238 Britten : Notes on Birds of the Eden Valley, 



time. I have seen a g-ood number of nests whilst searchinj^ for the 



nests of the Carrion Crow. 

 Short-eared Owl. I have only met with this owl on one occasion. This 



was during the winter of 1896, when I came across a single bird in a 



larg-e reed bed near the river Eden. 

 Tawny Owl. This bird used to be very coninion but is now becoming- 



decidedly scarcer. A number of its old nesting-sites have not been 



tenanted for several vears, though it still breeds freely in the Eden 



Valley. 



MoNTAGNS Harrier. The late Rev. H. A. INlacpherson, in the 'Victoria 

 History,' says of this species:— 'An adult male was killed near 

 Edenhall. 



Buzzard. This bird is often met with in the Eden Valley during the 

 winter months. 



Rough-legged Buzzard. The late Rev. H. A. Macpherson records 'a fine 

 bird trapped at Baron Wood in 1879.' 



Goshawk. The late Rev. H. A. Macpherson says: — 'An immature bird 

 was shot near Edenhall while striking at a Woodpigeon. 



Sparrow-hawk. This hawk is a common resident in the Eden Valley. 

 It often utilises the old nest of a Woodpigeon or Squirrel, but occa- 

 sionally it will build its own nest, carrying sticks in a very energetic 

 manner. If one of a pair of these birds is killed from a nest the survivor 

 at once hunts vip a new mate. I have seen this occur before incubation 

 commenced, whilst they were still sitting-, and also after the young- 

 were hatched. On one occasion I can remember the old hen beingf 

 killed from a nest, and on climbing up to the nest found it contained 

 five eg-gs ; these were left undisturbed, and ?bout ten days later it was 

 found that another hen was sitting- on this nest. She was shot and on 

 once more climbing to the nest it was found to contain 11 eggs. 



Peregrine Falcon. This fine bird is frequently seen in the Eden Valley 

 during the winter months. 



Hobby. The late Rev. H. A. Macpherson records this bird from Edenhall. 



Merlin. This falcon is not uncommon in the Eden Valley. I have found 

 the nest containing young- birds on several different occasions, in the 

 Parish of Great Salkeld, 



Kestrel. This falcon is moderately comnion as a breeding- bird in the 

 Eden Valley. 



OsPREY. The late Rev. H. A. Macpherson says, 'An Osprey was killed at 

 Baron Wood in September 1869 ; this bird was caught in a pole-trap 

 and recorded in the local jxipers as a Brown Eagle. Whin's pond at 

 Edenhall has received the attention of Ospreys on several occasions ; 

 a fine female was shot there in the summer of 1848.' 



Cormorant. I have only met with this bird on one occasion in the Eden 

 Valley, when my attention was drawn to a bird of this species by the 

 persistent manner in which a large flock of Rooks were mobbing it, 

 frequently causing- it to seek safety in flight. 



Common Heron. Is a common resident in the Eden Valley. A very fine 

 colony is strictly preserved at Edenhall ; a smaller colony exists on the 

 Nunnery side of the Eden at Baron Wood. During: the summer of 1904 

 a Heron was seen fishing in a small stream near Great Salkeld. It 

 was seen to strike at something and carry it out on to the grass ; on 

 driving the bird away it was found to have secured a fine specimen of 

 the Brown Rat. 



Squacco Heron. The late Rev. H, A. Macpherson, in his ' \'ictoria History,' 

 says, 'A specimen was shot out of a tree near the village of Kirkoswald 

 in July 1845. It was shot by a Lazonby farmer. He appears to have 

 sent it to the late Sir George Musgrave, for whom it w-as probably 

 mounted by Philip Turner, of Penrith.' 



Naturalistv 



