94^ ORNITHOLOGICAL RAI^TBLES. 



wound where the unrelenting bill-hook of the 

 woodman had severed the bole of the beautiful 

 evergreen. 



The short-eared owl (Otus hracltyotos) occurs 

 on our open heaths about the latter end of Octo- 

 ber, and its appearance here, as elsewhere, is 

 generally hailed as the harbinger of the first flight 

 of woodcocks ; but although I have frequently met 

 with it in such situations, and occasionally in tur- 

 nip and stubble fields, I believe it to be much less 

 generally distributed here than on. the eastern 

 coast of England. It is an autumnal visitor from 

 the north, appears to be less incommoded by day- 

 light than any of its congeners, and flies, even 

 during sunshine, with a degree of boldness and 

 decision which alone would serve to distinguish it 

 from the others. Its prey appears to be similar to 

 that of the kestrel. The stomachs of three which 

 I examined contained the remains of field mice, 

 young rats, and the elytra of different species of 

 beetles. 



The eggs and nest of this bud have been found 

 in Norfolk, but I believe that it has never been 

 known to breed in this county. 



Of the occurrence of that rare visitor, the 

 Scops-eared owl (Scops Aldrovandi), I can record 

 only one instance in Sussex. It was shot some 

 years ago at Shillinglee, the seat of the Earl of 



