FALCONIDAE—HARRIERS.
163
Mr. Edwards, of Ingrave, has a fine female shot by himself. King, writing
in 1838 of the district around Sudbury, says (20), "This is, perhaps, the least
uncommon of our larger Hawks." Mr. Clarke notes (24) the occurrence of one
at Littlebury, on August 1st, 1823 ; of one at Wenden in 1828, obtained by Mr.
Salmon ; and of two at Saffron Walden in 1835, one of which is now in the Museum
there. The Rev. M. C. H. Bird mentions one seen on Canvey Island, on Feb,
28th, 1882. Specimens, generally birds of the year, are killed occasionally at
Tollesbury (Laver). Mr. Hope says it is " not uncommon on the north-east
borders of Essex near the sea." The Rev. J. C. Atkinson says (36. 37) he used to
hear it called " Bald Buzzard " in Essex, and he writes me that in his boyhood,
some sixty years ago, it " bred in an old decoy at Tolleshunt D Arcy." Fifty
years ago, too, in the Paglesham district, Dr. Laver says (50. iii. 33) :
" At the sides of those pieces of water locally known as ' fleets,' the Marsh
Harrier would sometimes be found nesting amongst the sedges. * * * I fancy
few of these nests escaped destruction : all those I ever heard of were rifled."
Hen Harrier: Circus cyaneus.
Now a rare visitor, though there can be no question that it once
bred commonly in Essex, as it still does occasionally in some of the
wilder and more remote
parts of Great Britain.
Graves says (7. iii.) that in
his time (1821) it was "not
uncommon about the marshes
of Kent and Essex, bordering
on London," while as lately as
the year 1832, Mr. Parsons
described it (11) as "frequent
on the marshes and along the
sea-shore from Shoebury east-
ward." Albin figures a fine
cock which he says (3. iii. 3)
" was sent me by my honoured
friend Sir Robert Abdy out of
Essex." Mr. Clarke, writing
of the Saffron Walden district about 1845, notes it (24) as having been "fre-
quently taken " there then. He mentions a fine adult male, obtained at Ashdon,
and there are several local specimens in the Walden Museum. W. D. King says
(20):-
" Driving one day with a friend on the Hedingham Road [out of Sudbury]>
we saw a large Hawk fly to the top of the tree by the side of the road near a wood.
As we approached, it flew off, and (what appeared singular) it advanced towards
us till within perhaps twenty yards, when it turned aside and skimmed over
lome fields to the left, thus affording us an excellent view of it. It was evidently
female of this species."
Mr. Kerry says (40. iv. 69) that four were seen and one shot near Harwich,
on December 5th, 1879. The one that was shot had just struck down and
killed a Gull that was teasing it. It did not attempt to follow the Gull,
which was picked up by a man who then shot the Harrier. On or about Nov.
10th, 1888, one was killed at Tolleshunt D'Arcy (Laver). An adult female, with
he remains of a Thrush in its crop, was shot at Walton-on-the-Naze oh Dec
M 2