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IN THE KINGSBRIDGE DISTRICT. 9) 
of rare birds were imperfectly known and little understood 
at the time. In May, 1842, thousands of Arctic Terns were 
caught by the easterly gales and driven into the estuary, 
where scores were knocked down with sticks and stones by 
the boys between the quays and brought to Mr. Nicholls. 
In 1846 Quails nested near the town, and were abundant the 
following autumn. 
In the next decade—1850 to 1860—are recorded: the 
Rufous Warbler, Hawfinch, Brainbling, Rose-coloured Pastor, 
Crested Lark, Bee Eater, Osprey, Hobby, Little Bittern, 
Bernacle Goose, Whoopers, Little Crake, Glaucous Gull. 
This is the first record of a Rufous Warbler occurring in 
Great Britain; it was shot near the Start. The Hawfinch 
bred in the grounds at Woolston. In the Arctic winter of 
1852-1853 the district swarmed with Bramblings, and in the 
same winter several Whooper Swans were shot on the 
estuary. The Bee Eater was shot near Ilton Castle; and a 
pair of Crested Larks, which species is common along the 
shores of the Mediterranean, were observed on Slapton Sands 
by the late President of the British Ornithological Union— 
Lord Lilford—himself. We get no record of Hoopoes in this 
decade, and on seeking an explanation, Mr. Nicholls tells me 
they occurred so regularly that he did not think it necessary 
to record them. There are some species which are recorded 
with such frequency in the first sixty or seventy years of the 
century, annually in some instances, such as Hoopoes, Rose- 
coloured Pastors, Little Bitterns, Night Herons, Osprey, 
Hobby, that we may reasonably conjecture that had the 
birds been unmolested, we should have had them as breeding 
species in the neighbourhood at the present time. Some, I 
fear, have disappeared never to return, for instance, the Osprey, 
whilst others, owing to their conspicuous plumage, will never 
have a chance unless more pains are taken to educate the rising 
generation. Only this spring a Hoopoe was brought me for 
identification, the possessor saying he thought it had escaped 
from some aviary, so he shot it to save it from being lost. 
Just prior to the last decade Starlings commenced breed- 
ing in the district. 
From 1860 to 1870 we get recorded: Crossbills, Hoopoe, 
Kite, Osprey, Hobby, Smew, Pallas’s Sand Grouse, Quail 
year (1870), Crane, Little Bustard, Dotterel, Phalarope years 
(1866 and 1870), White Knot (1875), Black-tailed Godwit, 
Black Tern (summer plumage), Richardson’s Skua and 
Buffon’s Skua (mature dress), Great Northern Diver and 
Black-throated Diver (summer dress). 
