350 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



but Mr. Beaumont was perfectly satisfied as to its validity as 

 a Yorkshire specimen ; a satisfaction in which I am unable 

 to participate, from the extremely vague character of the 

 evidence adduced.] 



HONEY BUZZARD. 

 Pernis apivorus (Z.). 



Bird of passage, of rare occurrence in spring and autumn ; most 

 frequently observed at the latter period, and near the coast. 



The first mention of the Honey Buzzard in the county is 

 probably that in Denny's Leeds Catalogue (1828), where one 

 was said to have been obtained at Harewood, which passed 

 into the collection of Dr. Leach. 



Thomas Allis, 1844, wrote : — 



Peruis apivorus. — Honey Buzzard — Two or three specimens are 

 mentioned as having occurred in the East Riding ; in the West Riding 

 it has been met with rarely by most of my correspondents, except in 

 the neighbourhood of Doncaster, where it is met with not infrequently. 



The late John Hancock in his catalogue of " Birds of 

 Northumberland and Durham," considered this to be one 

 of the commonest larger birds of prey, whilst the late J. 

 Cordeanx in his " Birds of the Humber District " stated 

 he had not met with a Lincolnshire-killed specimen. In 

 Yorkshire it has been frequently recorded when on its migratory 

 course. 



It has no doubt bred in the county, for Dr. Farrar in- 

 formed Thomas Allis that a pair fixed their quarters in 

 VVharncliffe Wood in 1833, one of them being shot ; and the 

 late W. W. Boulton of Beverley was of opinion that two young 

 birds, which formerly constituted part of his fine collection, 

 were bred amid the wooded margins of the Hornsea Mere. 

 The specimens are now in the possession of Mr. F. Boyes 

 who, however, observes that they are quite mature enough 

 to have been migrants. Additional important evidence 

 respecting the nesting of this species is furnished by an item 



