NOTES AND QUERIES. 



349 



sorry that it has met with an untimely end, as the deep woods at 

 Ashburnham and around Battle seem as if they might be a resting 

 place for this now fast-vanishing species. — Thomas Parkin. 



Note on an Eagle in North Wales. — On July 2nd I had the un- 

 usual pleasure of seeing an Eagle on the hills near Harlech, North 

 Wales. As it came sailing along a ridge some three-quarters of a mile 

 off, I at first took it for a Buzzard (not an uncommon bird there- 

 abouts) ; while watching it, however, one of the latter species ap- 

 peared following, and made a stoop at it. The Buzzard then came 

 on quite near me, and soared to an immense height, finally dis- 

 appearing, while the Eagle kept along the ridge, and was still too far 

 off to be identified for certain. Soon after I heard a tremendous 

 croaking, and saw a pair of Eavens attacking it ; I then observed it 

 was about twice the size (across wings) of its assailants, and its wing- 

 flap and note were quite unlike a Buzzard's. (I regret I could get no 

 idea as to which species it was, unless the note, sounded like "kyu," 

 very shrill and sharply uttered, can identify it. I did not notice any 

 white about it, but the bird was too far off to be sure of this.) The 

 Ravens never ceased stooping at it, even when settled, until they 

 had driven it off some half-mile along the ridge, when they returned 

 with redoubled croaks to the spot where I suppose they had carrion, 

 for the Eagle at once turned and followed them back. They drove it 

 off in this way no fewer than six times, and its immediately following 

 them back seemed most remarkable ; it never retaliated, only once or 

 twice turning up on one side in the air as if in defence. Sometimes 

 when it settled only one Raven stayed on guard, as it were, but as 

 soon as it rose again both went for it. All three birds kept up an in- 

 cessant noise. I was watching them more than half an hour, when, 

 on trying to get nearer, the Ravens disappeared ; the Eagle settled 

 near by, but on my moving again it also made off. — H. G. Atlee 

 (Wimbledon). 



Early Appearances of Sea-Birds in and round London. — On July 

 31st I saw a Cormorant fly over the road between Hampton and 

 Sunbury ; it passed over at no great height (probably from the reser- 

 voirs). A few minutes after it again appeared, and flew round for 

 some minutes, finally going off to the northward. On Aug. 1st a 

 Black-headed Gull paid a short visit to Penn Ponds, Richmond Park, 

 and on the 6th I saw four at Kew. On the 10th there was a party of 

 at least twenty Blackheads on the river between Vauxhall and Lambeth 

 Bridges, and on the 10th I saw at the same spot a Lesser Black- 

 backed and a Herring- Gull flying up the river together (the former 



