Raptorial Birds of the Solway Area. 331 



gentleman's own words, that I quote from " Birds of the West of 

 Scotland," p. 37 : — "Within a comparatively recent period I have 

 known the Goshawk to breed in Kirkcudbrightshire, in which 

 district my correspondent, Mr Totenham Lee, jun., who was 

 quite familiar with all the British Birds of Prey, repeatedly 

 saw the birds flying about. Under the observation of that 

 gentleman, a pair of Ravens were turned out of their nest by two 

 Goshawks, who appropriated it to their own use, and a second 

 nest built not far from this locality was situated in a tree." Thus 

 far Gray's narrative, which was penned, or at least published, in 

 1871. But the incidents described had happened about 18 years 

 previously. At that time Mr Lee was a very young man, and 

 his sporting rambles were under the tutelage of Gilbert Anderson, 

 the keeper on Glenlee, whom I knew well, and who died only last 

 year, almost a nonagenarian. With Anderson I have discussed 

 and rediscussed the Goshawk story over and over again. The 

 birds were Peregrines, or, as old Gilbert preferred to call 

 them, "Game Hawks!" He told me some folks always called 

 the Peregrines " Goshawks, ' ' but the real Goshawk he had never 

 seen alive !] 



The Sparrow Hawk. 



This is by far the most abundant of all our remaining Birds 

 of Prey, and no other species come so regularly under observa- 

 tion. During the months when the autumn migration is going 

 on this hawk is most in evidence, and it is during that period of 

 very regular and evenly distributed abundance. The word 

 "abundance " is in this connection a comparative term. From 

 the very nature of the case, birds of prey, of any British species, 

 in ordinary circumstances, can never be more than widely 

 scattered points, or in the breeding season, small and very 

 isolated family parties. 



During winter, also, but becoming scarcer as the season 

 advances, Sparrow Hawks are not at all uncommon. With the 

 spring migration a sudden accession of numbers takes place, most 

 of the birds passing onwards — northwards or eastwards. As a sum- 

 mer resident the species has become greatly reduced in number, 

 and although a nest is still no rarity, it is not nearly so common 

 as formerly. There can be little question that since the modern 

 form of game preserving set in, now some 70 or 80 years ago, the 

 resident, or breeding, stock of Sparrow Hawks has been destroyed 



