40 ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLES. 



errors and exaggerations which have crept into 

 some of our earlier histories are frequently attri- 

 butable to a want of care in this respect, or too 

 gi'eat a share of credulity on the part of their 

 authors; the verification of facts should be a 

 grand object with all who labour in the wide field 

 of Natural History; and the observer who con- 

 fines himself even to one district, however limited, 

 will find ample materials for investigation and 

 record, without having occasion to press into his 

 service either apocryphal anecdotes or doubtful 

 species. 



A sea eagle, in immature plumage, was shot 

 some years ago by the proprietor of the Dolphin 

 Inn, at Shoreham. It was observed preying on 

 a dead fisli which had been thrown up by the 

 waves on the beach, and being gorged, was killed 

 without difiiculty. In January, 1844, a sea eagle 

 was shot near Windmill Hill, in the parish of 

 Wartling, and during the winter of 1841 a bird of 

 the same species was observed in the neighbour- 

 hood of Rottingdean for nearly a month ; he was 

 unusually wary, and generally haunted the banks 

 of a small sheep-pond on the high Downs, where 

 he could command a good view of an approach- 

 ing enemy; and when the tide was out he would 

 appear on the shore in search of dead fish, always 

 keeping away from the cliffs, and taking prompt 



