PRELIMINARY NOTICES. 



add that Pheasants and Partridges are to be seen in the 

 Regent's Park, because these were, it is presumed, brought 

 there by those having command in that region, and which, there- 

 fore, can hardly be considered as the natural, voluntary domi- 

 cile of those birds. The Nightingale is also occasionally to 

 be heard in the same park. And Starlings now, I observe, 

 build very commonly in or about some of the capitals of the 

 Corinthian columns at Sussex Place. 



It may be staled also, in addition to what is said in page 77, 

 concerning the Martin, Hirundo urbica, that I observed, Aug, 

 10, 1829, several of those birds actively on the wing, over, and 

 around the Southwark bridge, where they were evidently 

 collecting their food. 



It is stated in the Mag. of Nat. Hist, that the Gardens about 

 London, are much more injured by insects than those in distant 

 parts of the country ; and it is conjectured that this is owing to 

 the number of birds which are taken by the bird-catchers and 

 also by the cats. Although this statement is in favour of the 

 necessity of Humanity to Animals for our own well-being, yet 

 I cannot confirm it by any knowledge of my own. 



The Falco Harpyia, or Crested Eagle, page 104, is sometimes 

 called Harpy. It is one of the most powerful of the Eagle 

 tribe ; a fine specimen of this bird is in the Horticultural Socie- 

 ty's Gardens ; by this time, we hope,"in the Zoological Gardens. 



Falco Washingtoniana, or Great American Sea-Eagle. 



We are indebted to Mr. Audueon for a description of this 

 large, rare, and rapacious bird, in the Mag. of Nat. Hist. vol. i. 

 p 115. This Eagle is much larger than our Golden Eagle. The 

 male weighs 14^ lbs, and is three feet seven inches long, by ten 

 feet two inches in extent. The female is, of course, larger. The 

 upper part of the head, neck, back, scapulars, rump, tail-coverts, 

 femorals, and tail feathers, are a dark coppery brown; the 

 throat, front of the neck, breast, and belly, a rich bright cinna- 

 mon, all the feathers of which are dashed along the centre with 



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