NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 83 



were returning with the eggs, he told me that about a fortnight 

 previously, he was standing just inside the open door of his house, 

 when a Grouse dashed in, and flew under his left arm. The next 

 instant a large bird, evidently in close pursuit, swept past, and on 

 going out, my informant recognised it to be a Hen Harrier, most 

 likely one of the very birds from whose nest we had just taken the 

 eggs. Mr Sterland, the author of a delightful little book, " The 

 Birds of Sherwood Forest," writes concerning this species (p. 17): 

 " If practicable, they pounce upon it (their prey) at once; or if it 

 take the alarm, they chase it until it is seized." 



A belief is prevalent in Sutherland that when the female Harrier 

 is disturbed when sitting, she will afterwards remove her eggs to 

 another place, and that in the same way she will remove the young 

 birds. I tried to collect some authentic information on this point, 

 but, though the statement was often repeated, no one seemed to 

 be able to verify it from personal observation. 



Ohs. Montagu's Harrier, C. cineraceus (Mont.). — The occurrence 

 of this as a breeding species in the county rests on very meagre 

 and insufficient data. Sir William Milner relates that he ''met 

 with Montagu's Harrier and its nest ; " and further, that " not a 

 season passes but one nest at least is found near Bonar Bridge." 

 I have utterly failed in obtaining any corroborative evidence, or 

 in procuring either birds or eggs, so am unwillingly obliged to 

 give the species a place only under " Observations." It seems so 

 unlikely also that even one pair of these birds should breed so far 

 north. 



Obs. Scops-eared Owl, Scops-giu Scopoli. — It is of course almost 

 unnecessary to point out that St. John was in error when he 

 included this bird as a breeding species, but the persistence 

 with which he has been quoted, and the mistake perpetuated, 

 scarcely allows me to i)ass it over without remark.'^ 



THE TAWNY OWL. 



STJilX ALU CO, Linnaeus. 



The only authority for this species breeding in the county is 

 that of Mr A. G. More ("Ibis," 1865, p. 15). He says, "Scarce 



* Since the above was written, Mr J. E. Hartiug has taken notice of the 

 error, in his " Hand-Book of British Birds," page 94. 



