BIRD NOTES 53 



A BIRD DISASTER 



Exceedingly rough weather prevailed during the 

 period of migration in September 1881. An un- 

 precedented immigration of raptorial birds took 

 place just prior to the weather reaching its severest. 

 During the second and third week in the month 

 Buzzards, Harriers, and Hawks were reported in all 

 directions. On the morning of the 24th I went for 

 a walk along the north beach, and was surprised to 

 find, scattered here and there on the tide-mark, a 

 number of dead birds. I picked up three Sparrow- 

 Hawks ; in the crop of one only I discovered a few 

 fragments and some feathers of a perching bird. 

 Three Common Buzzards, a Marsh-Harrier, and a 

 Razorbill were also found, but all so mauled and be- 

 draggled by the storm as to be useless for preserva- 

 tion. Quite a series of mishaps occurred to such as 

 arrived alive. Many were shot; a Sparrow-Hawk 

 struck a gas-lamp in a row, and was found stunned ; 

 and a Buzzard injured itself by flying against the 

 signal-light on the Sailors 1 Home. Several Honey- 

 Buzzards were shot, one in the act of robbing a hive 

 in an orchard. 



