314 
THE BIRDS OF HAMPSHIRE. 
a very few years after White's death, namely, August 26th, 
1806. 
In more modern times it has been met with in almost 
every month of the year, and we think it may possibly 
nest within our limits, but the fact of its occupying old 
nests of other birds at some distance from the ground 
makes the discovery a difficult one. 
Bury wrote that a pair bred regularly in the marshes 
near Yarmouth, " as recorded by Mr. Yarrell," but the 
last edition of that standard work makes no mention of 
the report. 
Bury also records specimens obtained in the Island on 
October 26th, 1843, and May 1st and December 12th, 
1844. This last is a remarkable date, and indeed the 
chief interest attaching to the following records belongs to 
the season at which these eccentric birds were seen. 
The specimen in the Alton Museum was obtained at 
the mill-stream at Selborne on August 27th, 1859, and 
presented by Professor Bell. (Bell's edition of White 
says 1858.) Colonel Irby met with one at Wolmer on 
July 26th, 1884, and one of our few occurrences in winter 
is that of the bird procured at Ovington on January 19th, 
1892, and now in the Winchester College collection. 
Munn has seen the bird frequently throughout the 
summer on the Test, at Hurstbourne, Longparish and 
Bransbury, and near Bishopstoke on the Itchen ; and he 
remembers once flushing a pair from a pollard oak in 
the water-meadows at Freefolk, when a pair of barn 
owls also flew out from the same tree ; this was in the 
spring. 
In the New Forest district also this species is well 
known. Wise says that it was common in his time between 
Lymington and Calshot. In June, 1862, he saw several 
