@ccurvence of some of the Raver Species of 
Hirds in the Aeighbourhood of Salisbury. 
By the Rey. ArtHur P. Morres, Vicar of Britford. 
(Read before the Society at Salisbury, August, 1876.) 
PART I.—RAPTORES. 
N yielding to the kind persuasions of my friends, the Rev. 
A. C. Smith, and Mr. E. T. Stevens, to contribute a paper 
on the natural history of this district, I will premise that I have 
undertaken it as a duty as well as a pleasure, as no other person 
came forward to fill the gap; and can only hope, that feeling per- 
sonally a great interest in the birds of the air, and the beasts of the 
field, I may find some kindred spirits amongst the members of the 
Society, who will excuse the deficiencies of the paper, on account of 
the interest which attaches, in their minds, to the subject. 
I would remark, in the outset, that I believe this immediate 
district is unusually rich in its occurrences of some of our rarer 
birds ; and that it would well reward anyone, who had the time and 
opportunity, to devote more attention to the subject than I am able 
to do. 
For in this neighbourhcod there are three especial attractions to 
our feathered friends, which in many localities are wanting.—First, 
the large and extensive water-meadows, which fringe the Avon all 
the way down to Christchurch (the latter as good a neighbourhood 
for birds, as is to be found in the South of England, and which is 
not more than half-an-hour’s flight from us). Secondly, the bold 
and sweeping downs, of which Wiltshire can so peculiarly boast, as 
forming one of the distinguishing characteristics of the county. 
