The Distribution of Birds in Great Britain. 409 



In the ' Zoologist ' for 1863 (p. 8678) mention is made of a nest 

 found in Yorkshire, supposed to have been that of a Gos-Hawk.* 



ACCIPITER NISUS (Pall.}. Sparrow-Hawk. 



Provinces I .-XVIII. 



Subprovinces 1-37, 38. 



Lat. 50-61. " British " type, or general. 



Throughout Great Britain, extending to the Outer Hebrides and 

 North Scottish isles. 



MILVUS REGALIS (J3riss.}. Kite. 



Provinces I.-VIII. X. XI. XIII. XV.-XVII. 



Subprovinces 1-9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17-20, 22-26, 29-32, 34, 35. 



Lat. 50-59. " British " type, or general. Not now in Ireland. 



The Kite has become so scarce, that it is impossible to distinguish 

 between the districts where it is quite extinct, and those where a few 

 pairs may still continue to breed. "In Perthshire the Kite is not 

 only destroyed for the sake of the game, but for its feathers, which 

 are used in making salmon-flies ; so that, from being, within my 

 recollection, quite a common bird, it is now nearly extinct." (Colonel 

 Drummond-ffay.} 



BUTEO VULGARIS (Bechst.\ Common Buzzard. 



Provinces I.-VIII. X.-XVII. 



Subprovinces 2-8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17-20, 22-25, 26-35. 



Lat. 50-59 3 . " British " type, or general. 



By no means common, and nearly exterminated in the eastern and 

 midland counties of England. Still breeds regularly in several parts of 

 the west and north of England and in Scotland, where it has a better 

 chance of escaping the vigilance of the gameekeper. 



ARCHIBUTEO LAGOPUS (G. . Gray}. Rough-legged Buzzard. 



Provinces [X.] XV. 



Subprovinces (22), 31. 



Lat. 54-58. " Scottish" type. Not in Ireland. 



A single pair bred for several years in succession at Hackness, 

 where they appeared as summer visitors. 



* It seems reasonable to suppose that, in the days when forests of Pinus 

 sylvestris flourished naturally in Scotland, the Gos-Hawk inhabited the districts 

 so occupied ; aud Colonel Thornton's evidence as to the fact of its breeding there 

 must be considered satisfactory. It is well known among ornithologists that in 

 some places this bird has bequeathed its common name to Falco peregrinus, and 

 hence much confusion has arisen. ED. 



