FALCON IDAE—FALCONS.
173
Both these specimens are now at Birmingham. Mr. Parsons says (11) that in
Rochford Hundred in his time it used not unfrequently to be seen on the wing,
though very rarely killed. His father shot a female on New England on Jan.
28th, 1832 (8). Mr. C. E. Smith of Coggeshall records one (31. 52) "shot by
the keeper of — Hawkins, Esq., 1857," and another shot near Colchester in 1858.
In 1859, "G. S." sent to the Field office a young one shot at St, Osyth, on Oct.
19th, "in the act of eating a Wild Duck, which it was seen to strike down (29.
Oct. 15). Mr. John Porter of Saffron Walden has a young male (?) which he shot
about 1860 in a wood close to the town as it was devouring a Kestrel, now
stuffed with it and placed in its claws. Dr. Bree records (32a) a female shot at
St. Osyth [about 1865], " a very fine old tiercel " killed after it had struck
down a Drake at Tollesbury on Apr. 8th, 1868, and a male shot on Pewit Island
on Oct. 20th, 1868, as it was killing a shrieking Golden Plover. Early in Dec.
1873, one was shot at Southminster (29. Dec. 6, and 34. 3830). About the middle
of Dec, 1879, one was observed at Bradwell " in pursuit of a flock of Wigeon ;
singling out one of them he struck it down, and was in the act of devouring it,
when he was shot by a man named Linnett" {Chelmsford Chronicle, Dec. 26).
During 1880, Mr. Travis of Saffron Walden received for preservation (44. i. lxiii.)
no less than four specimens killed in that neighbourhood :—One at Loft's Hall
by a gamekeeper ; another trapped in Nov. by one of Lord Braybrooke's keepers
at a Moorhen on which it had been feeding. On Sept. 27th, 1880, I saw a pair
flying over high up near Thaxted, and on Jan. 11th following I saw near Audley
End a single bird which I have no doubt was of this species. Mr. C. H. Hills of
Feering has a fine young female (?) shot by himself at Messing on Oct. 14th, 1885
whilst it was pursuing some Ringdoves. Another with it at the time, escaped. Mr.
Benton says (35.198) that on Foulness "The Peregrine, locally known as the Put-
tock [?], is a frequent visitor, "but this is probably an exaggeration. Mr. Hope writes
that it is " common on the Blackwater and Thames. One pair on the Blackwater
used to wait for the Gulls flying out of the mouth of the river and took a pair each
time." Mr. Stanley Edwards shot a remarkably large female, measuring twenty-
one inches in length and weighing thirty-six ounces, at Langham on Dec. 12th,
1884. Mr, Kerry says " some are seen every year round Harwich." He records (40.
i. 258) two females on the Stour, one shot in the act of stooping at some Sea-gulls
the other after it had killed and commenced to eat a Wood-pigeon. They are
not unfrequently met with at Paglesham (Pettitt). Mr. Buxton says (47. 81) a
pair "were killed some years ago on the Copped Hall Estate." Mr. Stacey pre-
served a specimen shot at Dunmow in the month of July, 1887. In Jan., 1889,
a wounded specimen was picked up on the marshes near Stratford (40. 106).
During March, 1889, one was trapped by a keeper at Forest Hall, Ongar, and
preserved by Mr. Scruby ; and I understand that several were killed by keepers at
Hylands, Widford, in the following autumn. Mr. Pettitt preserved a fine
female, weighing two and a half pounds, shot by Dr. Salter on his marshes at
Tollesbury on Nov. 16th.
As regards its breeding in the county, Graves says (7. i.) that the figure he
gives
"was coloured from a very fine specimen communicated by Mr. Bullock, who
received it from a gentleman resident near Harwich [ ? Rev. R. Sheppard], who
is particularly conversant with the hawk-tribe. He took this, with several others,
from the nest and has kept them several years. Our bird is in the last state previous
to its arriving at the adult plumage."
The Rev. J. C. Atkinson writes me that he never heard of a nest in Essex
even in his boyhood, but Mr. Clarke notes (24) that a pair bred at Sampford in