FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 239 



(J. M. J. F.) Rev. J. M. J. Fletcher, The Vicarage, Wimborne 



Minster. 

 (E. E. W.) Miss Ellen E. Woodhouse, Chilmore, Ansty, 



Dorchester. 



Miss Woodhouse is a new contributor from a new locality, and 

 sends a very full botanical list, as well as other records. Single 

 notes from other observers will be acknowledged under their 

 records. 



NOTES ON RARE AND OTHER BIRDS IN 1908. 



GOLDEN EAGLE (Aquila chrysaetus, L.). The following note 

 is taken from the Morning Post of February 4, 1908 : " An eagle 

 described as a Golden Eagle has been captured on Lord 

 Wolverton's Iwerne Minster estate, Blandford. The bird, which 

 is in the hands of a local taxidermist, measures 6ft. 9in. from tip 

 to tip of the wings, and its plumage is in excellent condition." 

 (E. R. B.) 



OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus, L.). One was shot at Arne, Isle 

 of Purbeck, by a Poole gunner, named Seaviour, in the end of 

 January, 1908. (E. R. B.) 



ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD (Buteo lagopus, J. F. Gmelin). On 

 March 28, 1908, 1 had the pleasure of watching for some minutes 

 on Middlebere Heath, near Corfe Castle, a Rough-legged 

 Buzzard. When first observed it was flying quite low towards 

 Mrs. Bankes and myself. Owing, doubtless, to our being on 

 higher ground, it did not notice us until comparatively close, but, 

 on doing so, it then slowly proceeded to ascend spirally until it 

 was lost to view, having afforded us one of the grandest and most 

 interesting spectacles in flight that can well be imagined. The 

 identity of the individual in question was clearly established by 

 the basal portion of the tail, which was distinctly seen to be 

 white. From reports received from friends of similar large birds 

 that they had seen I have no doubt that one or two Rough- 

 legged Buzzards had been haunting the heaths near Wareham 

 and Corfe Castle during the previous four months or so. It is 

 worthy of mention that, as recorded in " The Zoologist," one 



