LOCAL OBSERVATION 25 



was very noticeable here, but having devoured the 

 few acorns, the survivors have left us for some time. 

 Hawfinches and storm thrushes have been very scarce." 1 



"August $rd, 1888. 



" My falconer took two very young hobbies * yesterday 

 from a big nest in a tall oak tree about 150 yards from 

 that out of which he took three on July 28th in 1886 

 and 1887. The woodman averred that four young 

 kestrels were hatched in, and flew from this year's nest 

 about six weeks ago. These two young birds are the 

 largest that I ever saw for their age ; they are entirely 

 down-clad, except tips of tail and wing feathers. There 

 was a woodpigeon's nest, with two small young, in the 

 same tree as the hobbies." : 



"September 6th, 1891. 



" I have had a glimpse of what I believe to have 

 been an osprey here, but I was at the moment engaged 

 in a fight with a pike, and the bird disappeared behind 

 some high trees, and I saw it no more." 3 



" September 6th, 1892. 



" I only know positively of one brood of little owls 

 hatched out this summer hereabouts ; we have every reason, 



1 To E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. 



2 To the same. 



3 To the same. 



* The Hobby (Falco subbuteo). This little falcon is a summer 

 visitor to Britain, arriving after the appearance of the leaf on the 

 ak-trees, in which it usually nests. 



