Birds. ' 9fi85 



and the greatest portion of it consists of dense woodlands. In 1858 

 Mr. W. Sparling, of Petton, observed one of these graceful birds at 

 the pool near his house ; he placed a trap upon a pole in the water, 

 and succeeded in capturing it ; it was beautifully preserved by 

 Mr. Henry Shaw, of Shrewsbury, and for several years remained in 

 his window, an object of attraction to every passer-by. 

 ~ Iceland Falcon (Falco islandicus). — A pair of these fine falcons 

 visited the neighbourhood of Church Strelton some few years ago, and 

 were eventually shot; they were bolli in the brotvn plumage of the 

 first year, and probably belonged to the same nest : the female, a very 

 fine strongly-marked bird, is in the possession of Lord Hill; the other, 

 which T fancy is a male, belongs to the Rev. Hugh Owen Wilson, of 

 Church Stretton. I should say they belong to the " Iceland race," 

 but I speak advisedly. 



Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus). — From the proximity of the 

 Carnarvonshire coast, where these falcons breed, their appearance in 

 Shropshire is by no means uncommon. I have killed three or four 

 fine specimens near Clungnnford, and almost every year the various 

 birdstufFers in the county have several examples for preservation. 

 The females greatly preponderate amongst those I have seen. 



Hobbij[¥ai\co subbuteo). — This pretty little falcon is, I fear, becoming 

 rare. The last specimen I have seen was killed here, in the summer 

 of 1860, in the act of destroying some young pheasants at a coop ; it 

 was a male bird, probably in the second year's plumage. 



liedfooted Falcon (Falco rufipes). — One example has occurred near 

 Shrewsbury; in the possession of Mr. Thomas Bodenham, of that 

 town : it is in the brov\n mottled plumage of the upper figure iu 

 Mr. Yarrell's woodcut. 



Merlin (Falco sesalon). — Occasionally met with, particularly in the 

 neighbourhood of Shrewsbury, but evidently on the decrease, though 

 they still breed occasionally on the Longmynd. 



Kestrel or Windhover (Falco linnunculus). — Common everywhere, 

 though becoming scarcer every day. 



Sparrowhawk (Accipiter uisus). — Still common, in spite of game- 

 keepers and game preservers. Few of our birds of prey exhibit greater 

 boldness or cunning: the pertinacity with which they will carry off a 

 brood of young chickens or pheasants, in defiance of all attempts to 

 shoot or trap them, is well known to most of us. 



Kite (Milvus vulgaris). — The days of this fine denizen of our woods 

 and forests are numbered ; common as they used to be in every part 

 of this county, 1 believe at the present moment there are not more 



