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A HISTORY OF SURREY 127. 126. Honey-Buzzard. Pernis apiverus (Linn.). A rare visitor in summer ; only recorded on about six occasions, although it bred for years in the neighbouring county of Hamp- shire (Bucknill, pp. 188-190). Peregrine Falcon. Falco peregrinus, Tunstall. A rare visito^ Surrey not presenting the species with any suitable sites for nidification. Noticed in not quite a dozen instances (Buck- nil/, pp. 190, 191). 128. Hobby. Falco subbuteo, Linn. In former years a fairly common summer visitor to the wild wooded districts, where it doubtless often nested. At the present day is of somewhat rare appearance, though a few are occasionally seen, and of course meet with the usual fate accorded by the keeper to all hawks (Bucknill, pp. 192, 193). 129. Merlin. Falco tesalon, Tunstall. A somewhat scarce winter visitor. It has occasionally been shot and observed even in recent years, but is nowhere more than a straggler (Bucknill, pp. 193, 194). 130. Red-footed Falcon. Falco vespertinus, Linn. A very rare summer visitor, only recorded on four or five occasions (Bucknill, pp. 1 94-196). 131. Kestrel. Falco tinnunculus t Linn. The only common hawk in the county, but, even it, is less abundant by far than in past years. A resident species in all the rural districts, sometimes visiting the metropolis. Much more generally distributed than the sparrow-hawk. 132. Osprey. Pandion baliaftus (Linn.). A rare straggler on its spring and autumn migrations. It has been shot on about a score of occasions in Surrey, and has occurred in 1897, 1898 and 1899, so that it has not yet ceased to favour us with its presence (Bucknill, pp. 198-201). 133. Cormorant. Phalacrocoraxcarbo(L n.). A wanderer from the sea. Has been ob- tained casually on some of the large lakes and on the Thames (Bucknill, pp. 202, 203). 134. Shag. Phalacrocorax graculus (Linn.). Another marine visitor shot in the county two or three times (Bucknill, p. 204). 135. Gannet or Solan Goose. Sula banana (Linn.). A straggler from the coast obtained in the county upon about six occasions, usually being picked up in an exhausted state (Bucknill, p. 204 or 205). 136. Common Heron. Ardea cinerea, Linn. A resident, and though not perhaps so com- mon as in years gone by, slightly on the in- crease, it having been lately accorded con- siderable protection in certain county localities. There have been several well-known heron- ries in Surrey, and the bird now nests in a few well-chosen localities, the most interesting of which is Richmond Park. There are also some large colonies just outside the county borders. From these come many of the spe- cimens which are so often to be seen on the quiet corners of our lakes and streams (Buck- nill, pp. 205-208). 137. Purple Heron. Ardea purpurea, Linn. Once shot on Frensham Pond (Bucknill, p. 209). 138. Squacco Heron. Ardea ralloides, Scopoli. Once killed at Vachery Pond, Cranleigh. The specimen is in the Charterhouse collec- tion (Bucknill, p. 209). 139. Night-Heron. Nycticorax griseus (Linn.). A rare straggler, noticed only two or three times (Bucknill, pp. 209, 2io). 140. Little Bittern. Ardetta minuta (Linn.). A very rare visitor. Recorded on three or four occasions only (Bucknill, pp. 210, 211). 141. Bittern. Botaurus stellaris (Linn.). Formerly a regular winter visitor, but at the present day of occasional though not ex- tremely rare occurrence, usually in severe weather. Has been shot and noticed fre- quently (Bucknill, pp. 211-214). 142. White Stork. Ciconia alba, Bechstein. Stated to have been once shot at Frensham (Bucknill, p. 214). 143. Glossy Ibis. Plegadis falcinellus (Linn.). A rare straggler, only recorded from Surrey once or twice (Bucknill, p. 216). 144. Spoonbill. Platalea leucorodia, Linn. Formerly a rare visitor, having been noticed two or three times, but not within the last five-and-thirty years (Bucknill, p. 2 1 5). 145. Grey Lag-Goose. Anser cinereus, Meyer. A winter visitor which, though in years past often visited our larger waters, is at the present day practically confined to overhead migration so far as Surrey is concerned. So too is the case with all the wild geese. It was some- times shot by the early local ornithologists (Bucknill, p. 217). 212