Ornithological Notes. By George Bolam. 353 



When the Club visited Callaly in June 1890, the keeper reported that 

 •white Owls were sometimes seen there ; and for many years a pair used to 

 nest regularly at Overgrass Mill, near Felton, but deserted the place when 

 the roof was burnt off the Mill. Two, which were shot at Swarland 

 shortly after this, were believed to have been the Overgrass birds. 



Hen Harrier. Circus cyaneus, Linnaeus. 



A bird which went the round of the newspapers as a ' Common 

 Buzzard,' but which I have seen and verified as being a Hen Harrier, was 

 shot by T. W. Walker, gamekeeper to the Honourable Edward Marjoribanks, 

 M.P., in the large coverts at Edington Hill, in the last week in January 

 1892. 



It proved to be an adult female in good condition, and in the usual 

 plumage, measuring 3 feet 10 inches across the wings, and 22 inches in 

 length, and was sent to Mr Jackson, High Bridge, Newcastle, for 

 preservation for Mr Marjoribanks. 



Another Harrier, said to be of this species, but which has not yet been 

 positively identified, was caught in a trap upon Alnwick Moor, on the 12fch 

 of the same month, and was set up for its captor by Mr George 

 Thompson of Alnwick. 



Common Buzzard. Buteo vulgaris, Leach. 



The trivial name of this species requires amending, for it can no longer 

 be called common, and being by nature more of a resident than its 

 congeners, it has now become the rarest of the three Buzzards in the 

 district. A fine female specimen which was shot by the keeper at Fenton, 

 near Wooler, in the beginning of January 1892, and was preserved for Mr 

 H. T. Morton, had, unfortunately for the arguments of its friends, dined 

 off a partridge shortly before it was killed, for the remains of the bird 

 were found in its crop. Another was trapped at Hesleyside, on the 

 North Tyne, on 25th April last. I had opportunities of examining both 

 these birds ; the latter, which came into the possession of Mr Thomas 

 Embleton, auctioneer, was a very pretty light coloured example, being 

 very pale hair brown upon the upper parts, with a considerable quantity 

 of white beneath. 



A young bird, most kindly sent to me by Mr Archibald Steel of Kelso, 

 was killed about the same time as the Wooler example, at Douglaw Glen, 

 in the parish of Ewes, Dumfriesshire ; and Buzzards were seen during the 

 winter, but not killed, in Alnwick Park, and near Lilburn Tower. 



In October 1890 a female was obtained on the Roxburgh side of the 

 Cheviots, and preserved by the late Mr Brotherston of Kelso ; and on 

 16th November 1886 one was shot near Felton by T. Gowland, gamekeeper 

 to Mr Andrews, of Swarland Hall. Several other instances of Buzzards 

 having been seen or obtained in the district might be mentioned, but 



