Peacock : The Birds of North-west Lindsey. 401 



Peregrine. — Is the commonest of the Falcons, and rare 

 when that is said ; yet it visits this county every season. One 

 was trapped at Epworth, 19th March 1868. Mr. Brewster 

 records one for South Kelsey, 17th December 1874. A pair 

 visited the Eastern Woods during the winter 1886-87, and 

 received the usual reception, being shot or frightened away. 

 Again for some weeks from December 1897 to March 1898 this 

 bird or birds visited the Carrs of Cadney and South Kelsey, 

 killing plover and wood-pigeon. Neither the Vicar nor I were 

 lucky enough to view them, though we frequently observed 

 their work. I heard later that a pair would have nested in 

 Mr. Sutton Nelthorpe's woods at Scawby, but the keeper would 

 not permit this, though the birds were not shot. Early in 

 1904 the work of another bird or birds was observed in Cadney 

 Carrs, wild duck even falling victims. On the 27th of April 

 1904, my nephew Dennis viewed a single Peregrine as it made 

 a fine stoop at a leveret. The leveret rushed into some very 

 long grass by the hedge, and the Peregrine missed it. 



Hobby. — Still rarely attempts to breed with us in the 

 Eastern and other woods. I shot a female in Cole's Plantation, 

 Ashby, 2nd June 1881. Mr. Burton says, ' One or two shot by 

 keepers about Gainsborough.' 



Merlin. — Was not very rare as long as our moorlands 

 existed. There were nests on Manton Warren in 1862 and 

 1875. It has tried to nest since I have been told. Two adults 

 were taken at Epworth in the winter 1868-69. It used to be 

 found on Brumby West Common, but has been driven away by 

 enclosure. Mr. Burton says, ' One was killed by dashing 

 against a window at a canary hanging in a cage within, at Mr. 

 Forrest's house, Gainsborough.' 



Kestrel. — Is found all over the district. It would be 

 nesting in every wood if it were left in peace. 



OsPREY. — I have never seen this species alive. Sir Charles 

 Anderson records one shot at Norton Place before 1847. Cor- 

 deaux records two for the Epworth-Trent part of my district. 

 I am told it has been seen on the Trent since. The Vicar saw 

 the skin of a female which contained eggs, shot at Twigmoor, 

 loth of May 1900, by Thomas Pike. A ' Fish Hawk ' also 

 visited the Twigmoor ponds about a month in 1872. It was 

 not shot. 



Cormorant. — Reaches our sheltered waters on the Trent 

 or inland only during storms. 



1908 November i. 



