Swallow-tailed Kite
Elanoides forficatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Photo © By Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom - Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus), CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68492406
STATUS
Nearctic and Latin America. Polytypic.
OVERVIEW
Species not admitted nationally (BOU 1971).
NOT PROVEN
0). 1772 Argyll Ballachulish, killed, undated.
(Walker, 1772: 87; Walker, 1774: 153; Fleming, 1828; Selby, 1833; Yarrell, 1845; Newman, 1866; Gray, 1871; Harting, 1872; BOU, 1883).
[BOU, 1915; Witherby et al., 1938-52].
History Fleming (1828: 52) says: 'The Falco furcatus of Linnaeus, occurred to the late Dr. Walker, at Ballachulish, in Argyleshire, in 1772, as recorded in his 'Adversaria' for 1772, p. 87, and 1774, p. 153. A description of another example, taken near Hawes, in Wensley Dale, Yorkshire, was communicated to the Linnean Society, 4th November 1823, by W. Fothergill, Esq. This species belongs to the genus Elanus of Savigny. It is white, with the wings and tail black; the two exterior feathers of the latter much produced. It inhabits Carolina and Brazil, and may be regarded as a rare straggler in Europe.'
Selby (1833 (1): 78) says: 'I insert this elegant species in the list of our fauna as an occasional visitant, upon the authority of two specimens; one of which was killed at Ballachoalish, in Argyleshire, in 1772, and recorded by the late Dr Walker in his 'Adversaria' for 1772 and 1774; the other was taken alive in Shaw-Gill near Hawes, in Wensley-dale, Yorkshire, in September 1805, and mentioned in the 14th Vol. of the Linnean Transactions, p. 183.'
Alfred Newton (1871-74 (1): 103-104, 4th ed.) in Yarrell's British Birds, says: 'The first of these examples occurred at Ballachulish in Argyllshire in 1772, and is recorded by the late Dr. Walker, Professor of Natural History in the University of Edinburgh, in his manuscript journal or 'Adversaria' for that year, the fact having been first published by Fleming in his History of British 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.'
Accepted locally (Gray (1871: 44-45) and admitted nationally in their first List of British Birds (BOU 1883), but later it was not admitted in their second List of British Birds (BOU 1915).
0). 1805 Yorkshire Shaw Gill, Hawes, Wensleydale, caught and kept in confinement, 6th to 27th September, when it escaped.
(Dr. Sims, Transactions of the Linnean Society 14: 583; Zoological Journal 1: 130-131; Yarrell, 1845; F. Holme, Zoologist 1856: 5042; Yarrell, 1871-85; Clarke & Roebuck, 1881; BOU, 1883; H. S. Gladstone, Naturalist 47: 190; W. B. Alexander, Naturalist 75: 1-2; Nelson, 1907; Mather, 1986).
[BOU, 1915; Witherby et al., 1938-52].
History Dr. Sims (1823) in the Transactions of the Linnean Society, Vol. XIV. p. 583, in extracts from the minutes read on 4th November 1823, and with exactly the same story in Yarrell (1845) 2nd ed. Vol. I. p. 78, says: 'The occurrence of the second example is thus recorded in the fourteenth volume of the Transactions of the Linnean Society, page 583: - "Dr. Sims, F.L.S. communicated to the Society an extract of a letter from W. Fothergill, Esq. Of Carr-end, near Arkrigg, in Yorkshire, containing a notice of this specimen having been taken alive in Shaw-gill, near Hawes, in Wensleydale, in that county, on the 6th of September 1805. Mr. Fothergill states, that, apparently to avoid the violence of a tremendous thunderstorm, and the clamorous persecution of a flock of Rooks which attacked it at the same instant, it took shelter in a thicket, where it was seized before it could extricate itself. The person who caught it kept it for a month; but a door being accidentally left open, it made its escape. It first alighted on a tree at no great distance, from which it soon ascended in a spiral flight to a great elevation, and then went steadily off in a southerly direction as far as the eye could trace it".'
Frederick Holme (1856) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XIV. p. 5042, in a letter to E. H. Rodd, says: 'Strickland writes me...the American Swallow-tailed Kite has been several times of late years killed in Ireland and England: ...one was shot two years since in Wensleydale, Yorkshire.'
Alfred Newton (1871-74 (1): 104, 4th ed.) in Yarrell's British Birds, says: 'A very accurate description of the specimen, which will be found at the end of this article, follows, and the note proceeds thus - the latter portion having to all appearance been written subsequently: - "The bird was kept to the 27th, and then made its escape, by the door of the room being left open while showing [it] to some company". The Editor has further been kindly shown by his obliging correspondent a letter addressed to his father the following year by his nephew - the late Mr. Charles Fothergill of York, an ardent naturalist, who says "I have also proved, what I expected would be the case, that the Falco taken at Hardraw Scarr was the Swallow-tailed Falcon or Falco furcatus of Linnaeus". Unaccountable then as the fact may be, it rests on the evidence of perfectly competent witnesses and there is accordingly no room for doubt in this case.'
Further, pp. 107-108, he adds: 'The following is Mr. Fothergill's description, as above mentioned, of the example taken in Yorkshire in 1805: - "Length 22 inches, breadth 4 feet 1 inch. The hill to the corner of the mouth 1½ inch. long, much hooked, sharp and without a process: the tip black, apex, cere and orbits of the eye, pale blue. Irides a deep fiery red. Cere and base of the bill closely fringed with long black bristles. Head, neck and all the under parts of a pure and brilliant white; the shafts of the feathers on the crown of the head and ears delicately pencilled with black. Back, scapulars, wings and tail of a fine glossy black, varying according to the light it is placed in to green, purple and crimson. The lesser wing-coverts finely margined and tipped with white; the under wing-coverts of a pure white, tail long and forked and consisting of ten feathers, the longest of which are 12 inches, the shortest, or bottom of the fork, 6 inches. The wings, when closed, reach exactly to the end of the tail, and cross their long points over the rump. Legs very short and strong, much scaled, and, with the feet, of a dirty bluish-white; claws white. The feathers of the thighs so long as nearly to conceal the legs. Suppose it to be the Swallow-tailed Falcon". It would be impossible to add to the completeness of the foregoing description; nothing could more conclusively show that the supposition with which it closes was correct.'
Accepted locally (Clarke & Roebuck 1881: 46), but Nelson (1907 (1): 347) says: 'The status of this American Kite, with regard to this country, is of such a doubtful character that I have deemed it advisable to merely quote the evidence respecting its occurrence....'
Hugh S. Gladstone (1921) in the new series of The Naturalist, Vol. XLVII. p. 190, gives a brief history of the Fothergill family. W. B. Alexander (1949) in The Naturalist, Vol. LXXV. pp. 1-2, says: 'The most remarkable ornithological event connected with the Fothergill family occurred in 1805 when William Fothergill, who then owned the family estate at Carr End, noted: "On the 6th September during a tremendous storm, a bird of which a correct description follows, was observed flying about in Shaw Gill, near Simonstone, and alighting on a tree was knocked down by a stick thrown at it, which however did not prove fatal, as I saw it alive and had an opportunity of carefully examining it four days after it was taken". A detailed description followed, concluding "Suppose it to be the Swallow-tailed Falcon", a supposition which the description shows to be correct, the bird being the American Swallow-tailed Kite. Subsequently the following note was kept was added, "The bird was kept to the 27th and then made its escape, by the door of the room being left open while showing to some company. At first it arose high in the air, but being violently attacked by a party of Rooks, 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 follow, and has not been heard of". - [Signed] W. Fothergill, Sept. 30th, 1805.'
In 1823 a notice of this occurrence appeared in the Transactions of the Linnean Society (Vol. XIV. p. 583) and in 1828 Fleming included the Swallow-tailed Kite as a rare straggler in his book on British Animals, noting that Dr. Walker, Professor of Natural History in the University of Edinburgh, had recorded it in his manuscript journal for 1772 that one had occurred at Ballachulish in Argyllshire. The species was included in all books and lists of British Birds published during the next 60 years. In 1871 in the 4th edition of Yarrell, Professor Newton, who had seen the original note by W. Fothergill, then in the possession of his grandson, William Fothergill, wrote: - "Unaccountably then as the fact may be, it rests on the evidence of perfectly competent witnesses and there is accordingly no room for doubt in this case". However, in Howard Saunders Manual, published in 1889, after a brief allusion to the event he added, "There is reason to suppose that the bird in question had been in confinement", and since that time the species has been removed from the British list, authors who referred to it saying that the evidence was unsatisfactory and referring to Saunders statement. It would appear that Saunders held that the fact that the bird escaped after three weeks of captivity suggested that it must have been in captivity and escaped previously. Personally, I fail to see any cogency in this argument and think that the Swallow-tailed Kite has as good a claim to a place on the British list as any other species which has been captured or killed on a single occasion in the British Isles. The question whether species which have occurred only once should be placed on the British list is one which I will not now stop to discuss. That is the basis on which my present list is compiled.'
Admitted nationally in their first List of British Birds (BOU 1883) but not admitted in their second List of British Birds (BOU 1915).
0). 1830-40 Suffolk Near Mildenhall, shot, undated, now at Passmore Edwards Museum, Essex.
(W. R. Butterfield, Zoologist 1897: 270-271; G. W. Bradshaw, Zoologist 1897: 363; T. Parkin, Zoologist 1910: 270; Wood, 2007).
[Not in BOU, 1971].
History W. Ruskin Butterfield of St Leonards-on-Sea (1897) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. I. pp. 270-271, says: 'Through the kindness of Dr. Otho Travers, of this town, I was lately afforded an opportunity of examining an example of Elanoides furcatus. It passed into the possession of this gentleman from his father, the late Mr. O. W. Travers, by whom it was shot in Suffolk. I am afraid it is now impossible to state either the exact locality in that county or the year, but, so far as Mr. Travers is able to judge, it was shot by his father near the village of Mildenhall between the years 1830-1840; there can, however, be no doubt as to the county. The specimen in question is in excellent preservation, and is the only one killed in Britain known to be in existence. I have carefully sought for indications that the bird had been in confinement, and of this I cannot entertain the least suspicion. In the opinion of Prof. Alfred Newton this beautiful bird has unquestionably occurred twice in Great Britain, and as it is a very vagrant species, it seems unreasonable to disallow its claim to be considered a wanderer to our shores. The species is a native of Tropical America, and the occurrence of individuals with us is perhaps mainly interesting as showing that "Transatlantic stragglers" are not wholly confined to natives of the northern half of that continent, though whether those stragglers cross by a different route, or in a different way, it is impossible to say.'
G. W. Bradshaw of Hastings (1897) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. I. p. 363, says: 'This British example of Elanoides furcatus, recorded by Mr. Butterfield (ante p. 270), was restored by Mr. Bristow, of St Leonards, some years ago, and the Mr. Travers who shot it told him it was eating a Partridge at the time.'
Thomas Parkin (1910) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. XIV. pp. 270-271, says: 'A stuffed specimen of the Swallow-tailed Kite was on exhibition at the Museum Congress of the South-Eastern Union of Scientific Societies, held recently (June 8th to 11th) at Guildford. I made enquiries about this bird, and the information I received from the local taxidermists, Messrs. W. Bradden and Son, of North Street, was that the skin was brought to them some ten years ago by a cottager, who said that his father shot it some years previously at Chiddingfold. The skin was in a deplorable condition, having evidently been taken off the bird by some one who had no knowledge of taxidermy, and this clearly shows on the bird now that it is set up. The cottager was given a few shillings for the skin, and this was all the information I could obtain. Allusion is made in The Zoologist, 1897, pp. 270, 271, by Mr. W. Euskin-Butterfield, Curator of the Hastings Corporation Museum, to the specimen belonging to Dr. Otho Travers, of St. Leonards-on-Sea, shot by his father, Mr. O. W. Travers, it is believed at Mildenhall, in Suffolk, between the years 1830-40; and Mr. G. W. Bradshaw, in the same volume of The Zoologist, p. 270, states that "this specimen was restored by Mr. Bristow, of St. Leonards, and that Mr. Travers, who shot it, told him it was eating a Partridge at the time". The late Mr. Howard Saunders, however, would not include the species in his
Manual of British Birds, and in his second edition, p. 338, he writes that "An example of the American Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides furcatus) was taken alive during a heavy thunderstorm near Hawes, in Yorkshire, on Sept. 6th, 1805, but afterwards made its escape, and there is ground for suspecting that it had previously been in confinement. There are other records of the occurrence in Great Britain of this chiefly Neo-tropical species, but none of these are, to my mind, satisfactory, and the species has never occurred on the Continent".'
Wood (2007: 58) states that this specimen is in the Passmore Edwards Museum of the Essex Field Club, Essex.
Comment The Passmore Edwards Museum is between moving to a new location (2007). Not acceptable.
0). 1833 Surrey Farnham, shot, summer.
(F. Holme, Zoologist 1856: 5042; BOU, 1883; W. B. Alexander & R. S. R. Fitter, British Birds 48: 4).
[BOU, 1915; BOU, 1971; Parr, 1972].
History Frederick Holme (1856) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XIV. p. 5042, in a letter to E. H. Rodd, says: 'Strickland writes me...the American Swallow-tailed Kite has been several times of late years killed in Ireland and England: ...and another in the Bishop of Winchester's park at Farnham, last summer.'
Admitted nationally in their first List of British Birds (BOU 1883) but not admitted in their second List of British Birds (BOU 1915).
Comment Not admitted nationally (BOU 1971). Not acceptable.
0). 1843 Lancashire & North Merseyside River Mersey, shot, June.
(F. T. Buckland, Field 22nd June 1861: 545; Yarrell, 1871-85; Harting, 1872; BOU, 1883; Mitchell, 1885; Mitchell & Saunders, 1892; Dobie, 1893).
[Coward & Oldham, 1900; BOU, 1915; Witherby et al., 1938-52].
History F. T. Buckland (1861) in The Field of 22nd June, Vol. XVII. p. 545, under 'Sale of Macclesfield Museum,' they say: 'On Friday, the 14th, the contents of this Museum, formed by Mr. Armfield, were sold by Mr. Stevens, at his auction-rooms, King Street, Covent Garden. The sale consisted of skins and stuffed birds, mounted in glazed cases and otherwise prepared; and of rare British birds. The following are some of the most important lots: - Magnificent specimen of Swallow-tailed Kite (Falco furcatus), shot on the Mersey, June 1843, £9.10s.'
Harting (1872: 89) says: 'One shot on the Mersey, June, 1843: formerly in Macclesfield Museum, but sold with other birds by auction at Stevens's on the 14th June 1861, realising £9.10s.'
Admitted nationally in their first List of British Birds (BOU 1883) but not admitted in their second List of British Birds (BOU 1915).
Locally, Dobie (1893: 315) placing the record in square brackets, says: 'Mr. Howard Saunders, states that "there is no evidence that the bird was obtained in a wild state, but it may have been brought over in a ship".'
Not accepted locally for Cheshire (Coward & Oldham 1900).
Comment Probably not British-killed. Not acceptable.
0). 1853 Cumbria Eskdale, shot, April.
(J. Robson, Zoologist 1854: 4166; R. Birkbeck, Zoologist 1854: 4366, J. Robson, Zoologist 1854: 4406; BOU, 1883; Harting, 1901).
[BOU, 1915; Witherby et al., 1938-52].
History J. Robson (1854) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XII. p. 4166, under 'A List of the Birds of West Cumberland,' says: 'Swallow-tailed Kite - A specimen of this extremely rare bird was shot in Eskdale in the spring of this year (1853), and is in the possession of an amateur animal preserver at Whitehaven.'
Robert Birkbeck of Norwich (1854) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XII. p. 4366, dated 8th June 1854, on enquires for more detail of this Cumbrian record, "Will your correspondent, Mr. Buchanan, allow me to make a few inquiries respecting some extraordinary statements in "A List of the Birds of West Cumberland", communicated by him to the Zoologist (Zool. 4166). I have delayed doing this till now, hoping that some one more competent than myself would have called attention to them sooner. I am sure I am only expressing a desire which must he felt by every ornithologist in asking Mr. Joseph Robson to favour the readers of the Zoologist with some more information concerning the swallow-tailed kite which he states was shot in Eskdale, in the spring of 1853; this peculiarly American bird having, as far as I am aware, been taken only twice before on this side the Atlantic, - on one occasion fifty, and the other eighty years ago (letting alone the fact that in the former case the bird, not having been killed, subsequently escaped from its captor, while in the latter naturalists have long lost sight of the identical specimen), - makes its occurrence here a third time very interesting, and I think justifies my asking for the following particulars: - 1. A detailed description of the specimen said to have been killed in Cumberland. 2. The exact date of its occurrence. 3. The name and address of the person who shot it, and of its present possessor. 4. And some details of the circumstances under which it was obtained....However, should these birds, which are scarce in other parts of England, be "common" in Cumberland, surely Mr. J. Robson may expect a rush of ornithologists from all parts of the kingdom, each one endeavouring to obtain specimens of these birds for himself".'
Joseph Robson of Whitehaven (1854) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XII. p. 4406, replies: 'Swallow-tailed Kite shot in Eskdale, Cumberland, spring of 1853. Description - See Yarrell. Time of capture - April; exact date not known. Name and address of the person who shot it. - William Lister, joiner, late of Eskdale, now in Australia. Name of its present possessor. - Mr. Harrison, ironmonger, Strand Street, Whitehaven. Details of the circumstances under which it was obtained. - First seen in company with Peregrine Falcons, by a man named Graham: about two weeks afterwards Lister discovered its roosting-place, and made several ineffectual attempts to shoot it: he then fixed his gun into a wall (the dry boulder sheep-walls of the district), and thus covered the eyrie, situated in a crevice of a crag; returning at midnight he discharged his gun, and on the following morning found his shot had told: yes - with all due regard for the opinions of others on the aids to and furtherance of science, and the requirements of collectors, I venture to regret - it had told too well, since, although of extremely rare occurrence, it is very possible there may he others in the country with which it might have mated. I was lately informed by a military gentleman - a crack shot, and well acquainted with native birds, yet no collector, and who long resided with his regiment in Canada - that a few years ago he rarely, for a long period, took his morning walk without seeing a specimen of the swallow-tailed kite, and in this immediate neighbourhood: he described its peculiar flight, and was certain of its identity. I am also credibly informed that a ship captain brought a pair alive from New Orleans to Liverpool, at a much later date than the above, but I am unable to state what became of them. With respect to the birds inquired about, they certainly are not so common as to be of every-day occurrence in chosen localities, yet that they may be procured at intervals here and there is a fact pretty well known to many collectors.'
Admitted nationally in their first List of British Birds (BOU 1883) but not admitted in their second List of British Birds (BOU 1915).
W. B. Alexander & R. S. R. Fitter (1955) in British Birds, Vol. XLVIII. p. 5, say: 'For both the 1853 and 1859 birds there is some supporting evidence, and it is not just a case of the use of the name "Swallow-tailed Kite" for the Red Kite.'
Comment A man named Graham; perhaps David Graham of "Tadcaster rarities" fraud fame.
0). c. 1859 Yorkshire Glaisdale, seen, undated.
(Nelson, 1907; W. B. Alexander & R. S. R. Fitter, British Birds 48: 4-5).
[BOU, 1971].
History Nelson (1907 (1): 349) says: 'Mr. Thomas Stephenson of Whitby, who kindly interested himself in procuring information relating to north-eastern Yorkshire, reported that Wm. Lister and his brother observed about this same year [1859] a Swallow-tailed Kite at Glaisdale. Mr. Lister was an ornithologist and had no hesitation as to the identification of the bird, which he thus describer: "black and white and the tail much more forked than that of the common Kite", which he knows well.'
W. B. Alexander & R. S. R. Fitter (1955) in British Birds, Vol. XLVIII. p. 5, say: 'For both the 1853 and 1859 birds there is some supporting evidence, and it is not just a case of the use of the name "Swallow-tailed Kite" for the Red Kite.'
0). 1859 Yorkshire Quarry Bank, near Helmsley, shot, 25th May.
(Clarke & Roebuck, 1881; BOU, 1883; C. W. Smith, Naturalist 15: 330; Nelson, 1907; Mather, 1986).
[Witherby et al., 1938-52; T. Melling, British Birds 98: 230-237].
History Clarke & Roebuck (1881: 46) say: 'Other specimens are said to have been obtained near Helmsley, May 25, 1859.'
Admitted nationally in their first List of British Birds (BOU 1883) but not admitted in their second List of British Birds (BOU 1915).
Christopher W. Smith of Harome, near Helmsley (1889) in the new series of The Naturalist, Vol. XV. p. 330, says: 'Swallow-tailed Kite. Said to have been killed near Helmsley, in 1859; a statement which I should hesitate to accept without some further proof.'
[I have proof that this specimen was not procured in the district, nor in Britain. - W.E.C.]
Nelson (1907 (1): 349) says: 'The second specimen is in the collection of Mr. A. Clapham of Scarborough, who stated that he purchased it from Graham of York, to whom it had been sold by Mr. Jonathan Taylor, a Schoolmaster at Harome, near Helmsley. Mr. Clapham made careful enquiries before purchasing this bird and communicated with Mr. Taylor, the following being a copy of that person's reply: - "Harum, 13th May, 1872. In referring to my old book of memoranda is the following: - 25th May 1859, Little George (the name by which this keeper was always known at Duncombe Park), brought me today a Swallow-tailed Kite, shot by himself in the Quarry Bank, near Helmsley, on the estate of the Earl of Feversham. - [Signed] Jonathan Taylor".
Mr. Clapham had also other letters from Mr. Taylor bearing out his statements, and in one he greatly regrets having sold the bird to Mr. Graham for a few shillings, not knowing its value at that time. Confirmatory evidence bearing out this statement was received from a totally independent source.'
W. B. Alexander & R. S. R. Fitter (1955) in British Birds, Vol. XLVIII. p. 5, say: 'For both the 1853 and 1859 birds there is some supporting evidence, and it is not just a case of the use of the name "Swallow-tailed Kite" for the Red Kite.'
Comment W.E.C. = Wm. Eagle Clarke. Due to involvement with David Graham, who is now discredited over the "Tadcaster Rarities" fraud, this record is unacceptable.
0). c. 1860 Essex No locality, shot, undated.
(Glegg, 1929).
[BOU, 1971].
History Glegg (1929) says: 'Catalogued as having been shot in Essex about 1860 by Mr. Travers. It was part of Sir Vauncey Harpur Crewe's collection and was sold on in February 1926 to Mr. E. T. Clarke, Taxidermist, Cheltenham, who in turn sold it to the Essex Museum, Stratford.'
Comment Clarke has been found to be unreliable (A. G. Knox, British Birds 94: 66). Not acceptable.
0). c. 1860 Yorkshire Bolton Woods, obtained, undated.
(Nelson, 1907).
[Nelson, 1907].
History Nelson (1907 (1): 349) recording the record in square brackets, says: 'The third example of this rare bird attributed to Yorkshire is in the fine collection of Mr. Alfred Beaumont of Huddersfield, and is supposed to have been obtained in Bolton Woods some forty or fifty years ago. For many years it formed part of the collection of a Brighouse or Halifax gentleman, on whose death the collection came under the hammer, when the bird passed into the possession of its present owner, the price being paid for it being £11. This is all the information obtainable, but Mr. Beaumont was perfectly satisfied as to its validity as a Yorkshire specimen; a satisfaction in which I am unable to participate, from the extreme vague character of the evidence adduced.'
Comment Lacks adequate details. Not acceptable.
0). 1874 Somerset Near Yeovil, obtained, June.
(W. H. Hunt, Field 20th Jun., 1874: 616).
[J. Gatcombe, Zoologist 1874: 4254].
History W. H. Hunt (1874) in The Field of 20th Jun., Vol. XLIII. p. 616, under 'Kite near Yeovil,' says: 'I beg to record the capture of a fine adult male specimen of the common Kite, which was caught by a keeper near here in a gin set for vermin, and has no appearance of ever having been in captivity.'
[As this bird has already been recorded in the pages of a contemporary as the Swallow-tailed Kite of the New World (Nauclerus furcatus), we may observe that a notice to that effect was forwarded to us by Hunt on June 1; but on pointing out to him the difference between this bird and the common Kite, and asking him to re-examine the specimen, he has since written to us to say that the bird is the common Kite. This circumstance will show the desirability of making further inquiry before publishing a reported capture of a so-called rare bird. - Ed.]
John Gatcombe (1874) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. IX. p. 4254, says: '6th October. In the Taunton Museum the Curator...called my attention to a Kite obtained in June last, and at first recorded in The Field under the name of Swallow-tailed Kite.'
Comment Misidentified. Not acceptable.
0). Pre 1900 Surrey Chiddingfold, obtained, undated.
(T. Parkin, Zoologist 1910: 270-271).
[Eds., British Birds 4: 93].
History Thomas Parkin (1910) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. XIV. pp. 270-271, says: 'A stuffed specimen of the Swallow-tailed Kite was on exhibition at the Museum Congress of the South-Eastern Union of Scientific Societies, held recently (June 8th to 11th) at Guildford. I made enquiries about this bird, and the information I received from local taxidermists, Messrs. W. Bradden and Son, of North Street, was that the skin was brought to them some ten years ago by a cottager, who said that his father shot it some years previously at Chiddingfold. The skin was in a deplorable condition, having evidently been taken off the bird by some one who had no knowledge of taxidermy, and this clearly shows on the bird now that it is set up. The cottager was given a few shillings for the skin, and this was all the information I could obtain. Allusion is made in the Zoologist, 1897, pp. 270, 271, by Mr. W. Ruskin-Butterfield, Curator of the Hastings Corporation Museum, to the specimen belonging to Dr. Otho Travers, of St. Leonards-on-Sea, shot by his father, Mr. O. W. Travers, it is believed at Mildenhall, in Suffolk, between the years 1830-40; and Mr. G. W. Bradshaw, in the same volume of the Zoologist, p. 270, states that "this specimen was restored by Mr. Bristow, of St. Leonards, and that Mr. Travers, who shot it, told him it was eating a Partridge at the time". The late Mr. Howard Saunders, however, would not include the species in his Manual of British Birds, and in his second edition, p. 338, he writes that "An example of the American Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides furcatus) was taken alive during a heavy thunderstorm near Hawes, in Yorkshire, on Sept. 6th, 1805, but afterwards made its escape, and there is ground for suspecting that it had previously been in confinement. There are other records of the occurrence in Great Britain of this chiefly Neo-tropical species, but one of these are, to my mind. satisfactory, and the species has never occurred on the Continent".'
In an Editorial (1911) in British Birds, Vol. IV. p. 93, under 'Supposed occurrence of the Swallow-tailed Kite in Surrey,' they say: 'Mr. T. Parkin has discovered a specimen of Elanoides furcatus at Guildford, which is said to have been shot some years ago at Chiddingfold (Zool., 1910, p. 270), but the history of the specimen is incomplete and unsatisfactory.'
Comment All the major names (Bristow, Butterfield, Bradshaw and Parkin) involved in the "Hastings Rarities" fraud are mentioned here apart from the Travers'; and I am a bit suspicious about them anyway. Not acceptable.
