FALCONIDM— FALCONS. 173 



Both these specimens are now at Birmingham. Mr. Parsons says (11) that in 

 Rochford Hundred in his time it used not unfrequently to be seen on the wing, 

 though very rarely killed. His father shot a female on New England on Jan.. 

 28th, 1832 (8). Mr. C. E. Smith of Coggeshall records one (31. 52) "shot by 

 the keeper of — Hawkins, Esq., 1857," and another shot near Colchester in 1858. 

 In 1859, "G. S." sent to the Field ofhce a young one shot at St, Osyth, on Oct. 

 19th, "in the act of eating a Wild Duck, which it was seen to strike down (29. 

 Oct, 15). Mr. John Porter of Saffron Walden has a young male (?) which he shot 

 about i860 in a wood close to the town as it was devouring a Kestrel, now 

 stuffed with it and placed in its claws. Dr. Bree records (32a) a female shot at 

 St. Osyth [about 1865], "a very fine old tiercel" killed after it had struck 

 down a Drake at Tollesbury on Apr. 8th, 1868, and a male shot on Pewit Island 

 on Oct. 20th, 1868, as it was killing a shrieking Golden Plover. Early in Dec 

 1873, one was shot at Southminster (29. Dec. 6, and 34. 3830). About the middle 

 of Dec, 1879, one was observed at Bradwell " in pursuit of a flock of Wigeon ; 

 singling out one of them he struck it down, and was in the act of devouring it 

 when he was shot by a man named Linnett " (^Chelmsford Chronicle, Dec. 26). 

 During 1880, Mr. Travis of Saffron Walden received for preservation (44. i. Ixiii.) 

 no less than four specimens killed in that neighbourhood : — One at Loft's Hall 

 by a gamekeeper ; another trapped in Nov. by one of Lord Braybrooke's keepers 

 at a Moorhen on which it had been feeding. On Sept. 27th, 1880, I saw a pair 

 flying over high up near Thaxted, and on Jan. nth following I saw near Audley 

 End a single bird which I have no doubt was of this species. Mr. C. H. Hills of 

 Peering has a fine young female (?)shot by himself at Messing on Oct. 14th, 1885 

 whilst it was pursuing some Ringdoves. Anotheriwith it at the time, escaped. Mr. 

 Benton says (35. 198) that on Foulness " The Peregrine, locally known as the Put- 

 tock[?],isa frequent visitor, "but this is probably an exaggeration. Mr, Hope writes 

 that it is " common on the Blackwater and Thames. One pair on the Blackwater 

 used to wait for the Gulls flying out of the mouth of the river and took a pair each 

 time." Mr. Stanley Edwards shot a remarkably large female, measuring twenty- 

 one inches in length and weighing thirt3'-six ounces, at Langham on Dec. I2th, 

 1884, Mr. Kerry says " some are seen every year round Harwich." He records (40. 

 i. 258) two females on the Stour, one shot in the act of stooping at some Sea-gulls 

 the other after it had killed and commenced to eat a Wood-pigeon. They are 

 not unfrequently met with at Paglesham (Pettitt). Mr. Buxton says (47. 81) a 

 pair " were killed some years ago on the Copped Hall Estate." Mr. Stacey pre- 

 served a specimen shot at Dunmow in the month of July, 1887. In Jan., 1889, 

 a wounded specimen was picked up on the marshes near Stratford (40. 106). 

 During March, 1889, one was trapped by a keeper at Forest Hall, Ongar, and 

 preserved by Mr. Scruby ; and I understand that several were killed by keepers at 

 Hylands, Widford, in the following autumn. Mr. Pettitt preserved a fine 

 female, weighing two and a half pounds, shot by Dr. Salter on his marshes at 

 Tollesbury on Nov. i6th. 



As regards its breeding in the county, Graves says (7. i.) that the figure he 

 gives 



"was coloured from a very fine specimen communicated by Mr. Bullock, who 

 received it from a gentleman resident near Harwich [ ? Rev. R. Sheppard], who 

 is particularly conversant with the hawk-tribe. He took this, with several others, 

 from the nest and has kept them several years. Our bird is in the last state previous 

 to its arriving at the adult plumage." 



The Rev. J. C. Atkinson writes me that he never heard of a nest in Essex, 

 even in his boyhood, but Mr. Clarke notes (24) that a pair bred at Sampford in 



