32 CLARKE: THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



1873 one was shot at Wass in the North Riding ; Mr. J. T. Calvert 

 of Keighley informs me that one was shot at that place in 1875 ; one 

 was shot at Thorpe Basset in 1875 ; another on the Moors near Pen- 

 istone on the 23rd of October 1875 ; one was trapped on a Woodcock 

 at Scarborough on the 20th of March 1876 ; Mr. R. Richardson 

 informs me that a female was trapped at Holme-on-Spalding- 

 Moor on the 26th of February, 1876 ; one was trapped near York 

 in January 1877, a-^d in November one near Thirsk (Mr. R. Lee). 

 Mr. A. Roberts informs me that he has had many shot in the 

 neighbourhood of Scarborough, and Mr. Wm. Lister that it had 

 been killed at Lyton on the Mulgrave estate. 



BUTEO LAGOPUS Gmelin. 

 Rough-legged Buzzard. 



An uncommon autumn and winter visitant. 



This bird occurs almost annually in eastern Yorkshire as an 

 autumn migrant, usually in the month of October, and varies very 

 considerably in its numbers ; some years being very scarce or un- 

 noticed, whilst in others great flights visit us, when the birds are 

 observed in all parts of the county during the autumn and winter. 

 The first flight of which mention is made, took place in the winter 

 of 1839-40, and the last in that of 1876-77, both affording the most 

 marked evidence of these irregular and inexplicable occurrences. 

 I examined several specimens obtained during 1876-77, all of 

 which were in immature plumage, and with one exception light 

 tawny-colored birds with the upper parts mottled with lightish 

 brown, whilst the breast, belly and thighs were striped longitudin- 

 ally with the same tint ; the irides were pale straw yellow. The 

 exceptional bird was of generally uniform dark-brown[colour. On 

 going through the numerous instances of occurrence in this county, 

 I can only find mention made of one mature bird ; this was shot 

 at Patrington in January 1877 and described as an old male. 

 The occurrence of this species in mature plumage in the British 

 Isles is of the greatest rarity. 



Trans. Y. N. U . 1878. Series B 



