123 
Ghe Birds of Gooklaan and Me Meighhourlond, 
BY R. B. SHARPE. 
AVING been requested to write a paper on the birds which 
have been observed in the neighbourhood of Cookham, I have 
great pleasure in presenting the following sketch of the ornithology 
of the district. The beautiful collection formed by Mrs. De Vitré 
at Formosa has been the basis of the accompanying list; I have 
further included such species as are in my own collection, or arein 
the possession of private individuals, and I have taken every pains 
to render the list as complete as possible. To Mrs. De Vitré I must 
return my best thanks for her kindness in allowing me to examine 
the specimens in her collection, and also for her assistance and en- 
couragement in the preparation of the present essay, while I am 
fortunate in obtaining the help of Mr. Briggs, the head-gardener 
on the estate, who has, from his earliest youth, studied the habits 
and economy of our British birds, and is well known in the 
neighbourhood of Cookham, as an enthusiastic naturalist and a 
clever taxidermist ; nor must I omit to mention Mr. Joseph Ford, 
to whom I am likewise indebted for much interesting information. © 
Order ACCIPITRES. 
Sub-order I. Acorrrrres Divrnt. 
Fam, Fauoonrpz. 
Sub-fam. AQUILINE. 
Aquila. 
1. Aquila chrysaétos. The Golden Eagle. 
Before he came to Cookham, Mr. Briggs was employed as a 
keeper at Bulling Bare, a place about ten miles distant, and 
_ while there he had an opportunity of recording the occurrence of 
this rare British bird from his own personal observation. He 
Was one day walking in company with another keeper near the 
outskirts of a plantation on the estate, and in the adjoining field 
a @ 
