BIRDS OF SOUTH-EAST NORTHUMBERLAND. Sll 



specimen, an immature female in the fourth year, three inches 

 above the average length. Its measurements were : Length, 

 39 in. ; extent of wings, 92 in. ; weight, 11 lb. It would be 

 halting on migration south, very probably having been shot at 

 and wounded on its passage. The confusion in its identity arose 

 from the fact that it had not assumed the white tail. 



Spaerow-Hawk {Accipiter nisus). — A rare visitant on migra- 

 tion in autumn. The only records are : an immature female, 

 shot at St. Mary's Island in January, 1892, by Herbert Coxon, 

 Esq., and now in his collection ; another, shot at CuUercoats 

 about Jan. 10th, 1911 ; one which passed through Mr. Eichard- 

 son's hands in 1907 ; another, shot at CuUercoats in December, 

 1910 ; and on April 9th, 1911, my brother and myself observed 

 one from our house, flying north against a heavy wind, and 

 evidently on migration. It flew close above the cliffs at Culler- 

 coats. 



HoNEY-BuzzARD {Pemis apivorus). — In his catalogue of the 

 * Birds of Northumberland and Durham,' John Hancock men- 

 tions a mature bird that was picked up, drowned, on Whitley 

 Sands on Aug. 27th, 1835, when he was on the beach. 



Peregrine Falcon {Falco peregrinus). — A very rare autumn 

 visitant. A female in the first plumage was shot at Hartley 

 Bates on Sept. 22nd, 1852, and is now in the Hancock Museum. 

 In his * Scraps about Birds,' C. M. Adamson says : — " On the 

 8th October, 1858, I saw a young Peregrine Falcon which a 

 fisherman at CuUercoats had shot early in the morning whilst 

 feeding on a Woodcock, which it had probably caught before 

 having actually alighted." Another specimen was shot by Mr. 

 Ewen on St. Mary's Island on Oct. 1st, 1889 ; it had the whole 

 leg of a Partridge in its crop. It is in Mr. Ewen's possession, 

 and was stuffed by Mr. K. Duncan, being one of the best 

 examples of his skill. 



Hobby (F. subbuteo). — The only record of this species is that 

 of an adult female, shot at CuUercoats on June 2nd, 1863, and 

 mentioned by J. Hancock in his catalogue, who states that it was 

 at the time of his writing in the possession of Mr. M. C. Woods, 

 of HoUeyn Hall. This bird was on passage from the south. 



Merlin {F. cesalon). — An occasional visitant in autumn and 

 winter. The first record I have is of a female shot at St. Mary's 

 Zool. 4th ser. vol. XV., October, 1911. 2 G 



