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BIKDS OF LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND. 
BUZZARD. Biiteo vulgaris (Leach). 
Of accidental occurrence, but formerly resident. ^ — According to Mr. Babing- 
ton (Appendix ‘Potter,’ p. 65), “two were shot near Charnwood Heath in 
1839, one of which came into the possession of Thomas Grisborne, Esq., the 
other of Kirby Fenton, Esq.” One was killed in Dalby Wood in 1879, so the 
late Mr. Widdowson informed me. 
Early in the present century Harley appears to have taken its eggs in the 
outwoods skirting Charnwood, probably in the exact spot where, as he wrote, 
“ the species used to nestle in some lofty Scottish fir-trees situated on a rising 
knoll or rounded eminence in the lower parts of the outwoods, near to the brook 
which passes thereby and flows onward through the town of Loughborough.” 
According to Harley, it appeared to breed also at Bardon, Belvoir, Donnington, 
Gopsall, Martinshaw, and at Oakley and Piper Woods, but was increasingly rare. 
In Rutland. — As in Leicestershire. — Mr. N. I;. Calcraft, of Edith Weston, 
writes me : — “ Not common now, but have often been killed.” 
ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD. Archibuteo lagopus (Gmelin). 
A winter visitant, of accidental occurrence. — Harley recorded that, in the 
autumn and winter of 1839-40, no less than thirty were procured in this county 
and in Nottinghamshire. Of these, five were captured in the Forest of Charn- 
wood, and three others in Bradgate Park. One of the latter — a female, shot by 
Adams on 12th Nov., 1839 — was examined by Harley, who found it to be 2 lbs. 4 oz. 
in weight, 23 inches in length, and 54 inches in spread of wings. In its crop 
were found Rabbits’ fur, pieces of flesh, small bones, and the feet of what appeared 
to be the Field-IMouse. In the stomach were Rabbits’ fur and small bones mixed 
with animal matter. Another (a male), captured by Adams in the grounds at 
Bradgate two days afterwards, was found, on examination, to contain some elytra 
of Beetles. Probably the third is the one in the “ Bickley Collection,” Leicester 
IMuseum, labelled : — “ This bird was shot in Bradgate Park, Leicestershire, 
November 15th, 1839.” There is another in the Bickley Collection, which the 
late ]Mr. Widdowson informed Mr. Macaulay and myself he believed to have been 
shot at Stathern Hills. Mr. N. C. Curzon, Lockington Hall, writes me: — “A 
Rough-legged Buzzard was shot here in November, 1875.” One in the possession 
of jMr. W. T. Everard was, he writes me, shot by him on the Bardon Park Estate, 
in the winter of 1876 or ’77. One was reported in the ‘Field’ of 21st Feb., 1880, 
thus : — “ It may interest some of your readers to know that I shot a Rough- 
legged Buzzard last night, while waiting for Wood-Pigeons in a small covert near 
Ashby-de-la-Zouch. H. G.” 
I received notice on 7th Nov., 1887, of a large Hawk said to have been 
shot at Owston Wood on the 4th, which, if correct, appeared referrible to this 
species. Another was reported as having been shot at the same place between 
the 26th and 30th Dec., but, as a considerable amount of evasion has taken place 
