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BIRDS OF LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND. 
Mr. Ingrain thinks it occasionally breeds in the Vale of Bel voir, as he 
has shot immature birds there with others. According to the late Mr. 
Widdowson, it has often been found, and breeding, near Melton Mowbray, and 
I saw in 1885, in the Melton Mowbray Museum, a case containing a pair of 
Quails, a chick, and eggs, and labelled : — “ Presented by Plumpton Wilson, Jan., 
1847.” This was, no doubt, the Rev. Plumpton Wilson. 
In Rutland. — A rare summer visitant, but appears to be more common 
than in Leicestershire. — The Earl of Gainsborough reports one seen at Exton, 
in 1884, and three were seen at Whitwell, on 21st Oct., 1884, of which one 
was shot by Mr. Maurice Berkeley, of Spetchley Park, when shooting with 
his I.ordship, who also reports it as having occurred at Ayston, Burley-on-the- 
Hill, Preston, Ridlington, Seaton and Thistleton. Mr. Lucas Calcraft writes: — 
“ Odd ones seen most Septembers,” and INIr. Horn informs me that Mr. Wortley 
shot two on 1st Sept., 1885, at Ridlington. The same gentleman, he says, heard 
one calling in his fields on 7th June, 188fi. Lord Gainsborough recorded, in ‘The 
Field’ of 9th Feb., 1889 (p. 190), that one was shot at Egleton, the first week 
in January, 1889, by C. IMasters. 
Family TETEAONID^. 
RED GROUSE. Lagopus scoticus (Latham). 
Formerly occurred, but is now extinct in the counties. — Mr. Babington 
wrote, in 1842 (Appendix ‘Potter,’ p. 08): — “A brood at Tin Meadows, twenty 
years ago, some of which were shot by Mr. Grundy, when in search of Black 
Game. Since then Mr. Gisborne attempted to introduce the bird from Scotland 
and the Derbyshire moors, but without success, it being unable to bear the 
dust of the journey, as the gamekeeper thought.” Harley wrote : — “ Well nigh 
become extinct,” and again : — “ The Red Ptarmigan occurs in the county in 
much about the same ratio, as regards its distribution and its numerical 
diffusion, as its congener the Black Grouse. This species of Ptarmigan, more- 
over, appears to affect alike the same locality — Charnwood Forest — a situation as 
yet the only one known to the author where it occurs in the county.” One 
was shot by the Rev. J. C. Davenport at Skeffington, in the winter of 1860, 
whilst it was feeding on some hips on a hedge. I saw a mounted specimen 
at Noseley, which had been shot there by Sir Arthur Hazlerigg, some years 
before, whilst it was sitting on a whitethorn eating the haws. It had been 
previously observed sitting on the top of a large ash tree! 
BLACK GROUSE. Tetrao tetrix, Linnfeus. 
“ Grey Hen ” (female). 
No longer met with in the county. — Mr. Babington, writing in 1842 
(Appendix ‘ Potter,’ p. 68), said : — “ Near Charnwood Heath, Sharpley, etc., in 
tolerable numbers till the last two years. They are now nearly extinct.’ 
