Notes and Letters on the Natural History of Norfolk: More Especially on the Birds and Fishes — John Shaqi
Notes and Letters on the Natural History of Norfolk: More Especially on the Birds and FishesBrowne, Thomas, Sir
History
Notes and Letters on the Natural History of Norfolk: More Especially on the Birds and Fishes
Browne, Thomas, Sir
Natural history -- England -- Norfolk
[5] The Glede, or Puttock, of Turner, once so plentiful, is now
only an extremely rare visitor to Norfolk. In 1815, it appears from
Hunt ("British Ornithology"), not to have been uncommon, but the
same authority in his list of Norfolk Birds contributed to Stacey's
"History" of that County, speaks of the Kite as having in 1829
become extremely rare. It probably ceased to nest in this County
about the year 1830, or perhaps a little later. Browne's reason for
its comparative scarcity about the City of Norwich, viz., the
abundance of Ravens mentioned at p. 27 _infra_, is very interesting
to us in the present day when Kites and Ravens are almost equally
rare.
[6] It seems likely that Browne here refers to two species of
Harrier, the Grey Buzzard being the male of the Hen Harrier
(including of course Montagu's Harrier which was not discriminated
till long after) in its grey adult plumage, whereas the Marsh
Harrier, with its light yellow head, to which the word "bald" as
then used might well be applied, would stand for the "Bald
Buzzard." The Harriers, which were till long after the time he
wrote extremely numerous, are generally called "Buzzards" by the
natives, and it will be noticed at p. 15 _infra_, that what is
doubtless intended for the Marsh Harrier is spoken of as an enemy
to the Coots; also at p. 56, it is said that young Otters "have
been found in the Buzzards nests," a very likely circumstance with
so fierce a bird, and one of which I have an impression I have
heard in recent years. The Hen Harrier is now an extremely rare
bird with us; the Marsh Harrier still occasionally nests in the
Broads, and Montagu's Harrier now and then attempts to rear a
brood, but even should the parents succeed in escaping it is very
seldom they carry their young with them. Professor Newton has
kindly favoured me with the following additional interesting note
on this bird. "The Marsh Harrier is certainly the 'Balbushardus' of
Turner (1544), which, though he says it is bigger and longer than
the ordinary _Buteo_, has a white patch on the head and is
generally of a dark brown (_fuscus_) colour, hunting the banks of
rivers, pools, and marshes, living by the capture of Ducks, and the
black birds which the English call Coots (_Coutas_). This he,
Turner, has himself very often seen, and he describes its habits
correctly; adding that it also takes Rabbits occasionally. Gesner,
1555, quotes Turner, but refers the Bald Buzzard to the Osprey
(which he figures), and so the mistake began. Certainly Willughby's
Bald Buzzard is the Osprey, but his book was not published when
Browne wrote."
Cranes[7] are often seen here in hard winters especially about the
champian & feildie part it seems they have been more plentifull for in a
bill of fare when the maior entertaind the duke of norfolk I meet with
Cranes in a dish.
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