NOTHS AND QUERIES. 75 
Zoologist’ (1908, p. 33) contains notes from Mr. W. J. Williams of 
two immature Ospreys shot in Co. Sligo in November, 1907,” proving 
that between 1900 and 1911 two specimens have been taken in 
Ireland, but immature: also the name of “ Lough Arrow ” instead of 
“Arron” should have been printed.* — Robert Warren (Ardnaree, 
_ Monkstown, Co. Cork). 
In Mr. Warren’s original letter (Zool. 1911, p. 391) he stated that 
a dealer had ten eggs of Golden Hagle and fifty of Osprey in his 
possession, “thus showing plainly why the Golden Eagles and 
Ospreys of Scotland are so steadily vanishing.’ In my reply I 
stated that the Golden Eagle in Scotland, instead of vanishing, has 
enormously increased in numbers of late years. It is therefore untrue 
to say that collecting their eggs either by dealers or amateurs has 
brought their numbers down anywhere near vanishing point, or even 
seriously reduced them. On the other hand, the Osprey in Scotland is. 
on the verge of extinction. Mr. Warren ascribes this to egg-collecting. 
On the other hand, I assert with confidence that it is due to the killing 
of the Ospreys themselves on migration. Their eyries, though well 
protected, and not interfered with by collectors, are deserted one by 
one, because either a single bird returns alone and fails to find a mate, 
or both birds fail to put in an appearance. My reasons for believing 
that the Irish-killed birds represent the Scottish breeding stock are 
based on the study of the “fly-lines”’ of this species. The Ospreys 
which arrive in our east coast counties (e.g. Yorkshire) in the autumn 
and work their way down south (accompanied by Honey-Buzzards 
and immature Sea-Hagles) are not likely to be Scotch birds, but are 
almost certainly immigrants from Scandinavia. On the other hand, 
the birds which have been killed in Iveland, especially those on 
their way north in the spring, are in all probability Scotch-reared 
birds. I distinctly stated that “we are not guiltless in the matter in 
England, but I am inclined to think that the ee killed birds are 
generally of Scandinavian rather than Scotch origin.” This is a very 
different thing from stating it as an ascertained fact, though per- 
sonally I have little doubt on the matter. 
_ With regard to the alleged occurrences recorded in the ‘Irish 
Naturalist,’ I venture to print Mr. Warren’s statement side by side 
with the results of my own investigations, and leave the readers of 
5 The Zoologist’ to draw their own conclusions :— 
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| [* We would again ask our contributors to write the names of localities 
and persons in capitals.—Hp. | 
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