III.I 



The Mesidents. 



309 



Wren. ( Troglodytes Europceus, 

 Cuv.) 

 Nuthatch. (Sitta Euiopmi, Lin.) 

 IviNGFisHER. (^Alcedo ispiila, Lin.) 

 Not very common, yet it may now and 

 then be .^^een at Darrat's stream, near 

 Lyndhnrst, the brook in the Qneen's 

 Bower Wood, and the Osmanl)y Ford 

 river, near Wootton. 



Ringdove. {Cdlum/ni palumbus, Lin.) 

 Stockdove. (Columlia anas, Lin.) 

 Nnmerous, bnilding in the holes of the 

 old beech-trees. 



Pheasant. (^Phasianus Colchicus, 

 Lin.) 



Black Grouse. (Tefrao tetrix, Lin ) 



Feeds on the young siioots of iieatiier 



and larch, seeds of grass, blackberries 



and acoHK^^, and Ihave seen it rejteatedly 



perching in the hawthorns for tiic sake 



of the berries. The " heath poult " of the 



Forest. 



Partridge. {Perdix cinerea, Lath.) 



Lapwing. ( Vanellus cristatus, Meyer.) 



Heron. (Ardca cincrca. Lath.) See 



Chapter XXIL, pp. 273, 274. I have 



known a pair lay, in one instance, at 



Boldrewood, as late as June 2.'3rd. 



Common Kedshank. ( Totanus calid- 

 ris, Lin.) Tiiis bird is certainly a resi- 

 dent througliout the year. I have 

 rejieatedly put it u\> during tiie autumn 

 in some of the swamps near Stoney 

 Cross, more especially in the evening, 

 when it will hover round and round, 

 just keeping overhead, not unlike a 

 l)ewit. Several nests are yearly taken. 

 Last year Mr. Farren found one near 

 Burlcy, Ai)ril 4th, with a single egg, 

 and another, May 3rd, containing four, 

 at Bisho])sditch. 



Woodcock. {Scolopux rusticola, 

 Lin.) Breeds in great numbers in .some 

 seasons. 



Common Snipe. (Scolopax ijalli- 

 nago, Lin.) The greatest numbers 

 occur in December, tliough many re- 

 main to breed not only in tiie "bottoms" 

 of tiie Forest, but the meadows of the 

 Avon. Mr. Kakc informs mc that a 



Sabine's snijie {Scolopax Sidiini, 

 Vigors), which is now generally re- 

 garded as only a melanism of this 

 species, was shot at Picket Post, Jan., 

 1859. Another was .shot not far from 

 the borders of the Forest, at Heron 

 Court, 18;36. 



Water Haii,. {RaUus (Kjuatirus, 

 Lin.) Most conunou in the winter. 

 Some few, however, breed in the valley of 

 the Osmanby Ford stream, wiiere I have 

 seen a pair or two in the summer time. 

 Coot. {Fulica alru, Lin.) A 

 straggler generally every year remains 

 to breed on the Avon. 



Mute Swan. {Cijgnus olor, Boie.) 

 Large nuinbers belonging to Lord Nor- 

 manton's swannery may be always seen 

 on the Avon, near Fordingbridge and 

 Il)beslcy. 



Wild Duck. {Anas boschas, Lin.) 

 Breeds, like the teal, in most of the 

 bottoms tbrougliout the Forest, as al.so 

 in the Avon. The fowlers round K.\- 

 bury say that the wigcon, too, stavs to 

 nest ; but I do not know of any au- 

 thenticated case. Mr. IJake has ob- 

 served tlie tufted duck as late in llie 

 year as May. 



Teal. {Anas crccca, Lin.) 

 LiTTLK Grehi;. {Piidiccps minor, 

 Lath.) Known in the Forest as the 

 di-dapper. A few breed in the Boldre 

 Water, and, ])erha])S, even in tiie Osman- 

 by Ford stream. Mr. Pake tells mc 

 that it breeds jilentifujly in the Avon, 

 between Fordingbridge and Downton. 



GuiLLKMoT. {Uria Iroilc, Lath.) 

 Locally known as the "spratter." 

 pA/oKitiLL. {Aim tarda, Lin.) 

 Cormorant. {Carho cormuranus, 

 Meyer.) Locally known as tlic "Isle 

 of Wight jiar.son." 



Sii \G. {Carlo cristatus, Tem.) 

 lIiCRRiNO Gull. {Larus argcntatus, 

 Briin.) It is to be seen at all sea.sons 

 with the four birds al)ove mentioned, 

 l)ree<liiig like them in the Fi'esbwalei- 

 Clills of the Isle of Wi^'lit. The shag 

 and the coiniorant were the commonest 



