FA L CONIDM—B UZZA RDS. 



165 



off in aS.W. direction, and were seen by Col. Russell the same afternoon passing 

 over Stubbers." 



In Rochford Hundred, 

 about 1832, Mr. Parsons 

 described it (11) as oc- 

 curring " chiefly in the 

 woods at Hadleigh and 

 Hockley, but not uncom- 

 mon." 



On an old map of this 

 parish (Chignal St. 

 James), dated 1810, a 

 field, now thrown into 

 another, is called " Put- 

 tock's Leys," or " Put- 

 tock's Leaz," which, being 

 translated, means "Buz- 

 zard's Mead, or Leys." 



Mr. Clarke notes (24) 

 that a young female was 

 trapped at Saffron Wal- 

 den in November, 1834 

 (now in the Museum) ; 

 that another occurred 

 shortly afterwards at 

 Painter's farm ; that 

 another (also in the Mu- 

 seum) occurred at Quendon in 1836 ; another near Saffron Walden on December 

 15th, 1845 ; and that another (female) was trapped at the same place on January 

 25th, 1853. King describes it (20), rather curiously, as "rare" in the district 

 around Sudbury in his time. He adds, " I only know of one well-authenticated 

 instance of its occurrence here." Writing of the neighbourhood of Epping in 

 1835, Edward Doubleday says (15), 



" The Buzzard and Kite are now extinct [here] (thanks to the gamekeepers) ; 

 but the former I have seen within four or five years. Pre^'ious to that time, I have 

 very often watched them, soaring high in the air, over the Park Hall and Hill Hall 

 Woods. They feed chiefly on small_ quadrupeds, toaJs, frogs and insects ; but a 

 toad is their most favourite dish." 



Henry Doubleday, WTiting from Epping, says (10) : 



" This morning [September 8th, 1840] one of the forest keepers shot a rather 

 singular Common Buzzard. It is lighter coloured than any specimen of the 

 Rough-legged Buzzard I have seen. The head, neck, thighs, and all the under- 

 parts are creamy-white, with a few oblong brown spots. I expect it is a male, as 

 it is small, but I have not yet skinned it. It is the only Common Buzzard I ever 

 had in a recent state." 



English includes it as an occasional visitor (43. i. 24), while Mr. Buxton says, 

 (47. 81) it "has been seen several times during the last few years." Major Ed. 

 Taylor of Bishop's Stortford has one shot there about 1850, and Mr. Gripper of 

 Chelmsford another killed at Layer Breton about 1870. A handsomely-marked 

 male was shot in Short Grove Park by one of the keepers about October 6th, 

 1881. In its crop and stomach were the rem.ains of a rat and two field-mice (44. 

 ii. Ixxiii.). Mr. Wm. C. Emson of Littleburyhas one caught there in a baited 



COMMON BUZZARD, 1/7. 



