HONEY BUZZARD. 351 



in a catalogue of a sale at Stevens's Rooms on 22nd April 1895, 

 viz. : " Two eggs of the Honey Buzzard taken at Hackness, 

 near Scarborough, from the collection of Dr. Rooke of that 

 town " ; and it seems not improbable that some of the 

 individuals seen in spring and early summer may have intended 

 to nest in the county if allowed to remain unmolested. 



Although this species is not so regular in its appearance 

 as some others of the Falconidae, yet the published and 

 communicated instances of its occurrence number nearly 

 one hundred, and therefore it is undesirable, and would prove 

 tedious, to give particulars of each individual. It has been 

 observed most frequently in the spring on its passage to its 

 breeding quarters in north-west Europe, and in the autumn 

 when on its way back to its African winter resorts, and more 

 often near to the coast-line than in inland localities. 



The curious capture of one at Bridlington in 1849 was 

 communicated to the Zoologist (1850, p. 2649), by -Dr. C. R 

 Bree. It was flapping against a window at twelve o'clock 

 at night, and making such a noise that the person got up, 

 opened the window, and captured it. 



At Whitby, J. Kitching of that town had, some time ago 

 (1875), a fine living specimen of the Honey Buzzard in his 

 possession, which had been caught at sea about four miles 

 off Whitby, whilst in pursuit of a pigeon which took refuge on 

 board a fishing coble. The Buzzard hovered round the 

 coble, and was eventually knocked down into the water 

 and captured. This must be regarded as a most unusual 

 occurrence. 



Mr. J. Backhouse has presented to the York Museum 

 a specimen taken at i a.m. on i4th September 1883, against 

 the Spurn Lighthouse. 



On 4th September 1896, at about 7 a.m., an immature 

 example was shot near the rocks below ' The Cliffe ' at Redcar. 

 The morning was fine but hazy, and three of these birds were 

 noticed, amongst the usual concourse of Gulls near the water 

 line, at low tide. The Gulls and two of the strangers flew 

 off, but the third visitor remained until fired at and wounded. 

 It then flew to Redcar Pier and perched on the rail at the head, 



