KESTREL. 139 



breast had been pierced by the sharp wheat-stubble, the 

 result, no doubt, of some too reckless stoop upon its 

 prey. 



GENUS PANDION. 



OSPKEY. 



Pandion haliaetus (Linnfeus). 



An occasional visitor between October and May ; few 

 years pass without a specimen being seen or shot in 

 one place or another. I have gathered a long list of 

 occurrences during the last forty years, and there is no 

 doubt many more have taken place, of which no record 

 has been kept. Of the latest it may be said that one 

 was shot on the Scarisbrick estate in April, 1880 (Pi. J. 

 Howard), and in October, 1881, a fine male was killed 

 on the Bowland fells, this being the second here within 

 a short period. Mr. J. .J. Hornby writes me that in the 

 winter of 1881 also, an Osprey was seen about the 

 lake at Knowsley for some weeks, and that orders were 

 given that it should not be shot. This sj^ecies is much 

 more , frequently seen about the inland rivers and lakes 

 than upon the sea-coast. It was known to Dr. Leigh 

 C'Nat. Hist. Lane, &c.," 1700), for, speaking of "an 

 Asper " which he figures, and which was killed upon the 

 smaller Martin Meer, he says, "the Asper is a species 

 of the Sea-Eagle, and is sometimes observed in these 



parts ; its food is upon Fish, &:c., &c as 



to the oyl of the Asper, so vulgarly famed for alluring 

 of fish, it is only a general mistake, and in no wise 

 answers the end." The smaller Martin Meer of Leigh 

 (which he says " is famous for Pearches, and vast 



