342 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



at that particular season. On dissection, I found that the stomach of the 

 male contained the remains— particularly the legs — of a Yellow Bunting, 

 together with the eggs of that bird, and a small mass resembling fragments 

 of insects, amongst which the wing-cases of a small beetle were conspicuous ; 

 this latter probably from the stomach of the Bunting. The food of the 

 female was even more varied, and her appetite apparently more vigorous ; 

 for the stomach contained no less than six legs of small birds (viz. two of 

 Bunting and four of Meadow Pipit), the tail and legs of a sand lizard, and a 

 considerable mass of broken eggs, amongst which those of the Sky Lark 

 were easily recognised ; in fact, I should suppose the Harrier was killed 

 in the act of robbing the Sky Lark's nest, as an almost entire egg of 

 that bird was in its throat, and the whole passage into the intestines 

 seemed gorged with similar food, whilst the action of the gizzard upon 

 the egg-shells of Sky Lark, Bunting, &c, had reduced them to an almost 

 unrecognizable mass ; indeed it seemed impossible that the body of a bird the 

 size of a Harrier could have enclosed such a quantity of food. From the fore- 

 going facts it seems that small birds and their eggs form the staple article of 

 food at this season, although the gamekeeper assured me that the hen bird 

 especially had been " working" his breeding-coops ; but 1 suppose anything 

 bearing the name or semblance of a " hawk " has a like reputation from the 

 gamekeeping fraternity, as it is a well-kuown fact that even the " Night 

 Hawk," as the Nightjar is often designated, is by ignorant people persecuted 

 as an enemy to their craft. My experience goes to prove that Montagu's 

 Harrier is the commonest species of its class met with here ; and although 

 last year I heard of three pairs of Marsh Harriers nesting in the forest, I am 

 doubtful as to identity of the species. In this district I have seen but one 

 specimen of the Marsh Harrier in the tiesh, many years ago, and, if my 

 memory serves me, that was in late autumn or early winter, and in that 

 case a doubt existed in my mind as to its being a Hampshire specimen at 

 all. Of course the fact of my not having seen the species myself is no 

 proof against its occurrence. Two years ago a specimen of the Marsh 

 Harrier, said to have been killed in this locality, was identified by a person 

 who possesses Yarrell's 'British Birds.' When I saw the specimen, 

 however, a short time afterwards, a glance proved it to be an' immature 

 male of Montagu's Harrier. — G. B. Corbin (Ringwood). 



Buzzard in Derbyshire.— Early in July last a Buzzard [Buteo vulgaris) 

 was shot by a gamekeeper about two miles south of Bakewell, Derbyshire. 

 One foot had at some previous time been taken off at the ankle-joint, and 

 two claws were missing from the remaining foot. In the crop was found 

 the remains of a Stoat. — W. Storrs Fox (6t. Anselms, Bakewell). 



[It is to be hoped that this will prove a lesson to the keeper, who should 

 regard the Buzzard as a friend rather than an enemy. It is true that this 

 bird takes toll of the rabbits when it lias the chance, but when these are 



