632 The Zoologist— March, 18G7. 



like shape, I conjectured was the same bird. — Clifton; Cobham Hall, Kent, January, 

 1867. 



Goshawk in Ireland. — Mr. Thompson, in his ' Natural History of Ireland,' says 

 that the goshawk "cannot be included in the Irish Fauna with certainty." It is 

 probable that he never saw an old and rare folio volume entitled ' The Gentleman's 

 Recreation,' by Richard Blome, which was published in London in 1636. In this 

 work, amongst other subjects, is a valuable treatise on hawking, a pastime which at 

 that date was much in vogue. The author tells us that in collecting materials for this 

 treatise, he was assisted by some of the ablest falconers in England, and the careful 

 way in which it is written, as well as the minute particulars into which he has de- 

 scended, show that no pains were spared to make the work as accurate as possible. 

 Speaking of the goshawk, he says, " There are divers sorts and sizes of goshawks, 

 which are different in goodness, force and hardiness, according to the several countries 

 where they are bred ; but no place affords so good as those of Muscovy, Norway, and 

 the North of Ireland, especially in the county of Tyrone." I need do no more than 

 point out that these words, " especially in the county of Tyrone," sufficiently set at 

 rest any doubt which might arise as to "Ireland" being a misprint for " Iceland," 

 while the particulars of size, colour and markings, as well as the signs by which we 

 may know a good goshawk, which are subsequently given by the author, sufficiently 

 indicate the species referred to. If we may conclude that the goshawk was once 

 common in the North of Ireland, the causes which have led to its total extinction 

 there in less than two centuries afford a curious matter for speculation. — J. Edmund 

 Hurting ; Kingsbury, Middlesex, January, 1867. 



Kite in Stirlingshire. — About the middle of last month, when returning in the 

 carriage from chinch, I saw a large hawk sitting on the ground tearing something to 

 pieces. During the short view I had of him I observed a peculiar lightness of colour 

 on his head, and from his general appearance I thought to myself, " Surely that must 

 be a kite." About ten days after that, when ferreting rabbits on one side of an em- 

 bankment, I caught sight of a large bird, " with the tail of my eye," as the expression 

 is. I wheeled round and fired a snap-shot, just as he dipped out of sight ou the other 

 side of the embankment, but without any effect that I could discover. I did not see 

 him yet distinctly, but though I did not observe the forked tail I again noticed the 

 whiteness of his head. On the 12th of this month I went round the river looking for 

 ducks: I had just knocked over a couple of teal, killing one aud winging the other, 

 and was reloading my gun, when down swoops the same large hawk, and was evidently 

 making for the winged teal, but seeing me he sheered off, and I lost sight of him in a 

 thick wood near. I saw the whitish head, the reddish cast of his general plumage,, 

 and the forked tail distinctly, and, in fact, am now perfectly certain as to his being a 

 kite. Long ago the kite built its nest among the pines of Ben Lomond, but it is now 

 indeed a rare, rare visitor to Stirlingshire. Two gamekeepers in the neighbourhood 

 had told me that a very large hawk was haunting Torwood Forest, which is the only 

 place where he could obtain comparative safety from molestation. 1 wonder very 

 much, however, that he has lived so long about the same locality, as all the ground in 

 this district is overrun with gamekeepers, several of whom have seen bim, aud are no 

 doubt planning his destruction. If my gun had been loaded I could easily have 

 bowled him over when he made a dash at the winged leal. — Juhn A. Harvie Brown; 

 Dunipace House, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, January ID, 1867. 



