in this county in September 1861. On seeing the
wasps unusually busy one morning about 8 o’clock, I
went near the nest to ascertain the cause. The whole
of the combs were scratched out, and there was a hole
nearly the size of a bee-hive. On seeing the tail of a
bird, I put my arm in and drew out what proved to be
a very fine specimen of the Honey-Buzzard. I sent
the bird for preservation, but after about ten years it
crumbled to pieces. To prove the date, I enclose receipt
for stuffing.—Thomas Gulliver, Crown Woodman.”
On one occasion in September 1856 I witnessed a
passage of great numbers of this species from Spain to
Africa. Our vessel was becalmed off Europa Point, and
from about noon till dusk the Honey-Buzzards kept
passing over and on both sides of us in flocks of from
half a dozen to eighty or more, at intervals of a few
minutes, at no very great height above the water,
although for the most part out of gunshot from our
ship. Colonel Irby states that the vernal passage of
this species to the northward, as observed by him at
Gibraltar, generally occurs during the last days of
April and first fortnight of May, and extends over some
twenty days.