Animals ’ (p. 52). No further particulars however respecting
it are known, nor does the entry state under what
circumstances the bird was observed, as Professor Duns, who
lately examined the original record, now in the library of the
University of Edinburgh, has kindly informed the Editor.
Details of the second example are more precise. In the
extracts from the Minute Book of the Linnean Society
printed at the end of the Fourteenth volume of its ‘ Transactions
’ (p. 583) under date “ Nov. 4, 1823” there is a
notice of a communication by Dr. Sims mentioning, on the
authority of the late Mr. Fothergill of Carr End near Ark-
rigg in Yorkshire, the occurrence of a Swallow-tailed Kite
near Hawes in Wensleydale in that county. The Editor
has been favoured by a son of the gentleman last named—
Mr. William Fothergill of Darlington, with a complete
corroboration of this story in the shape of the original note
in the handwriting of his father. This note states that
“ On the 6tli of September 1805, during a tremendous
thunder-storm a bird, of rvhich a correct description follows,
Avas observed flying about in Shaw Gill, near Simonstone,
and alighting upon a tree Avas knocked doAvn by a stick
throAvn at it, Avhich however did not prove fatal, as I saAV it
alive and had an opportunity of carefully examining it four
days after it was taken.” A very accurate description of the
specimen, which Avill be found at the end of this article,
folloAvs, and the note proceeds thus—the latter portion
having to all appearance been written subsequently :—“ The
bird was kept to the 27tli, and then made its escape, by the
door of the room being left open Avliile shewing [it] to some
company. At first it arose high in the air, but being violently
attacked by a party of Books, it alighted in the tree in which
it was first taken. When its keeper approached, it took a
lofty flight towards the south, as far as the eye could folloAV,
and has not since been heard of.— [Signed] W. F o t h e r g il l .
Sepr. 30th. 1805.” The Editor has further been kindly
sheAvn by his obliging correspondent a letter addressed to his
father the folloAATing year by his nephew—the late Mr. Charles
Fothergill of York, an ardent naturalist, Avho says “ I have also
p ro v e d , Avhat I e x p e c te d Avould b e t h e c a s e , t h a t t h e Falco t a k e n
a t H a r d r a w S c a r r Avas t h e SAvalloAV-tailed F a l c o n o r Falco fur-
catus o f L i n n i e u s . ” U n a c c o u n t a b l e th 'e n a s t h e f a c t m a y
b e , i t r e s t s o n t h e e v id e n c e o f p e r f e c t ly c o m p e t e n t w i tn e s s e s
a n d th e r e i s a c c o r d in g ly n o r o om fo r d o u b t i n t h i s c a s e .
Since this time three more examples of the Swallow-tailed
Kite have been said to have been killed in England (Zoologist,
pp. 4166, 4366, 4406, 4407, 5042) but on authority that
must at present be regarded as insufficient, Avhile a fourth,
asserted to have been shot on the Mersey in June 1843, and
to have been formerly in the Macclesfield Museum, Avas sold
by public auction in London in June, 1861.
The Swallow-tailed Kite is a native of the warmer parts of
America, and, except in the instances above cited, is not
known to have occurred elsewhere in the Old World. In the
United States, Avliere it is a summer visitor, Mr. George N.
LaAvrence includes it among the birds of New York and
Neiv Jersey, and it occasionally strays to Philadelphia ; but
in the middle of the continent it occurs more regularly further
to the north, and, according to Dr. Brewer, breeds in
Wisconsin, where it was also noticed by Dr. Hoy; Avliile
Nuttall states that it ascends the Mississippi to the Falls of
St. Anthony, and Dr. Coues records it from Fort Leavenworth
on the Missouri. I t does not however seem to occur to the
west of the Kocky Mountains. In the Atlantic States it is
not uncommon from North Carolina southward, frequenting
the banks of rivers but not the sea-board. I t breeds in South
Carolina, Georgia and all the States bordering the Gulf of
Mexico. Thence it appears to be spread throughout the
conterminous countries lying to the southward at least as far
as the Tropic of Capricorn, having been obtained by Natterer
near Bio de Janeiro, Avliile Vieillot states that it visits Buenos
Ayres and occurs in Peru. In the West India Islands it has
been observed in Jamaica by Mr. Bichard Hill and in Cuba
by Dr. Gundlach. In Trinidad, Leotaud says that it is a
regular visitant in the rainy season from July to October,
but that he never met with the young.
The habits of this bird have been described in detail by
vol. i. p