A HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 



86. Raven. Corvus corax, Linn. 



Has been seen in Sherwood Forest some 

 years ago. One was shot near Bingham 

 about 1879. 



87. Carrion Crow. Corvus corone, Linn. 

 Not common. It breeds about Stoke and 



a few other places in the southern part of the 

 county ; it is seen now and again near 

 Rainworth, where it nested in 1903. 



88. Hooded Crow. Corvus cornix, Linn. 

 Scattered over the county especially in the 



northern parts in autumn and winter. I 

 think there are more about Rainworth than 

 in other places. I have seen thirty-five on the 

 wing at one time, and in 1887 I counted 

 eighty-two flying over to their roosting 

 places in the forest. In 1892 I counted 

 eighty-six passing over, and in January 1879 

 twenty-three feeding at one time on an ash 

 heap near my house. 



89. Rook. Corvus frugilegus, Linn. 



This is an abundant resident and many 

 arrive in autumn ; there are many large 

 rookeries in Notts. I have white, brown 

 and cream-coloured varieties shot in the 

 county. Great numbers roost in Newstead 

 Park during the winter. 



90. Sky Lark. Alauda arvensis, Linn. 



A very common bird and found in large 

 numbers in the cultivated districts. A white 

 variety, and one with white wings, were 

 shot near Rainworth in 1884, and several 

 others in varied plumage have occurred from 

 time to time. 



91. Wood Lark. Alauda arborea. Linn. 



A very rare bird, but found occasionally in 

 the forest, where the late Mr. Sterland some 

 years back took its eggs j it has been seen 

 several times at Newstead. 



92. Swift. Cypselus apus (Linn.) 

 Common in some parts, especially in 



villages where there are houses with tiled 

 roofs. It is very plentiful in Mansfield, but 

 it seldom arrives before the first week in May 

 and leaves early in August. 



93. Nightjar. Caprimulgus europ&us, Linn. 

 Plentiful during the summer months in 



the forest but not nearly so numerous as 

 formerly, when I have seen a dozen on the 

 wing at once flying about the road between 

 Harlow and Thieves Woods. 



94. Egyptian Nightjar. Caprimulgus tegyptiui, 



Lichtenstein 

 The only British specimen was shot on 



23 June 1883 in Thieves Wood near Mans- 

 field, by my keeper, who mistook it for a 

 light variety of the common nightjar. The 

 bird rose from the side of the drive on his 

 shooting at a rabbit and fell to his second 

 barrel. Only five other specimens are known 

 to have been obtained in Europe. 



95. Wryneck. lynx torquilla, Linn. 



I do not know any part of the county where 

 this bird is found in any numbers, but it 

 occasionally occurs in north Notts. I have 

 seen it at Rainworth only three times in 

 thirty years. It has nested once or twice 

 near Southwell. 



96. Green Woodpecker. Gecinus viridis 



(Linn.) 



Fairly common in forests and large woods. 

 I had a pair nesting at Rainworth within 60 

 yards of my house in June 1902. 



97. Great Spotted Woodpecker. Dendrocopus 



major (Linn.) 



Often seen, but not so abundant as the last 

 species. I have frequently seen one on the 

 park pales at Rainworth stripping the bark 

 for insects. 



98. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Dendro- 



copus minor (Linn.) 



By no means common, but it is harder to 

 see than either of the above named birds. It 

 nested in Harlow Wood in 1888, and I have 

 seen it about Rainworth a few times. 



99. Great Black Woodpecker. Picus martius, 



Linn. 



I know there are doubts oast on the 

 occurrence of this bird in Britain, but on the 

 evidence of Macgilljvray, who most certainly 

 is to be trusted, I add it to this list. In the 

 University Museum at Aberdeen there are 

 two specimens of this bird labelled ' Notting- 

 ham ' in the handwriting of the late Professor 

 Macgillivray and referred to by him in his 

 British Birds, iii. 79. He says ' two speci- 

 mens in my collection, a male and a female, 

 which I purchased from Dr. Madden, to 

 whom they had been sent by their owner as 

 having been shot near Nottingham. That 

 gentleman afterwards obtained for me a 

 certificate of the fact by the person who had 

 procured them.' 



100. Kingfisher. Alcedt ispida, Linn. 



This lovely bird is fairly common in 

 suitable localities, though numbers are shot 

 and caught every winter. I often see it at 

 Rainworth within a few yards of my house, 

 and it is delightful to watch it capturing 



164 



