74 



NOTES FROM THE ISLE OF WIGHT. 



and suffering itself to be retaken. It refused to take any food ; but was 

 fed by having very small pieces of raw meat forced down its throat. It 

 has been kept alive, and in apparent health, ever since by the same 

 means ; being fed in this way every evening. It seems to be stronger 

 than when it was originally taken, but not at all less shy. It will not 

 feed itself, either by pecking from the hand or from the floor of its 

 cage ; water has been put into its cage in an open saucer, but it does 

 not appear to make any use of it, either in washing itself or drinking. 

 Can you, or any of your correspondents, suggest any way of managing- 

 it, which may tend to tame it, or any mode of feeding which may lead 

 it to provide for itself? 



In the next parish to this there is a Gull (either the Larus hybernus 

 or L. Rism) which was brought up there about twenty-seven years ago. 

 There is a small piece of water which it used to frequent ; but for many 

 years it has nearly forsaken this, and spends its time, either sitting upon 

 the rails of one or two cottages to which it confines its visits, or flying 

 at liberty around the country. Every spring, when the breeding season 

 arives, it leaves the parish, which is inland, and pairing with one of the 

 wild birds, inhabits the white cliffs on the coast, whence it returns again 

 alone when the breeding season is over, after disappearing, however, for 

 some days to either. It is so tame at other times with those whom it 

 knows, that it will come into their cottages and eat out of their hands, 

 but will not be approached thus closely by strangers.* 



A few months since, a peasant brought me alive, a female Kestril 

 and a Magpie, which he had captured in a singular manner ; whilst 

 working in a field he heard a great scuffling on the other side of the 

 hedge, and upon looking over, saw the Kestril and Magpie fighting on 

 the ground. He got over the hedge, and approached them ; the Hawk 

 endeavoured to escape, but the Magpie held her so firmly by the leg, 

 which he had grasped in his claw, that she could not escape, and both 

 were taken with the hand. The Magpie was very much wounded 

 about the head, and died in the course of the night. The Hawk did 

 not appear to be hurt ; but she refused all food, and did not live long. 

 She had lost one eye in some former battle, but the socket was quite 

 healed and dried up. 



B Rectory. 



* This is an exceedingly curious, and, so far as I know, a very uncommon 

 fact. — Ed. 



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