VERTEBRATE ANIMALS OF LEICESTERSHIRE. 167 
passing of the Wild Birds Protection Act this species has become 
commoner, which tallies with my own observation. In the 
stomachs of Kestrels I have dissected I have never found any- 
thing but remains of beetles and mice. Davenport writes :— 
“‘ My experience of Kestrels is that they are more sensitive than 
the Sparrowhawk, forsaking their nest if tampered with. If I 
find a nest with three eggs, I take one only, or it is almost 
a certainty the bird will not only forsake, but will cast away the 
remaining eggs as well. I found a white egg at Billesdon Coplow 
in May, 1882.” Mr. Johnson, keeper at Laughton Lodge, Rugby, 
sent me, in May, 1885, an old Carrion Crow’s nest, in which a 
Kestrel had laid five eggs, light-coloured and very handsome. I 
weighed two of them when quite fresh; one was a little more 
than $oz., the other exactly 3 oz. 
Pandion haliaétus (Linn.). Osprey. —A rare visitant. 
According to Potter, ‘‘ One shot by the Marquis of Hastings at Don- 
nington Park, October, 1841, is now in his lordship’s collection. 
Harley says one was shot in Sileby field in 1840, while sitting on 
the shafts of an agricultural roller. A fourth example was 
obtained by Mr. Adams at Groby Pool; and in 1841, during the 
autumnal months, Sir Oswald Mosley recorded the capture of a 
fifth at Overseal. The late Mr. R. Widdowson informed me of 
one killed some years ago, of which he had forgotten the 
particulars, and of another, a male, shot by Mr. George Hack, 
at Edmondthorpe, on Nov. 18th, 1858, which was 5 ft. 4in. in 
spread of wing. In the ‘ Midland Naturalist’ for March, 1882, 
p. 62, one shot some years since at Noseley is stated to be 
in the possession of Sir A. Hazlerigg. I received one, shot at 
the Reservoir, Bradgate Park, on Sept. 18th, 1879, by Mr. C. 
Overton, keeper to Lord Stamford. It was a fine female speci- 
men: weight, 4 lbs. 2 0z.; extreme length, 23 in.; spread of 
wings, 5ft. 4 in.; tail, 9 in.; carpus, to tip of third primary, 
18 in.; culmen, 1°5 in. ; tibia, 5 in.; tarsus, 2°5in.; middle toe 
with claw, 2°5in. Mr. Overton, who had several opportunities 
of observing it feed, saw it take several fish with hardly a miss. 
This specimen was mounted for the late Earl of Stamford and 
Warrington, and is, I believe, now at Enville. 
(To be continued.) 
