VEN. 
93 
In Avington Park, near Alresford, a pair bred annually 
until about 1885, in a clump of Scotch firs called the 
" Ravens' Clump," and of these Hudson writes : ^ " Between 
1840 and 1850 — one year, six nestlings were taken from 
this nest and reared, but were eventually all killed by the 
pair of old birds, which resented the presence of these 
young birds in their territory." 
The very last inland nesting pair of which we can 
gain any information was that which bred in Ashdown 
Copse at South Tedworth, which the Rev. A. C. Smith also 
includes among his Wiltshire nesting-places. This nest 
was occupied until 1887, and the Rev. H. E. Delme- 
Radcliffe tells us that on the disappearance of one of 
the old birds, it probably having been shot, the other 
never returned, and there have never been any since. He 
once had a young one which fell from the nest ; " the 
old birds could not tolerate its presence in my garden, 
about half a mile from their quarters, and used to come 
down and attack it furiously in the early morning when 
no one was about." 
We cannot assign a reason for the disappearance of 
this species — some alterations in the surroundings of their 
abode only known to themselves might be possible— 
certainly neither the taking of their eggs nor young seems 
to affect them as a rule. 
There are some other places in the county (such as 
Hawker's Hill, near Romsey) which have the reputation 
of having harboured this bird, but at such remote times 
that no data are possible. 
Mr. J. H. Willmore, of Queenwood College, Stockbridge, 
informed Kelsall that there was a nest on the Andover 
Road until about the year 1877. 
» Animal Life." Vol. I. 
