?4 The Irish Naturalist. January, 190T. 



Tawny Owl in Co. Down. 

 On November 19th, a Tawny Owl (Syrnium aluco, L.), was sent in to me 

 for inspection. It was shot in the early morning of November 16th, 

 1900, in a wood in Belvoir Park, near the River Lagan. I examined it 

 carefully in the flesh, and there was no trace of confinement. It was 

 moulting, and the " pen "' feathers were so numerous that Sheals declined 

 to skin it. However, it was successfully skinned by Mr. Stears, the 

 owner. I afterwards dissected the body and found it to be a female ; but 

 from the size of its ovaries, I do not think it is a bird of the year. Its 

 stomach contained the remains of a full-grown rat, with a tail six inches 

 long. The rat's two hind-legs and portion of the back and ribs were there 

 but the fore-legs and skull were missing. The stomach was lined with 

 the fur. I made a special journey to Belvoir Park, and cross-examined 

 the gamekeeper who shot it. He was quite unaware of the rarity of his 

 capture, but knew it was not a Long-eared or a Short-eared Owl. He 

 told me that the gardener, wishing to have a bird to fill an empty glass 

 case, asked him to give him the first bird he shot. He took his gun the 

 next day, and on coming to this wood was attracted by the screaming 

 and calling of Blackbirds and Thrushes. Thinking a Stoat was the cause, 

 he advanced cautiously and saw the Owl perched in a tree. He was 

 going away, when he remembered the gardener's wish, and shot it for 

 him. At the time, he noticed the number of feathers he knocked out of 

 it. I have seen the place where it was shot, and do not doubt the 

 genuineness of the occurrence. This being the first authenticated record 

 of the Tawny Owl in Ireland, I have thought it right to give all the 

 information I have in detail. 



Robert Patterson. 

 Belfast. 



The Hedgehog near Belfast. 



It may, perhaps, interest some northern readers to know that the 

 Hedgehog lives and breeds within a mile and-a-half of Belfast ; it seems 

 strange that such a shy animal should live near so large a city. I have 

 noticed them for the last eight years in a garden close to the town. 

 They crop up every now and then, usually found by a dog or the gardener 

 — we do our best to protect them ; I have kept one for a whole winter, and 

 found it a source of great amusement ; it got quite tame, and would eat 

 beef out of my hand and run after me for it. We noticed that it 

 would run backwards and forwards time after time, always turning 

 about the same point. I do not know whether this is the habit of 

 every Hedgehog. I have never seen the fact mentioned in any natural 

 history book ; but some naturalists may have observed it. 



W. H. Workman, 



