CATALOGUE OP THE BIRDS OF SUFFOLK. 29 



near Sudbury, (King, List). One, Assington (Rose v. v.). Seen 

 in Stoke-by-Nayland in the winter of 1832-33 (J. D. Hoy, in 

 Loudon's Mag. N. H. vii. (1834), 53). 



7. Seen by Mr. Tearle at Lakenheath, in the autumn, of 1871 

 (Tearle MS.). Elveden, Oct. 1859 (Cambridge Museum). A male 

 bird shot at Cavenham in June or July (Creed in litt.). 



8. A male, from Westley, Dec. 1879 ; in Mr. Nunn's possession ; 

 and a young male shot at the same place Nov. 27, 1882 (Travis in litt.. 

 C. B !). 



Months. — May, June or July, August, October, November, 

 December. 



Districts.— 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8. 



Met with in almost all parts of the county, but not 

 common ; it is extremely rare in the neighbourhood of 

 Stoke-by-Nayland. Among the many hawks (Kestrels and 

 Sparrowhawks) killed there in eight years, Dr. Bree never 

 saw a single Merlin ( 'Field, 1867/* 



Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus (L.). 



S. andW. Cat. 2 (Catalogued only). — Spald.Zw^xxxv. (do.). 



Districts all. Recorded as common about Yarmouth (Paget) ; Alde- 

 burgh(Hele, James) ; Bealings(Moor); Shotley (Kerry) ; Oakley (Clarke); 

 Stoke by-Nayland (Bree); Sudbury (King) ; Hartest (Cutmore); Gazeley 

 (Tearle) ; Tostock (Tuck). Found occasionally about Lowestoft 

 (Thirtle) ; Cockfield (C B. !) ; and rarely about Bramford (Haward), 

 and Bures (Hanbury). Specimens recorded from various other localities. 

 A female in male plumage, shot at Yarmouth, in 1852, is in the Bury 

 Museum. 



Nests recorded from Westleton (Spalding) ; Thorpe near Aldeburgh 

 (Hele) ; Sudbourn Hall estate (Hele) ; Bacton (Hemsworth) ; Polstead 

 (Cooke) ; Elveden, Icklingham, and Barnham (Newton). 



This bird occurs throughout the whole of the open country 

 of Suffolk, and is more common than any other hawk. 

 It is still frequently seen, although its poaching proclivi- 

 ties (Hele, Aid. 75) cause it to have many enemies, and 

 consequently it is less numerous than formerly. It does, 

 however, much more good than harm, by destroying rats 



* Meyer {Brit. Birds, i. 59, Ed. 1857) specimen" (of the egg of the Merlin). I 

 says that he " has received from Suffolk have not met with any instance of this 

 eggs perfectly resembling Mr. Yarrell's bird's breeding in Suffolk, 



