108 On the Occurrence of some of the Rarer Species of Birds 
—the usual cross-bars being entirely absent on the blue tail, which 
thus presents much the same appearance as that in the male Kestrel. 
From what I have said I think it will be plain that the Merlin is 
by no means altogether a stranger with us, and without doubt it 
occasionally breeds in the New Forest; but I still think, from my 
own observation, that the Hobby is certainly far more frequently to 
be met with in these parts than the Merlin. 
Since writing the above account of the Merlin, I have received 
farther information of the occurrence of that species in this locality. 
Thus Mr. Tyndall Powell, of Hurdcott, informs me that his father 
shot a beautiful specimen, a male bird, in November, 1876. Another, 
a female, was sent me for my collection, also killed at Hurdcott, on 
January 2nd, 1877, by Mr. Tyndall Powell, who farther informs me 
that a second male Merlin was brought into the bird-stuffer’s at 
Warminster, much about the same date as the male bird mentioned 
above; while the same gentleman writes me word that while out 
shooting, on January 13th, 1877, with Mr. Wyndham, of Dinton, 
he found a -beautiful specimen of the Merlin, a female, far better 
and brighter in plumage than the one he sent me as recorded above, 
hung up by the head on the keeper’s gallows, which was just too 
far gone for preservation, the keeper having killed it about a 
fortnight before in the neighbouring plantation. These four occur- 
rences, as mentioned above, all occurring during the present winter 
season, in this immediate district, would tend to prove that the 
the Merlin is by no means so uncommon in South Wilts during 
winter months, as I at first thought, or in any case, that there has 
been an unusual immigration of them amongst us in the present 
winter of 1876-77. 
Astur Palumbarius, “The Gos-Hawk.” Leaving now the true 
Falcons, distinguished, as all bird-lovers know, by the notched bill, 
the sharp-pointed wing, and the dark iris of the eye, from all other 
birds of prey, we come next to the Hawks, of which there are only 
two species to be met with in this country, and of both of which I 
have somewhat to record. The first to be mentioned is the “ Gos- 
Hawk,” which species, as I need hardly say, is now very rare 
amongst us; though I see, in Professor Newton’s new edition of 
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