230 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF LAKELAND 



rat. The last Bitterns reported to me as procured in the centre 

 of Lakeland were shot near Ambleside ; one in January and 

 the other in December of 1889. My most recent notes of 

 Lakeland Bitterns refer to two specimens killed near Ambleside 

 in 1889, in the months of January and December; to a third, 

 which appeared in the neighbourhood of Cardew Mire in the 

 autumn of 1891, and attracted the attention of the countryside 

 by its drumming, which was described to me with great correct- 

 ness by those who were fortunate enough to hear it on several 

 different occasions ; lastly, to a fine Bittern which a farmer, 

 named Dixon, killed onCumwhitton Moss, on January 1, 1892 ; 

 a fifth specimen shot about ten days later near Penrith, and a 

 sixth shot at the same time on Weddholm Flow. 



Order HERODIONES. Fam. GIGGNIIDM. 



WHITE STOKK. 



Ciconia alba, Bechst. 



By the kindness of Colonel Macdougall, I am able to state 

 positively that a White Stork was killed in Westmorland early 

 in the year 1867. A local paper reported the occurrence of 

 this bird in the following words : ' A large and beautiful 

 specimen of the Stork, in fine plumage, was recently shot on 

 Windermere Lake by Mr. Thomas Fleming of Ecclerigg. It 

 measured 4 ft. 4 in. in height, 5 ft. 5 J inches across the wings, 

 weight 4J lbs.' 1 



To this information another journal adds : ' The bird was 

 purchased by J. M. Gresley, Esq., Bradford, and is now in the 

 skillful hands of Mr. W. Kaws, Eydal, for preservation. 2 The 

 late Thomas Fleming has been dead for some years. He was a 

 keen sportsman and a good shot. Colonel Macdougall knew 

 him well, and has interviewed his son and many other local 

 residents. This gentleman finally summarises the result of his 

 inquiries in a single sentence : ' There can be no doubt about the 

 shooting of the White Stork at Windermere Lake.' The fact 



*c 



1 Carlisle Journal, Feb. 1, 1867. 



2 Westmorland Gazette, Feb. 2, 1867. 



