4 A CENTURY’S WORK ON ORNITHOLOGY 
The Buff-backed Heron which was shot in 1808 at South 
Allington is one of the only two obtained in Great Britain. 
The Ash-coloured Harrier, or Montagu’s Harrier, as it 1s 
now called, the Colonel was the first to ‘point out as distinct 
from the Hen Harrier, from specimens obtained in the 
neighbourhood. 
The Osprey was often to be observed fishing on the Avon 
or on the estuary in those days, and Montagw’s description 
of their habits is very interesting. 
In the next two decades—from 1810 to 1830—I can only 
find four records, namely, those of the Osprey, Ruff, Glossy 
Ibis, and Purple Heron. This latter specimen, which was 
shot on the Avon, is a remarkably fine specimen, and was 
used by Thomas Bewick to illustrate that species in his 
work on British birds. 
From 1830 to 1840 we find occurrences of the Crossbill, 
Rose-coloured Pastor, White-tailed Eagle, Honey Buzzard, 
Osprey, White Stork, Avocet, Phalaropes, Hobby. 
Here we begin to get Mr. H. Nicholl’s records. The 
Rose - coloured Pastor was shot at Aveton Gifford; the 
White-tailed Eagle my father found a man bringing into 
the town over his shoulder in a sack from Halwell Wood, 
where he had shot it; the Honey Buzzard was obtained in 
Woodleigh Woods; the White Storks were seen on Slapton 
Ley. In June, 1837, the flock of Crossbills were seen by 
Mr. Nicholls feeding on the fir cones at Combe Royal, whilst 
in the autumn of 1831 numbers of Phalarope were driven 
on our coasts by the severe gales. 
In the next decade—1840 to 1850—and onwards the 
records gather in interest, and we find occurring: the 
Waxwing, Rose-coloured Pastor, Hoopoe, black variety of 
Montagu’s Harrier, Little Bittern, Night Heron, Spoonbill, 
a Quail year (1846), Little Bustard, a Phalarope year (1845), 
Spotted Redshank, great flight of Arctic Terns, Richardson’s 
Skua, Great Crested Grebe (full plumage). 
The Waxwing was shot at Blackawton in January, 1850. 
In very severe winters these birds are driven by want of 
food from the north-east part of Continental Europe and 
strike our east coast, but comparatively few filter through to 
Devon or Cornwall. The black variety of Montagu’s 
Harrier lay for three weeks on the cliffs, where it had been 
flung by the farmer who shot it, before Mr. Nicholls got it. 
The “shocking slaughter of four pairs of Night Herons in the 
Erme Valley j in the spring of 1849 has only to be mentioned 
to be condemned; but excuses may be offered, as the habits 
