374 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



Thomas Allis, 1844, wrote as follows : 



Pandon haliatus. Osprey Numerous specimens have been killed. 



In former years the Osprey was not infrequently observed 

 in the spring, while on the passage to its breeding stations 

 in the north, and again in the autumn while returning to 

 its southern winter quarters. During these migrations the 

 size of the bird and the habits peculiarly its own have caused 

 it to be noticed by those not usually interested in ornithology. 

 Latterly it has become much less frequent ; this scarcity is 

 in a great measure attributable to the fact that it no longer 

 frequents its former favourite haunts in Scotland, and its 

 association with the name of that country is now confined to 

 perhaps a pair or two, if even that. 



The instances of its appearance in this county, however, 

 as chronicled during the past century, or otherwise brought 

 under my notice, number upwards of seventy, and it seems 

 hardly desirable to give the particulars of each case ; the 

 majority of these have been in the vicinity of the coast. It 

 may suffice to state that the earliest spring record is 8th April 

 1883, when one was observed by the late H. B. Hewetson, 

 soaring over the lake at Charles Waterton's residence, Walton 

 Hall ; others have been noted at various dates in the spring 

 and summer up to the 28th July, when one was killed at 

 Hebden Bridge in the year 1878 (Crabtree, " Halifax Nat." 

 December 1900). The earliest record in the autumn is 2gth 

 August 1899, at Pilmoor Farm, Hunmanby, and the latest 

 at that season occurred at Cherry Burton, near Beverley, 

 on 22nd November 1876. The most recent occurrence was 

 at Loftus-in- Cleveland, on 29th August 1905. 



Dr. Farrar (1844), mentioned that a female which occurred 

 on Burnsall Moor, near Bolton Abbey, in April 1844, was gorged 

 with the remains of a Red Grouse. 



The Osprey is too rare at the present time to be known 

 by any vernacular names, though Swainson mentions Mullet 

 Hawk, Eagle Fisher, and Bald Buzzard as used of old in 

 the north country. 



END OF VOL. I. 



