BIRDS OF PREY. 29 



a foe to the woodpigeon, preferring it to any other 

 quarry. During the first week in the present year ( 1 869) 

 a flock of these birds passed over Barnet, which was 

 estimated to be a mile long, and to contain from 8000 

 to 10,000 in number. 



The sparrowhawk is not such an abundant species as 

 the kestrel, though still very common. It has always 

 struck me that the females are much more numerous 

 than the males, though I am uncertain if it is not more 

 apparent than real, the greater boldness and spirit of 

 the former bringing them more frequently into notice. 



The Goshawk (F. palumbarius) , rare in Scotland, 

 though said to be resident there, is still rarer in England. 

 I never saw the bird on the wing, and only once in the 

 flesh, and we seem to know very little of its life history. 

 Rare as it is, a single specimen was killed by one of the 

 keepers near Rufford in 18 48, being the only instance I 

 have known of its occurrence, and I am thus able to add 

 it to my list. 



The Kite (Mllvus regalis) is now with us, as it is 

 elsewhere in England, a comparatively rare bird ; I have 

 noted several instances of its occurrence of late years, 

 two coming under rny own immediate observation, and 

 one of these under circumstances of much interest. I 

 was riding on horseback over the forest between Ollerton 

 and Bud by, where it is open and heathy. On a strip of 

 greensward, bounding the unenclosed road by which I 

 was proceeding, a brace of partridges were busy search- 

 ing some droppings of dung. I had approached them 

 within about some fifteen yards, when a kite glided 

 across in front of me, and made a swoop at the par- 

 tridges on the ground ; but, whether his aim had been 

 rendered unsteady by my close approach or not, he 



