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NOTES ON THE BIKDS OF LEICESTERSHIKE. 

 By F. B. Whitlock. 



As the whole of my life has been spent either in Leicestershire 

 itself, or immediately on its borders, in the neighbouring county 

 of Notts, it was with feelings of no small interest that I com- 

 menced the perusal of Mr. Browne's work on the * Vertebrate 

 Fauna of Leicester and Rutland.' My special subject is 

 Ornithology, and, though I possess some knowledge of the other 

 Vertebrates of Leicestershire, I leave the criticism of the re- 

 maining portions of Mr. Browne's work to more competent 

 critics. 



With South Leicestershire my acquaintance is slight ; the 

 district I am familiar with is conveniently included in that 

 portion of the county politically known as Loughborough or Mid- 

 Leicestershire division. As this portion includes Charnwood 

 Forest and the major portion of the Soar Valley, and also so 

 much of the Trent Valley as lies in the north of the county, I 

 think I am justified in saying that it includes all the prominent 

 physical features to be found in Leicestershire. 



It is to be regretted that Mr. Browne did not think it well to 

 preface his remarks with a description of the general features of the 

 country covered by his work. To do so now would occupy too 

 much space, so I will content myself with the barest outline. 



Leicestershire is an eminently agricultural county, and 

 possesses but few areas of any great extent that remain in their 

 virgin state. The most striking feature is the range of hills and 

 woodlands known as Charnwood Forest ; but, like many other so- 

 called forests, the greater part is under cultivation. 



At the present day Charnwood Forest consists of a hilly and 

 well-wooded district lying in the north-west of Leicestershire, 

 some ten miles in length by about six in breadth. The hills at 

 Bardon and the Beacon reach the height of 850 feet and 700 feet 

 respectively. The most prominent woods are — Buddon Wood, 

 near Quorn, and the Out woods near Loughborough, whilst 

 spinneys and woods of smaller areas are numerous. Lying 

 within the area roughly known as the Forest are the deer-parks 

 of Bradgate and Garendon, both of considerable extent, and 

 containing fine old timber. In the smaller park of Beaumanor 



