46 PONDS, PADDOCKS, AND AVIARIES 



children, lambs and kids, as very nearly, if not entirely 

 mythical. 



" Amongst the most beautiful of our recent acquisitions 

 in raptorial birds is an adult white-bellied sea eagle from 

 Australia : this is the first of its species that I ever 

 possessed, and its strikingly contrasted plumage of pure 

 rich grey and white render it a very great ornament to 

 the collection. I have many other eagles of great interest 

 to myself, but not calling for special notice in notes 

 intended for a more or less public meeting. 



" Of my favourite birds, the owls, I have at this time 

 of writing some twenty different species alive. I may 

 mention, as special varieties amongst them, a very fine 

 Nepaul wood owl, a South African eagle owl, and four 

 Ural owls ; I believe these birds to be the only living 

 representatives of their respective species now in England. 



" Whilst on the subject of owls I may add that for 

 several years past I have annually set at liberty a 

 considerable number of the little owl, properly so called 

 {^Athene noctua)^ from Holland, and that several pairs of 

 these most amusing birds have nested and reared broods 

 in the neighbourhood of Lilford. It is remarkable that, 

 although this species is abundant in Holland, and by no 

 means uncommon in certain parts of France, Belgium 

 and Germany, it has been rarely met with in a wild state 

 in our country. I trust, however, that I have now fully 

 succeeded in establishing it as a Northamptonshire bird, 

 and earnestly entreat all present, who may have the 



