NOTES FROM THE AVON VALLEY. m 149 



has been my privilege to record the autumn "flying visit " of a 

 fish-hawk — once, I am sorry to say, with fatal termination. In 

 the present instance all went well, and although it was seen 

 fishing on several separate waters, and guns were pointed at it, 

 it escaped, as far as I could learn, without the loss of a feather. 

 With a plunge and splash, it was seen to take fish from the 

 waters, and in one such instance a gun fired in the direction caused 

 it to drop the prey, which was eventually secured, and proved to 

 be a Eoach of about a pound weight. It was brought to me, 

 and had a piece torn out of its back between the head and the 

 dorsal fin, as if removed by the wonderful foot and claws of this 

 grand bird. 



On the higher grounds and fields to the east of the Avon an 

 unusual number of Golden Plover resorted during the winter — 

 they generally frequent the downlands of Wilts and Dorset, to 

 the east — and at the same time I was informed of a pair, or at 

 least two, hawks taking up their quarters — if not together, at 

 least in the same locality. From description I took it to be a 

 pair of Merlin, from the size differing so much ; the smaller one 

 was designated the " little black hawk," and was said to be the 

 most active of the two, especially amongst the Sky-Larks, which 

 they seemed to be worrying daily over a wide extent of country, 

 and interested many observers. I did not hear of the Brambling 

 in any extraordinary numbers, as they sometimes are seen in 

 the fens, especially when beech-nuts are as abundant as they 

 were last season. The Little Owl nested in several fresh locali- 

 ties, and specimens of the fierce little creatures were shot. 



On account of the floods, angling — at least from the banks — 

 was almost impracticable, but the high water was, I suppose, 

 beneficial to the " coming up" of Salmon, as I understood over 

 thirty fine fish were taken from the water running through one 

 estate, most of them over 20 lb. Some extraordinary takes of 

 Eoach were also recorded. One part of the river was almost 

 swarming with large Pike, though only one, I believe, over 20 lb. 

 was taken, yet an unprecedented number between 16 lb. and 18 lb. 

 were landed. The most remarkable capture during the year 

 was a Trout, turning the scale at 15 lb. 1 oz. 



A fine Eoebuck was shot in a wood near here. Its presence 

 was unsuspected. 



