
292 South American bullfinch
.
Woodlark
.
.
.... .
Snow-bunting
Lapland bunting Bearded reedling Greater nightingale
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
White-spotted blue-throat Grasshopper warbler
.
.... .... .
Barred warbler
Blue robin Alpine accentor
Blue rock-thrush Pied rock-thrush Giant kingfisher Kingfisher
Uusky bulbul
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.... ....
Sulphury tyrant
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Crested jay-thrush White-throated jay-thrush .
Oryzoborus
crassirostrts.
Alauda arborea. Plectrophanes nivalis.
Calcarius lapponicus.
Panurus
biarmicus,
Daulias philomela.
.
.
I
Cyanecula
suetica.
Locustella ncevia.
Sylvia nisoria (North Germany). wilsoni.
Cyanea Accentor
collaris.
Monticola cyanea. Monticola saxatilis.
Dacelo gigantea. Alcedo ispida. Pycnonotus obscurus.
Pyranga sulphurea. Garrulax leucolophus.
.
.
Garrulax
albogularis.
Necklaced jay-thrush
.
.
.
Garrulax
picticollis.
Striated jay-thrush
.
.
.
Grammatoptila
striata.
INTERESTING HYBRIDS. Fuligula rufina
Anas Anas
-f
boscas
-j-
boscas
-\-
F. ferina.
Mareca
penelope.
A. querquedula.
APPENDIX ALTHOUGH
II
following extracts do not perhaps
the
pretend
before, they seem worth giving, as showing how the ruling passion was never laid aside, never allowed to grow rusty, even amid apparently the most unfavourable surroundings. London itself was made by
the interest of what
to
has gone
the enthusiasm of this naturalist a place of daily ornithological interest
;
on every
while,
notes, even of the
little trip
most familiar
into the country, he takes
birds,
with just as
much
care
though engaged on the exploration of an unknown land.
as
Thus he records the observation of no fewer than one species of birds
on
a
single
drive
thirty-
from Windsor
to
Sunningdale.
LONDON November
Den *
in the
amptonshire.
much
1881.
tfh,
Very warm, showery day.
Went round
to
morning, and did some work at my Birds of NorthHad visits there from Verner and Gunther, who talked
of choughs (Fregilus graculus) observed near St. Davids, and
say that they
seemed
to feed almost entirely
on insects of the gnat
(Tipula) family.
November
Went
morning to Zoological Gardens specially to see my Spanish bear, which is quite blind, but seems healthy (very different in looks from a young bear from Russia which *
$th.
So Lord Lilford
place of the
members
called his
in
rooms
the
in
Tenterden Street,
of the British Ornithologists' Union. 293
at the
time the meeting-
294
APPENDIX
'
same den) and the Beatrix antelopes (Oryx beatrix), which Col. Miles, and presented to the
is
in the
I
received from Muscat through
The
Society.
both females, beautiful animals, but one has
latter are
unfortunately broken both horns, and
In
II
the
Field of to-day
lost
an
eye.
W. Tomalin
a notice from Mr.
is
of a
shot on Naseby Reservoir by a Mr. Kennall of Northampton, on October 25th, and sent to Mr. J. Gardner, 29, Oxford Street, for preservation. This requires
black-throated diver (Colymbus arcticus)
investigation as to species.
November
Colder and
%th.
black-throated
Mollen
diver
(Colymbus
arcticus].
not having been Holland on account of fog.
Paul
G.
Hunt
there,
writes
went to Gardner's
I
slightly foggy.
mentioned, and found that
to see the diver before
Went
able
to
a genuine
is
it
Den and found
to start
last
for
night
he and the keeper had killed eighty-one Burton showed me a
that
snipes and jack snipes in six days' shooting.
hybrid from
fine
Russia,
and black game (Tetrao
between willow grouse (Lagopus
saliceti}
tetrix).
Went round to Den, November \vth. Very mild, fine day. and hunted through many bird drawers in search of some missing skins, without success. Leopold called, and sat with me for some Received a long-expected box from Ruiz, containing many the marbled duck (Anas angustirostris\ some doubtful,
time.
of
eggs
supposed to be those of pochard (Fuligula ferina), a skin of black stork (Ciconia nigra, juv.), and one of crested coot (Fulica cristata).
and lunched with
Tristram looked
in,
some
details
interesting
of his
last
me
at
Oriental
;
in Palestine,
travels
me*
gave
and
Syria,
Asia Minor; the most startling fact being the discovery of a darter (Plotus) breeding on the Lake of Antioch.
November out
faint
there. for
hopes
Mild, dull day.
that
some
of
my
Went
to Burton's,
bird
missing
Spent the greater part of the day at
Den
skins
who
may
writing
my
holds yet be
notes
Birds of Northamptonshire.
November the
\\th.
skin
of
\$th.
Fine, mild day.
Barbary falcon,
about
Went which
to
Burton's,
my mind
and found
has been
so
APPENDIX much
exercised.
Irby
me
paid
a
II
visit
295
at
Den.
the
Dined
at
Zoological Club dinner at Grosvenor Restaurant at 6 p.m. Flower, Sclater, A. Newton, Giinther, Dresser, O. Salvin, Saunders, Grote,
Holdsworth, self.
Dobson, Hamilton, another, Waterhouse, and
Forbes,
n, Hanover Square. Tristram exhibited some eggs of the African darter (Plotus Lake of Antioch, Newton a specimen of rustic
Meeting afterwards at
a very
fine
and
skin,
from the
levaillanti)
bunting (Emberiza rustled) shot in Yorkshire, and Sclater a stuffed (Plegadis falrinellus) shot last September in Hampshire.
glossy ibis
one relating to a splendid hummingof which specimens were
Several interesting papers read bird
(Loddigesia
nrirabilis)
from Peru,
exhibited.
November to British
the
groups
very justly
I went up by appointment where Giinther met me, and showed me 12, of British birds, with nests and eggs, of which he is
\%th.
Museum proud.
Thick, chilly fog.
at
He
also
showed
me
an extraordinary
from South America, with perfectly developed young
in
tree-frog
a
bag
in
back.
its
November i8///. Fine bright day after heavy rain in the night. went hunting for some pleasant cage bird in the Seven Dials district, but found nothing that particularly took my fancy. Sabin has a fine I
white blackbird and a young mocking bird
November
zoth.
crepitans), shot at
Notice in
(Mimus
Field of Stone
polyglottis).
Curlew (CEdicnenms
Gayton, near Northampton, October z8th.
This
is
a
rare bird in agro northantoniense.
Paul Mollen called on Very fine and bright. way back from Valkenswaard to Lilford, bringing two ash-coloured shrikes alive for me, which have been used at the huts for catching
November zyd.
his
the hawks.
November
November
z^th.
z6fh.
went with former
The
shrikes are very wild, but feed well.
Irby and
Edward Acheson
called at
Den, and
Castang has a male Bonelli's young eagle (Pseudaetus bonelli, g, juv.), two, lanners (Falco Great quantities feldeggi], and a young night heron (Nyticorax griseus). I
in a
cab to Leadenhall Market.
of capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) in the market, also
some black game
APPENDIX
296
II
t
(Tetrao tetrix\ a few hazel grouse (Tetrao bonasia), and willow grouse
(Lagopus
Very few wild-fowl
saliceti).
November duck from
(Anatidce).
Received three snipes,
z6th.
jack snipes, and a wild
five
Lilford.
December
December
corrections
Began
yth.
Birds of Europe.
addenda
and
Received three snipes from
Heard from G. Hunt
gth.
wild ducks with one
shot with the big
that
there are hardly any fieldfares
Leo
sent a skin of hybrid, I think
for
Dresser's
Lilford.
that
he had
gun which
I
killed eleven
gave him, also
(Turdus pilaris) in the country. second cross between Reeves's
This bird has a trace (Phasianus reevesi) and common pheasant. of white neck collar, I believe it is from Suffolk, a descendant of the old male
Reeves's cock pheasant which I gave to Nat Barnardiston years ago; this bird met his fate lately after propagating a numerous
hybrid race.
December
ioth.
a
received
I
letter
from Rev. G. E. Morris,
Rector of Middleton Scriven, near Bridgnorth, Salop, enclosing head and wing of a petrel picked up in that neighbourhood, about which
he had written to the Standard p.
2),
and which
I
think
is
(vide Standard,
not, as
December
8th, 1881,
he supposes, the stormy
petrel
(Thalassidroma pelagica), but a young fork-tailed petrel (Thalassidroma leucorrhoa}.
December nth. above mentioned
I
is
make
out from Dresser's book that the petrel
a specimen of Leach's or the fork-tailed petrel.
BRIGHTON December 2$rd. fork-tailed petrels
which look
brown
many
(Fringilla
specimens.
redstart (Rutirilla cairii), redstart
(Rutirilla
to Swaysland,
recently obtained
like hybrids
linnet
obtained
Went
titys),
who showed
near this place,
us a pair of
also
two birds
between greenfinch (Fringilla Moris) and of this Swaysland says he has cannabind) ;
He also had some to my mind a very
good specimens of grey distinct bird
from black
which often turns up here, and of which
Swaysland had several specimens.
APPENDIX tell
me
297
Young Walter Swaysland
December 26 1'h.
called in the evening to
he had a dark-breasted variety of barn-owl (Strix flammea) I had a long ornithological chat with him.
that
brought in
II
alive.
December 2*]th. Swaysland has a good many live birds in a compartment at the end of the pier below the platform, which, in spite
seem
of very limited space,
to
flourish.
bought a pair of mealy
I
red-polls (Linota linaria).
December
cinnamon
and
greenfinch
a
linnet,
us to
see Booth's
Road.
It
stuffed
a
is
and
collection
very
fine
His
mounted.
white-tailed eagles (Aquila
has a
was
most
of
of
cases
albicilld)
there
this
golden
(Nutifraga caryocatactes) than anything
December portion
30^.
Received
of
notes
my
and on
Dyke
more
Booth
beautiful.
of
tells
sounds
the
in
(Aquila fulva) and
especially are
Hunt
G.
year.
Wadenhoe by Quincey, which
small
birds
the birds admirably well
lot of gannets (Sula bassana) alive in his garden,
bred
(Turdus went with
He
birds.
British
of stuffed
one,
cinnamon
a
thrush
red-breasted
and other
migratorius), nightingale, blackcap,
me
showed
Verner
Colonel
zqth.
a
one of which bird
a
like
seen
at
nutcracker
else.
corrected
proofs
of
birds
Northamptonshire
a
fresh
the
for
Journal of our Natural History Society.
LONDON 1882.
yd,
January concourse
of
skins from Astrachan a
flamingo
He
also
Went back to Den and found Seebohm showed us some
ornithologists.
and Siberia; one of the most
(Ph&nicopterus antiquoruni)
in
beautiful specimens from North China. (Perdix barbatus) zbth.
My
remaining
large
interesting
was
down, from the Caspian.
showed some
January
a
beautiful
of
butcher-bird
the
little
died.
partridge
Discovered
an egg of glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) amongst those received in the last box from Manuel of Coria. It was not mentioned in
Ruiz's
mentioned
invoice it
the marisma.
in
a
and
I
letter
received a few days ago.
had
overlooked
it,
but It
old
Manuel
was taken
in
APPENDIX
'
298
The two months ranean
in
this
II
following upon his cruise in the Mediter-
Lord
year,
Lilford
spent partly
London,
in
partly at Neuenahr, whither he went to take the waters.
The
the following extracts
entry in
first
finds
him
just
returned.
LONDON
DOVER.
May
M -- S -- reports
z$th.
as being very
Letters nest in the
my
bear at Zoological Gardens
ill.
from old Manuel announcing the finding of a lanner's Goto de Donana with three young birds and an egg.
Female bird shot and found
be minus one
to
leg.
Country so
dry that no flamingoes are to be found. Gave Dresser a pair of Audouin's gulls.
LONDON
May
26th.
Agreed
to
C
buy the great auk and egg of
-
for
Irby
tells
me that Mena
has obtained Totanus stagnatilis near Malaga.
Dresser has successfully blown the eggs of Melizophilus sardus. I sent the two snakes up to the Zoological Gardens.
May
Invested
z^th.
in
a
safe
fireproof
for
better
the
preservation of the three great auk's eggs.
George Hunt near Gidding in
tells little
me
that in
March he
killed
500 woodpigeons
over a week.
* WINDSOR AND SUNNINGDALE
May young
Drove up the Long Walk to Cumberland Lodge; beauty and rhododendrons in full bloom, the
-$\st.
the beeches fern
in great
and many
rabbits
adding to the beauty of our drive to
Noticed the following birds
Sunningdale.
:
Blackbird, song-thrush,
missel-thrush, swallow, house-martin, sand-martin, swift, rook, jackdaw, nightingale, blackcap, lesser whitethroat, chiffchaff, willow-wren,
wren, robin, wren, great
yellow-hammer, tree-creeper,
tit,
stone-chat,
coal
tit,
starling,
stock-dove,
pheasant, heron, mallard.
skylark,
chaffinch,
wood-
pied wagtail,
common
sparrow,
APPENDIX
II
299
LONDON Went June ist. and a pastors laughing
to Jamrach's,
where
I
bought twelve roseate
Principal things noticed
kingfisher.
pair of Persian greyhounds, three Australian quails, and
Splendid
:
some
jerboas.
NEUENAHR Birds observed between Flushing and Cologne
June yd. harrier,
kestrel, white
carrion crow, peewit,
brown-headed
June
gull, mallard,
Was
$th.
able,
more than
frequent rests,
skylark,
wagtail,
common
redshank,
common common
sparrow,
Marsh-
:
starling,
heron, white stork,
and cormorant.
thank God, to stroll round the garden with I have done in the walking way for many
a day.
Heard I
landrail
and many
nightjars at dusk.
notice that most of the sparrows about the east side of the Curhaus,
where we are now located, are the tree sparrow (Passer montanus), which species, curiously enough, escaped my notice altogether last year.
The in
birds
seem
just as
abundant as
domestic arrangements.
their
in last I
summer, but more forward
did not hear so
much song
nightingale, but saw a good many, and heard their churr in
Several just
lesser
whitethroats
under our windows
;
(Sylvia
all
currucd) amongst the
of
directions.
pea-sticks
they and the black redstarts are kept in a
constant state of excitement by prowling cats, which affords excellent Saw a robin in Curgarten for the first opportunities of observation. time, the only birds of this species last year seen by
Many
hills.
June
me
were
in the
cuckoos.
6th.
Very
fine hot
day with south-west breeze.
I
wandered
out after breakfast along the Acazien Alice and saw a good many birds, but there is so much more grass and covert of all sorts this year than last,
and the breeze was so strong that
it
was bad
however, added three additional species to follows
list
for observation.
I,
of birds seen here, as
:
Saw a bullfinches
and a pair of and heard a note often
pair of hawfinches (Coccothraustes vulgaris)
(Pyrrhula europ<za\ new
repeated which
I
to
list,
have no hesitation in assigning to the grey-headed
woodpecker (Gecinus
canus).
APPENDIX
300
II
June ith. Heard unmistakable note of nuthatch my Neuenahr bird list.
to
June
Common
?>th.
(Sitta,
new
sp. ?)
wren (Troglodytes parvulus) singing new to Neuenahr bird list.
lustily
close to hotel this morning;
June gth. My bearded Stuhlknecht of last year knew of a nest of kite in the Wald with two eggs. June
loth.
had a
I
visit
me
told
that he
from a Neuenahr keeper, with
whom
plunged recklessly into the tongue of the Fatherland, and got on
I
fairly well.
The sportsman from " "
my
did not seem to recognise the hobby
description, but
=
" Baumfalke"
knows the following Raptores
:
kestrel
" sparrow-hawk = Sperber," " = Bussard," honey-buzzard
" Thurmfalka," goshawk = Habicht,"
Weier," buzzard
and probably
kite
owl = "Uhu," barn-owl
"Grauer Specht," " " notes = Hazelhahn
as
= "Katzuhle." He also knows Gecinus and told me that there are a good many
= =
eagle-
canus gelin-
Wald, and that he knew of a nest with
in the
seven eggs hatched off about a week ago. No blackgame = " Birkhaln " =" in this Wald; a few woodcock breed therein; Waldschnepfe " = = roe "Reh" and Wildschwein." "
wild-boars
many
June jay
My
\zth.
= "Magen," which
insisted with
June trout
in
some
bearded Stuhlknecht brought me a mutilated he said had been shot in the Curgarten, and
truth that
it
" was a " Raubvogel = bird of 'prey.
some good Wadenhoe eel-trap
Letter from G. Hunt, telling of catching
i$th.
Troywell brook,
and
ones
little
in
;
and green sand-
also of long-eared owl (Asio otus) at his reservoir,
piper (Totanus ochropus) last
month on
Bartlett
has
secured the two
antea June
ist,
1882).
A
young wild swine (Sus
the brook.
Persian
greyhounds
for
me
(vide
brought to our sitting-room we could make out, said
scrofd)
night by a wilder youth, who, as far as
was one of four taken not far
June
off.
It
\$th.
in
a
appeared to
pitfall
me
Saw a young
to
this
morning be moribund.
titys
redstart
in
the
about
on
at it
Hoh-Wald
his
own
account.
June
ibth.
My
younger Stuhlknecht of
last
year brought
me
a
APPENDIX fine
very
waiter
of a
man
bat
of long-eared
specimen
tells
301
(Plecotus
auritus),
has two young "
who
Altenahr
at
II
and our
Uhus
"
(Bubo
alive.
maximusT)
June \*]th. Found that the "Uhus" mentioned above had been and sent to Bonn. Young swallows flying.
sold
from Leo, with some details about seem to be sEgialitis asiatica
Letter
his
the best things
and a falcon doubtful but supposed
in
Egyptian birds
;
breeding plumage,
be F. barbarus.
to
Heard
from G. Lascelles that the two young Maddalena, which had reached him in wretched Wrote to Castang, telling him to send condition, were improving. down a lanner, hobby, and hawk, which he thinks is Saker, to Lilford. i8M.
June
falcons from
June list
Saw
\^th.
also a
;
the
(Alcedo
kingfisher
woodpecker
new
ispida),
which
in Curgarten,
I
am
to
Neuenahr
almost certain was
Gecinus canus. 2oth.
June their tits
young
Watched
tree
(Certhia familiaris)
creepers
feeding
head of pollard willow. Saw some fifty This caudatd) new to my Neuenahr list.
in nest at
(Acredula
little
was
apparently a collection of several families out for a lark together.
to
June 22nd. Saw common my Neuenahr list.
Saw
June 2yd. Neuenahr list.
grey
(Motacilla
wagtail
Heard golden
Hunt announcing
from G.
sandpiper (Totanus
oriole,
the
quail,
finding
sulphurea),
new
and wood lark.
of hobby's
new
hypoleucus\
to
Letter
nest with
three
Geddington Chase, and the fact that the gamekeeper who this found one destroyed eggs and shot the old birds from another
eggs in
nest last year in
June in
2Afth.
Heard from
plumage, and
good
Castang
viz.,
supposed arrived
Boughton Wood.
at
saker
lanner
from (Falco
(which
Lilford, "and
desertorum) was dead.
Bartlett
is
that
Paul
he had a hobby for me Mollen that the hawks from that
feldeggi),
not
what
one
of
hobby it
is
(F.
subbuteo\
and
supposed to be) had
the African
buzzards (Buteo
302
APPENDIX
,
Saw dipper
and heard many common green both new to my Neuenahr list.
(Cinclus aquaticus)
woodpeckers (Gecinus
June
II
viridis)>
T.
from
Letter
2$th.
me
telling
of
various
casualties
Notice Lilford, which Paul Mollen had ignored. from W. Tomalin of teal (Anas crecca) breeding at Ecton,
amongst birds at in
field
Northamptonshire.
June
Letter
27//%.
from
brought by Leo from Nile so as
it
the
in
stork
Neuenahr
telling
is
inclined to consider
white-looking
large
alba) or a large
gull,
bird I
must,
me
that
more
falcon
particularly
F. punictis.
it
on wing far away think, have been a
which are new to
either of
my
list.
Letter from
zgth.
of
particulars
Book
Gurney
of Apollinaris, which
direction
(Ciconia
June
Saw a
2%th.
H.
a puzzling specimen,
not sexed, but he
is
June
J.
is
teal
W. Tomalin,
Ecton
at
of Northamptonshire, vol.
G.
Letters from
Hunt
telling
inst.
25th
(vide
under
ii.,
dated
me
this
that
28th,
and
for
with
more
details
to
date).
the
hobby's nest before
Geddington Chase "is in a straight grown oak, an old crow's nest about thirty feet from the ground and some two " hundred yards from nearest track or riding (vide June 23rd). mentioned
June
in
Letters
$oth.
from
Paul
Mollen
telling
me
that
the
gulls (Larus dominicanus and L. argentatus) in courtyard at Lilford had paired again this spring, nested, laid, and hatched out
two
three
young ones, two of which he has
lost.
He
also says that he
thinks that the supposed saker (F, sacer) from Castang falcon (vide
Two
June
very
is
a Barbary
24th).
young
falcons
brought
Landskrone, so small that I cannot
tell
to
me
what they
alive are.
from
the
INDEX Barcelona, Observations around, 211 BARCLAY, COL. H., Letters to, 33, 264
Accentor, Alpine, 276
Accentor
collaris,
276
Accipiter nisus, 133 Address, Presidential (Northants Field
Bat, Fruit-, 41
Club), 39 jEgialitis hiaticula 284
Bear, Spanish, 147, 293 Story of a, 40
}
Alboran Island, Observations around, Albufera, Observations around, 207
Ampelis g ami his,
caryophyllacea, 282
302
Andalucia, Crossbills in, 14 Observations in, 219 ,,
Andalucian hemipode, 15 albifrons, 75 (note)
brachyrhynchus, 75 (note) ferus, 214 (note) segetum, 75 (note) Antelopes, Beatrix, 294
Apteryx,
37, 38,
Bittern, 71, 72, 86, 279, 286
Tiger, 293-5
273
Amydnis tristrami, 49, 272-3 Anas angustirostris, 274
Anser
Bee-eater, 241 (note).
Bemicula jubata, 284
203, 223
crecca,
Bats, 149, 153, 162
Blackbird,
"
Golden-winged,"
Blackcap, Madeira, 14, 48 Azores, 193 Bladderwort, 6
Blue bird, 276 Botaurus stellaris, 279 " Brails " (and note), 63 Bramblings, 17 Brazo del Este (Guadalquivir), Sport on, 218
Bubo ascalaphus, 285 cinerasceus, 274
83
Aquila adalberti, 195 Ardea, 283 tinerea, 274
(note), 278
goliath, 273
macrilosus, 272
,,
maximus, 59 BUCKLEY, T. ESQ., Letters Bucks Otter-hounds, 1 1 1 ,,
Ardetta minuta, 286
Buffon's Skua, 14
Astur palumbariiis, 133, 283 Athene noctua, 16, 85
Bulbul, 274
Auk, Great, Egg Little,
1
8
of,
5
141
Black, 268
Bunting,
Cirl,
20
149 Yellow-breasted, 282 Little,
,,
Barbel,
to, 112,
Bullfinch, 71
58-9, 298
Avocets, 50, 286
Badgers, 61
49.
Blackbirds, 19
Bustard, Great, 30,
57, 146,
199 (note),
200, 279, 284-6
INDEX
34 Bustard, Houbara, 67, 68, 71 Little, 275,
Collection, Ornithological, etc.
At
286
Pisa, 226
Valencia, 206
Bustard-quails, 169 (note) "
Bustards, Killing of, 29 Butcher-bird, 122
Coloured Birds,"
Buteo vulgaris, 60 (note) Buzzard, Common, 60 Honey-, 266 (note), 285 Rough-legged, 80
Columba
Figures ix,
of
the
British
90
bollii, 66,
80
67,
laurivora, 70 (note) cenas, 151
palumbus, 279
,,
trocaz, 28, 50, 281
Caccabis group (note),
1
50
rufa, 29
,,
sexatilis, 152 Cadiz, Observations around, 195, 213 ,,
Colymbus arcticus, 294 Coney, The, of Scripture, 86 Coracias garrulus, 65 (note) ESQ., Letters
CORDEAUX, JOHN,
Cagliari, Observations around,
I7O-73 Cahera, Observations around, 184 Carcaras, 285 Cat, Archangelic, 78 (and note)
Wild, 214
Corsica,
West Coast
of,
Observations
around, 244 Corvus corax, 82 '.
frugilegus, 151
Catania, Observations around, 157
COSGRAVE, RICHARD, Note
Cereopsis novce-hollandice, 275 Chaffinch, Canarian, 68
Courser, 68, 95
"Teydean,"
Cream-coloured, 261-2
49, 71
Chaffinches, 17
Charadrius pluvialis, Note on, 22
Choughs, Alpine,
,,
60
Crex parva, 94 CRICHTON, HON. MRS., Letters Crossbills, 14, 17, 34
Crow, Grey, 13, 32 Cryptorhina afra, 280
cyaneus, 274-5
Curlew,
20
9,
282, 295
Australian, 54
Cockatoo, Great Blue-eyed, 267
Curruca heinekeni, 69
Collection, Ornithological, etc.
Cursorius gallicus, 203 (note) Curvirostra, 17 Cyanocorax luxuosus, 270
At Brighton, 297 ,,
Genoa, 149
,,
Lilford, 36-38,
Lisbon, 193
Malaga, 203 ,,
Malta, 167
pileatus, 285
287-92
Cygnet, White, 275 Cygnus bewicki, 276 ,,
ferus, 19, 276
Naples, 153
,,
(note),
58, 70 Manchurian, 58, 274 Siberian, 284 White-necked, 170, 275
1 60 (note) cineraceus, 60, 160 (note), 285
Cirl Bunting,
203
44
Cranes, 58 52,
Cornish, 52, 293 Circaetus gallicus, 180 (note), 286 Circus,
on,
Crakes, 94 Crane, Hooded,
Cheiroptera, 149 Chelidon, 223 Chettusia gregaria, 211 Chiffchaffs, 12
to, 13,
19
Nice, 244 Palermo, 168
Dafila spinicauda, 280
to,
112
INDEX Danube, The, for Naturalists, 33 Darter, 294 Dehesa, Observations in the, 1 86 Diuca diuca, 286
Editor, The, voyage to
Egg ,,
Don
THE
MARCHESE
GIACOMO,
148
Rocks of, 228 Emberiza aureola, 282 Epirus, Flighting
Falco cesalon, 129 anatum, 281 ,,
DRESSER, HENRY, Esq., Letter from, 253 on Lord Lil253
DREWITT, HON. MRS., Letters
to,
,,
15,
norvegicus, 86
,,
19,
pcregrinator, 79 pcregrinus, 118
,,
,,
9,
feldeggi, 196 (note), 286
248,
Duck, Bimaculated, 18 Pink-headed, 53
,,
subbuteo, note
165
214-5
Hawk, 281
La Marmora's,
,,
Nile,
8,
Golden,
32, 33, 43,
White-tailed,
42, 43, 92,
Snake,
I,
26
(note),
94
180 (note)
(note),
Is.,
of, 117 Protection of birds on, 258,
260
Fieldfares, 9, 13, 15, 19 Fishes jumping ashore, 15
Flamingoes, 93,
195
278
Eagles, 21, 33 Editor, The, Letters
115
Ferrets, Polecat, 61
Spanish Imperial, 147, 212
Tawny, 284 White - shouldered,
of,
Felts, 13
Spotted, 95, 149 ,,
32
Practice
,,
Fame
274
Morocco, Si Mania, 1 17
,,
284
149,
in
,,
283
Chilian,
a,
Falconry, Antiquity
Sea-, White-bellied, 46, 88, 281
,,
132
301-2
Story of
,,
Sea-,
25, 78,
Falcon, 40, 114-5, 124 Eleonora, 149, 175-6, 179
Eagle, Bonelli's, 201 (note), 285 Booted, 93, 201 (note)
,,
on
tinnunciihts, 27
Hybrid, 281 Marbled, 54, 274, 286 Dunlins, 191
,,
280
eleonora, 274
,,
250, 253, 255
Ducks,
barbarus, 178 (note), 276 cenchris, 165 (note),
,,
ford's " finds,"
Tufted,
9-10
Erythrospiza githaginea, 7 1 " Eyesses," 118, 119
Pink-headed, 282
,,
in,
Ernes, 25
Stock, 28 18
,,
142
in,
Observations
,,
Dove, Crested, 50 ,, Laurel, 70 Rock, 228
,,
257,
Elba, Observations around, 227-9
Dormouse, 42
Drake,
270
Swindle, An, 263
,,
Quixote," 245, 269
DORIA,
Is.,
Egrets, 54, 273
19, 31
Red-throated, 31
,,
"
Kolguev
LORD LILFORD on, 257 Protection, LORD LILFORD on, Act,
261
Diver, Black-throated, 24, 294
Great Northern,
305
to, 73, 74,
77, 78, 85, 86, 101, 270, 271
75, 76,
53,
297
Flighting in Epirus
and Tunis, 142
Fox, Hill-, 22 Francolinus bicalcaratus, 81, 277, 281 infnscatits, 286 vulgaris, 149, 156 (note)
20
INDEX
306 FREEMAN, THE REV. GAGE EARLE, Pref.,
1
vii.
Galago
Guadalquivir, Sport on, 213-9 Guillemot, Black, 93 Guillemots, 187 Gull, Audouin's, 149, 177, 241-2 ,, Black-headed, 152 (note), 153
cristata, 165 (note)
Gadwall, Habit
of,
274
viridirostris,
,,
Fregilus graculus, 293 Fringilla tintillon, 68 Fuerteventura Is., 61, 262
Fuligula
Grus, monachtis, 58 70
14 (note), 115, 144
9
backed, 272 Brown-headed, 85
,,
,,
demidoffi, 81
Gallinula angulata, 278 Gallinule, 277, 282
Common,
Gannet, 187 (note) Getinus canus, 277
Herring, 150, 286 Laughing, 211
viridis, 18,
,,
1
,,
(note),
150,
52 (note), 153 78, 178, 187,
240
"
76
Geese, Australian maned, 284 Genncea sacer or lanarius, 169 (note)
Genoa, LORD LILFORD at, 148-9 Geranoaetus melanoleucus, 283 Germany, Observations in, 299, 300-
Robber," 14 GttNTHER, DR. ALBERT, Letters from, to HON. MRS. DREWITT, 250 GUNTHER, DR. ALBERT, Letters to, 5, 34 Gypaetus barbattts, Note on, 32, 75, 278
1-2.
Giannutri, Observations around, 232 Gibraltar,
,,
201
,,
,,234
Giglio,
"Glowworm," The
s.s.,
"Hack," Flying
at,
Note
on, 26
"
Hacking," 118-21 Haggards, 118, 121 (and note)
Method of Capture,
271
Godwit, 219 (note), 286
Haliaetus
Goldfinches, 17
,, leucogaster, 88, 281 Hare, Story of a, 142-3
Goosander, 22, 23 Goose, Bean, 75, 279-81 ,,
,,
,,
,,
albicilla,
Harrier, Montagu's, 60, 96, 285 1
Cereopsis, 275-6
Harriers,
Grey Lag, 214 and note
Hawfinch,
Hybrid, 279 N. American, 54 Pinkfooted, 19, 75
Hawk,
i)
Goshawk,
t.
272
,,
,,
Hawks, 124, 126
leucogeranus, 284
8,
25
i
"Yarak," 135
Magpie, 129 Partridge, 126
Rabbit, 135 Rook, 128
Grebes, 97.
leucauchen, 70, 275
1
Sparrow-, 132, 136-7 Hawking, Grouse, 124-6 Heron, 128 ,, ,,
49,
Grey-hen, 20 Grouse, 286
"Hawking,"
7, 16, 17,
"Duck," 281
Solan, 187 (note)
Grus, australasiana, 280
66 (note)
Cos-, 114, 132-3, 136, 293
White-fronted, 75, 91, 279-8 Wild, 215 114, 283 Gracula intermedia, 275 Grakle, Chestnut-winged, Grebe, Great Crested, 13
12
26 (note)
Snipe, 126 118
14,
Diseases and Medicines, 138-9 "Eyess," 123 Imping, 138 Long-winged, 118, 132-3
INDEX La
Hawks, Moulting
of, 138 Passage," 121 Red, 121
"
,,
,,
La
Corta,
Observations around, 214,
216-7, 219 Corta, Shooting around, 215
Short-winged, 132-6
Lammergeiers,
Training
Landrails, 12
134 Wild-caught, 126 of,
Hen-harrier, 274-5
Heron, 23, 108, 126, 155, 274 Goliath, 273-4, 279 -Hawking, 128 Night, 85, 278 Hierro Is., 35
Hobby
307
Falcon,
9, 78,
131,
301-2
" Holts " of Otters, 103
Hoopoe, 14, 65 HOPE, G., ESQ., Letters
258-60
Hybrid, Mallard + Teal, 31 Hybrids, Interesting, 292, 294, 296 Hypocolius ampelinus, 279 Hyrax capensis, 86
278
Lanner, 196 (note), 286, 298 Lapwing, Black -bellied, 211 (note) Cayenne, 275 Lark, Algerian Horned, 66 Thick-billed, 66 ,,
Larus audouini, 149
177, 181,
(note),
253 ,,
cachmnans, 150 (note)
,,
leucophceus, 150 (note), 224
melanocephalus, 152 (note), 155 ridtbundus, 152 (note), 21 1
,,
to,
45, 75,
,,
Leghorn, Observations near, 151, 226 LEMON, MRS., Letter to, 266
Lemur, Ruffed,
n
LEVERKUHN, DR. PAUL,
xiii.
Lilford, 4, 36
Ibis, 51, 54,
Arrival of Migrants at, 13, 23 Aviaries at, 37-8, 287
,,
Ibex, 149
283
Glossy, 212, 286, 295, 297 "
"
The, LORD LILFORD'S Contrito, ix, x del Ayre, Observations around,
Birds
at,
Birds
at,
Ibis,
12
butions Isla
183-4 Italy, Sport in, 151-2 Iviza, Observations around, 185, 210 ,, Zoology of, 210
Jan. 31, 1895, 268 July 16 and 31, 1888,
Collection
at, 287-92 Neighbourhood, Botany Park, 6
,,
LILFORD, LORD (4th Baron),
i
of, 5
(Introd.),
ii
and "Birds of Europe," 254
Jay, Mexican, 278
and
Pileated, 285
Jays, 50
Bucks
,,
,,
and
correspondence, 12,
Kestrel, 25, 26. 27, 286 ,, Lesser, 165, 280 Kite, 16 (note), 20, 21 in Spain, 21 ,,
,,
tram, 248
,,
,,
Act, 257 andthefeatherfashion,
264-6
and the Soc.
Knot, 283 Is.,
252
and Rev. Canon Tris-
and the Egg
Kiwi, 83 (note)
Kolguev
Otter-
in
hounds,
270
tection
for Pro-
of
Birds,
265 Lacerta simoni, Note on, 35 ,,
viridis,
269
,,
,,
as a Naturalist, 249
as an observer, 251
INDEX
3 o8
LILFORD, LORD, in conversation, 252 in Parliament, 255 ,, in Spain, 146-7 Kindness of, 249, ,,
,,
,,
254-5
on foxhunting, 100 on himself, 3 (Introd.) on Sport, 98 LILFORD'S, LORD, Attachment to Spain, ,,
,,
Migrants, Arrival
Milvus
,,
,,
,,
flava, 34
,,
Mouse, Barbary,
42, 75 Harvest, 73, 74
Work, Appreciation
Mygale pyrenaicum,
247 "Finds," 253
Mynah,
Lisbon, Observations around, 193
LITTLETON, THOMAS, 4th FORD, i (Introd.) Lizard, Green, 260
BARON
Hill-,
LIL-
Nene, River, around Lilford, 4, 5, 9 Perch in, 5 Uncommon Wildfowl on, 9 ,, ,, Neophron, 202 Neuenahr, Observations around, 299, ,,
Simony's, 35 Loddigesia, mirabilis, 295 Longicornes, 164 (note)
,,
300-1-2
Ninox boobook, Machetes pugnax, 281 Maddalena, Observations around, 2369. 243 Magpie-hawking, 129 Malaga, Observations around, 226 Mallard, 9, 19 Malta, Observations around, 167
MATTHEW, THE REV. MURRAY,
to,
Northamptonshire,
Letters
Description
,,
ix., 7, 8,
arquatus, 282
hudsonicus, 253
Nutcrackers, Letters
from HON. MRS. DREWITT,
145,
52, 81, 149, 274 Nuthatch, White-bellied, 277
Nycticorax griseus, 278
255
MEADE-WALDO,
E. G. B., ESQ., Letters
Observations around
to, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 24, 25,
Alboran
26, 27, 28, 35, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65,
Albufera, 207 Barcelona, 211
67. 69, 70, 71. 73. 78, 79. 80, 8 1, 82, iii, 257,
262
Melizophilus sardus, 243, 253 Merganser, 22, 23 Mergus merganser, note on, 22 ,,
serrator, 22
Is.,
204
Cadiz, 195 Cagliari, 170 Cahera, 184
Catania, 157-8-9 Catania, Pantani
Merlins, 80, 129, 137
Elba, 227
Merops
Genoa, 150
apiaster, 241 (note) Messina, Observations around, 155
of,
around Lilford, 5 " Notes on the Birds of Northants and Neighbourhood,"
214
MATTHEW, THE REV. MURRAY,
281
Nisaetus fasciatus, 201 (note) pennatus, 201 (note) Northamptonshire Birds, 267
Numenius
Marten, 30 143, 144,
74
275
Naples, Observations around, 151 " Native Companion," Australian, 280
Linnets, 17
to, 34, 85, 86,
20
ictinus,
around, 230 Motacilla alba, 151
,,
of,
Lilford, 13, 15,
Minorca, Observations around, 124 Monte Cristo and Giglio, Observations
,,
245
of, at
17, 21
Giannutri, 232
di,
159
9
INDEX Observations around Gibraltar, 201, 221 Giglio,
Osprey, 25, 95, 201 Otis macqueeni, Note on, 67
234
Note
tarda,
,,
Isla del Ayre, 183 Iviza, 185,
309
on, 29, 199, 279,
2IO-H
La Corta, 214 Leghorn and Pisa,
151, 226
Otter-hounds, 103 Otter hunting
Lisbon, 193-4
Country
for, 107 hunting a drag," 105 in South Devon, 112
Maddalena, 236, 243 Malaga, 221
"
Malta, 167
"
Messina, 155
running heel," 105
the "holt" or "hover," 106
Minorca, 224
Monte Cristo and
Giglio,
Otter Hunts, "
230
Red
Letter," 105
Naples, 152
Otters, 15, 41, 101, 112
Neuenahr, 299-301
Owl, Barn, 16, 24, 277 Boobook, 281 Burrowing, 88
other Places in Sicily, 159-60
Palermo, 169 Palmas, Bay of, 180
Eagle, 59-60, 274, 285
,,
Pauillac, 188
Great Grey, 76 (note) Hawk, 63 Horned, 272 Lapp, 62 (note), 63, 65
,,
Port Ercole, 231 Port Mahon, 182-3, 224
,,
San Luca de Barrameda,
195, 213,
,,
220
Little,
San Stefano,
235, 240
212
26, 46-7, 84, 85
282
16,
Scandinavian, 64
,,
Spargi and Spargiotto, 241 Spezia, 150, 225 Straits of Bonifacio, 236 Syracuse, 162
1 6,
Long-eared, Marsh, 16
,,
Santander, 189 Seville, 196,
284
275 ,, undulata, 67 (note) Otocorys bilopha^ 66 tetrax,
,,
Tawny,
16, 20, 24,
85
Ural, 86, 281
Owls,
59, 60, 62-3,
Usefulness
,,
85
of,
47-8
Oyster-catchers, 50, 90
Taormina, 156 Toro, 176
Torre del Annunziata, Vacca, 174 Valencia, 206, 223
1
Palermo, Observations around, 169 Palmas, Bay of, Observations around, 1 80 Observations di Pantani Catania,
54
Vigo, 192
West Coast 244 Observations
of Corsica, Sagona,
at Sea, 187-8, 222,
225
Flushing Cologne, 299
and
Windsor
and
between ,,
between
,,
in the
at Lilford, ,,
Partridge, ,,
Sunningdale, 298 Dehesa, 186
QLdemia nigra, 190
CEdicnemm
around, 159-60
Park
(note)
crepitans, 295
,,
6 Trees
in,
150 Hawking, 126 Grey, 28 ,,
in
N. Spain, 29
Red-leg, 150 Partridges, 12, 27, 286 ,,
6
Common,
at
Genoa, 150
INDEX
jio Pants
Cypriotes, 253 palmensts, 67 (note), 69 Passage of small birds on the backs of
Pochard,
large ones, 34 Pauillac, Observations around,
Polecat, 30 1
88
Peewits, 17, 23
a, 143 A, used in Falconry, 124
,,
Polyborus brasiliensis, 285 Porphyrio melanottis, 280 Porphyrios, 51, 159 (note), 280, 286 Porpoises, 188
Pelican, 153 African, 223
,,
9, 19 Pointer, Description of
Port Ercole, Observations around, 231
Perch, dusky, 243
Perdix barbatus, 297
Mahqn,
Peregrines, 30, 118, 119, 281
Pernis apivorus, 285 296 Storm, 96, 97 ,, Phalacrocorax graculus, 278
Portugal, Crossbills
in,
14
Pratincola dacotias, 61 (note)
Petrel, 221 (note),
Phaps
182,
224
Puffin, 91
Puffinus, 151, 154
chalcoptera, 281
Pheasant, Reeves's, 72-3, 80
Quail,
Madagascar Bush-, 81
Quails, 14, 66
Shooting, 144
,,
Pheasants, 23 Rabbit-shooting, 144
Hybrids, 153 in. Albania, 28, 79, 144
Ravens, Hierro, 35
PHILLIPS, E. CAMBRIDGE, ESQ., Letters to, 21, 26, 29, 257, 261 PHILLIPS, MRS., Letter
Phylloscopus sibilatrix, Pico'ides major, 76 ,,
Picus
266
to,
Note
Wood-,
15,
17,
27 a,
139-41 66
clot- bey,
Robin, Blue, 50 Robins, 19
Rock-Thrush, Blue, Rodents, 64-5 50, 71,
48, 87,
202
Rollers, 65
Rook-hawking, 128
279-81 Pigeons, and Falconry, 122 " Antwerp carriers," 28
Pinetum, The, Description
9,
Rhamphocorys
28
17, 24, 25,
286
Redstarts, 296 Retriever, Story of
76
cissa,
of,
22,
39, 82,
272
83, 147,
Redwings,
tridactylus, 65 (note),
Hybridisation
"Sankey" and "Grip,"
Redshanks,
on, 24
272 martius, 77 ,, Pigeon, Bolle's, 66 (note) ,, Bronze-winged, 281 ,,
,,
of, 37,
Rooks, 15 Ruffs, 50, 90, 281
57
Pintail, 19
ST. QUINTIN,
Chilian, 280
W.
H., ESQ., Letters to,
3, 72
Pipits, 17
Saker, 169
Plegadis faldnelhis, 212, 286, 295-7 Plotus, levaillanti, 294-5 Plover, 22, 284
San Lucar de Barrameda, Observations
,,
,,
,,
San
around, 195, 213, 220 Stefano, Observations,
around,
235, 240
Bartram's, 96 Gold Nicobar, 51 Golden, 22
Sand-grouse
Norfolk, 85
Sand-pipers,
in the
Spurn
Sand-piper, Green, 12 9,
151
District, 13
Santander, Observations around, 189
Sparrowhawk,
Saxicola, 162 Scilly Is., Protection of Birds on, 259
Sparrows, 164 Spezia, Observations
Scomber, 231, 235 Scoters, 190 Seal, 149 " Seal," The, of Otters, 102
Sport in
23, 87
at, 150, 225 151-2 " Spraint," The, of Otters, 102 Starling, Rose-coloured, 149 ,, Sardinian, 280-2
Italy,
286
Sea-pies, 50
Starlings, 17, 19, 279,
Sea-swallows, 155 Senegal pies, 280 Seville, Observations around, 196-201, 212
Stercorarius catarrhactes, 55
Shooting around, 197-201 Shags, 174-5, 2 78 Shahin, Black, 79
STOPFORD,
,,
Storks, 34 Straits of
Shearwaters, 154 (note), 175, 179, 221 (note) Shovellers, 10
WALTER
M., ESQ., Letters
113
Bonifacio,
Observations
around, 236 Strix capensis, 277
Sturmts unicolor, 280 Sula bassana, 187 (note)
Shrew, Spanish Trumpet, 74 Water-, 73 Shrike, Great Grey, 61
Swan, Bewick's, 9, 91, 276 Whooper, Note on, 19, ,,
91,
276
Grey Coly, 279
Swifts, 12, 20, 222
Red-backed, 286
Sylvia melanopogon, 223 ,, melanothorax, 253 Syracuse, Observations around, 162-6
Shrikes, 122, 298 Sialia sialis, 276 Sicily,
Stone-chat, 61
to, 22, 23, 82,
Shama, 48
,,
parasiticus, 14
,,
Stoats, Pied, 31
Observations in, 159 life in, 168
Syrnium
Wild
atricapilla,
Siskins, 23 Sitta albiventris, 277
,,
,,
Skylark-hawking, 130 Skylarks, 17
69
cinereum, 76
,,
lapponicum, 62, 79 newarense, 63 perspicillatum, 63 uralense, 281
Skua, Buffon's, 14 ,.
Egg
of,
Taormina, Observations near, 156 Teal, 15, 19, 302 Japanese, 54
55
Great, 55, 56 ,,
Richardson's, 222
Smews, Snipe, ,,
,,
Tern, 172
19
16, 77, 96, 190,
Spain, Birds Kites
of, in,
,,
91 21
"
LORD LILFORD in, 146-7 LORD LILFORD'S attachment 245 Vultures Spargi and on, 241
of,
Black, 12 Protection
218, 294
Hawking, 125
THORBURN, to,
171 (note)
Spargiotto,
258-9 Thick-knee,"
Observations
of,
54,
on
East
85 (note)
A., ESQ., Letters to, 72, 83,
90-97 Thrush, Blue Rock, 48, 87 Chinese Laughing, 280 ,, ,,
Coast,
Missel, 27 Song, 19
INDEX
312 Thrushes,
15,
Waders, 12
25
Tigrisoma tigrinum, 273 Titmouse, 67, 253 Tits, Blue, 69 Toro, Observations around, 176, 181 Torre del Annunziata, Observations
Wagtails, Blue-headed, 34 Warbler, La Marmora's, 253 ,, Sedge and Reed, 12
near, 154 Tortoise, 180
Water-rail, 94, 108
Wax wing, 19, 273 Wheatears, 162
Giant, 79
Totanus stagnatilis, 298 LORD LILFORD, 248 TRISTRAM, THE REV. CANON, Letters from HON. MRS. DREWITT, 248 TRISTRAM, THE REV. CANON, Letters Tribute to
Troupial, 50
"Trumpeters,"
71,
Tunis, Flighting
in,
82 142
14,
Wildfowl, Behaviour on the wing of, 9 WILLIMOTT, THE REV. W., 15, 30, 31
Woodcock, 13 Woodpecker, Black,
Turdi, 27 i
Whitethroat, Lesser, 12
Whoopers, 19, 276 Wigeon, 19, 217
WILLIMOTT, THE REV. W., and LORD LILFORD, 31 (note) Willow-wren, 12 Wind-hover, Note on, 27
89
to, 4, 87, 88,
Wood, 24 Water-hens, 51
169
nigricollis, 81 ,,
Vacca, Observations around, 174, 181 Valencia 206, 223 ,,
,,
Valkenswaard, 14
,,
1
76,
,,
Grey-headed, 65 Lesser Spotted, 8 Little, 1 6
,,
Three-toed, 65
147
18,
Pied, 272, 275, 283
53
Vigo, Observations around, 192-3 VISGER, MRS. OWEN, Letters to,
3,
267-8, 270 Vulture, Bearded, 26, 32,
75,
272
Vanellus cayennensis, 275 Vespertilio schreiberi,
72,
283 Golden-winged, 76 Green, 7, note on
33,
45,
92,
Woodpigeon,
15, 17, 24, 25, 279,
281-2
298 Wood-warblers, 24
273, 284
Zoological Club Dinner, 295 " Zoologist," The, LORD LILFORD'S Con-
Black, 44-5, 171 (note)
Cinereous, 278
tributions
Egyptian, 171 Griffon,
44-5,
171
LORD
216 Vultures, The, of Spain, 171 (note)
Printed by Ha/sell, Watson
Mammalia
LILFORD'S
butions
<S
on
in, xii, xiii
(note),
Viney, Lei.,
Contri-
to, x, xi, xii
London and Aylesbwy.
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