354 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



The second bird is now in the Scarborough Museum 

 (where I have seen it) and is a fine mature female. It was 

 obtained on 25th November 1854, by a person named Dixon, 

 near Robin Hood's Bay, on the moors of Sir John Johnstone, 

 Bart., and recorded in the Zoologist (1855, p. 4558), by the 

 late A. Roberts of Scarborough, by whom it was preserved* 

 The length from the point of the beak to the end of the tail 

 was 2oJ inches, full extent of the wings 3 feet 10 inches, 

 weight 3 HDS. 3 ozs. ; the crop was overloaded with the entrails 

 of some animal, the stomach with feathers and portions of 

 a Grouse. 



In the third instance the bird was not absolutely identified, 

 but from the description may, I think, be referred to this 

 species. It is recorded in Cordeaux's " Birds of the Humber 

 District/' under the head of Jer Falcon, as follows : " Was 

 reported at Flamborough several years since by Thomas Leng, 

 fisherman. Leng was shooting Rock-pigeons at the time 

 from the Speeton rocks, and says that at some distance 

 the bird looked quite white, but on a nearer view he distinctly 

 saw that its plumage was speckled with black, although it 

 was altogether a very light bird. It fell to the bottom of the 

 cliff ; and he sent his son down, also descending himself 

 to recover it, but was unsuccessful, as the rising tide had 

 carried it out." 



The fourth, and latest, occurrence was on the moors of 

 north Yorkshire, in the autumn of 1892, when a fine example 

 was captured, and came into the possession of the late Mr. 

 Foulds of Bradford ; afterwards being acquired by Mr. 

 Joseph Morley of Scarborough, to whom I am indebted for 

 the opportunity of examining the specimen. 



Mr. J. E. Tinkler, in a communication to the Zoologist 

 (1844, p. 131), says that four instances of the occurrence 

 of the Gyr Falcon (F. candicans), have been noted in north- 

 west Yorkshire. In 1879 or 1880, near Roe Beck, in Arken- 

 garthdale, one was seen to pounce upon and carry off a Grouse. 

 Another, an immature specimen, was killed in the early spring 

 of 1877, or thereabouts, on the edge of Ellerton Moor, while 

 pursuing a Woodcock. The other two occurred at the extreme 



