Birds. 1207 



suggestion, but should you think it worth consideration, I should feel obliged by its 

 insertion in 'The Zoologist.' — T. W. Barlow ; Holmes Chapel, October 6th, 1845. 



Enormous take of Whales at Lerwick, September 22nd. — On Thursday last an 

 immense body of whales visited Quendall Bay, and were received with every demon- 

 stration of rejoicing. The moment the cry of " whales coming ! " was heard, one 

 general and simultaneous rush towards the shore was made by the inhabitants. Boats 

 were manned, axes shouldered, harpoons handled, knives laid hold of, old pickaxes, 

 shovels, spades, pokers, hammers, and every other available lethal weapon held in 

 requisition — plash went the oars, the excited rowers being stripped. What an 

 animating sight ! The dealing of deadly blows, the rushing in of the ponderous shoal, 

 and the dying throes of the expiring monsters, all united in an incongruous harmony 

 to add to the intensity of interest felt on the occasion. For two hours the deadly 

 combat lasted ; at last one loud and long shout of victory was raised from the trium- 

 phant Zetlanders, who stood gloating over 1540 whales ! What a capture, and what a 

 seene ! No language can portray it, and therefore to attempt a description were 

 needless. Not one escaped — all lay in one heap of slain. Some of the young men, 

 when chasing the shoal into shallow water actually left their boats and sat astride the 

 animals riding them to the shore. The history of the whale catching in Zetland does 

 not afford an instance of such an extensive capture in such an incredibly short period 

 of time. A handsome sum is expected to be realised by the captors as the reward of 

 their labours. — John o^GroaVs Journal. 



Capture of Whales. — During the last six weeks the inhabitants of the Faroe 

 Islands have captured no fewer than 2800 whales. A whole cargo of whalebone has 

 been dispatched from these Islands to England; it is intended for manure. On the 5th 

 instant one hundred and fifty bottle-noses got the finishing stroke at Sandwick ; and on 

 the same day at West Voe, off Sandburg, one hundred were captured and slain. The 

 day was fine, and the scene at both places was of the most animating description. The 

 blubber was next day sold at £10 per tun. — Examiner, September 27th, 1845. 



Description of the Spotted Eagle. By Edward Newman. 



The similarity between my figure and that just published by Mr. Yarrell in the 

 Supplement to his History of British Birds, cannot fail to strike every ornithologist 

 who has seen both engravings ; but this similarity will, I trust, be satisfactorily 

 explained when I inform my readers that both engravings were made from the same 

 drawing, and therefore that neither is a copy of the other. The drawing was 

 made by Mr. Robert Davis, of Clonmel, and kindly transmitted for the use of both 

 publications. 



From the circumstances already related of the occurrence of this bird (Zool. 1190), 

 I think little doubt can be entertained that it is truly native in the South of Ireland, 

 both the present specimen, and a second unfortunately not preserved, being evidently 

 in immature plumage, and there is every reason to suppose that this eagle has long 

 been known to the inhabitants of Ireland, and always supposed to be the Golden Eagle. 

 This rich country seems almost a terra incognita to naturalists, and every succeeding 

 month of ' The Zoologist's' existence seems destined to record some of its manifold 

 treasures. 



