FALCONIDAE—BUZZARDS. 165
off in a S.W. direction, and were seen by Col. Russell the same afternoon passing
over Stubbers."
In Rochford Hundred,
about 1832, Mr. Parsons
described it (11) as oc-
curring " chiefly in the
woods at Hadleigh and
Hockley, but not uncom-
mon."
On an old map of this
parish (Chignal St.
James), dated 1810, a
field, now thrown into
another, is called " Put-
tock's Leys," or " Put-
tock 's Leaz, "which, being
translated, means " Buz-
zard's Mead, or Leys."
Mr. Clarke notes (24)
that a young female was
trapped at Saffron Wal-
den in November, 1834
(now in the Museum) ;
that another occurred
shortly afterwards at
Painter's farm; that
another (also in the Mu-
seum) occurred at Quendon in 1836 ; another near Saffron Walden on December
15th, 1845 ; and that another (female) was trapped at the same place on January
25th, 1853. King describes it (20), rather curiously, as "rare" in the district
around Sudbury in his time. He adds, " I only know of one well-authenticated
instance of its occurrence here." Writing of the neighbourhood of Epping in
1835, Edward Doubleday says (15),
" The Buzzard and Kite are now extinct [here] (thanks to the gamekeepers) ;
but the former I have seen within four or five years. Previous to that time, I have
very often watched them, soaring high in the air, over the Park Hall and Hill Hall
Woods. They feed chiefly on small quadrupeds, toads, frogs and insects ; but a
toad is their most favourite dish."
Henry Doubleday, writing from Epping, says (10) :
" This morning [September 8th, 1840] one of the forest keepers shot a rather
singular Common Buzzard. It is lighter coloured than any specimen of the
Rough-legged Buzzard I have seen. The head, neck, thighs, and all the under-
parts are creamy-white, with a few oblong brown spots. I expect it is a male, as
it is small, but I have not yet skinned it. It is the only Common Buzzard I ever
had in a recent state."
English includes it as an occasional visitor (43. i. 24), while Mr. Buxton says,
(47. 81) it "has been seen several times during the last few years." Major Ed.
Taylor of Bishop's Stortford has one shot there about 1850, and Mr. Gripper of
Chelmsford another killed at Layer Breton about 1870. A handsomely-marked
male was shot in Short Grove Park by one of the keepers about October 6th,
1881. In its crop and stomach were the remains of a rat and two field-mice (44.
ii, lxxiii.). Mr. Wm. C. Emson of Littlebury has one caught there in a baited