PONDS, PADDOCKS, AND AVIARIES 85 



captivity, but generally the parents devour their young. 

 One of my night-herons laid an egg this morning on 

 the top of a box bush, trodden to a sort of flat 

 form by a stork. Those night-herons have been here 

 for three years, and I have great hopes of a brood." ^ 



"June 22nJ, 1893, 

 " It would be interesting to know where the Scoulton 

 gulls get their mice,* and of what species the latter are. 

 " I envy your seeing the gadwalls and ' short-billed 

 culloos ' t at such close quarters in their native homes. 



" y/ propos of the ferocity of owls, a cottager in this 

 neighbourhood found a well-feathered young tawny on 

 the ground below the nesting hole in April last, and 

 carried it home to his cottage at a short distance. Two 

 nights afterwards, as he was feeding this owlet, one of 

 the old ones dashed at his head and clawed him nastily 

 about the nose and eyes." ^ 



"June 2T,rd, 1893. 

 " Last year we had a nest of little owls {^Athene noctua), 

 of which I have turned out a great many, in an ash- 

 stump about two miles ofF. The tenant of the farm 

 was passing the place unawares one evening when the 



1 To the Rev. Murray Matthew. 

 ' To the Editor. 



* In this very dry summer the Brown-headed Gulls brought many 

 voles to their nests. 



t The Thickknee or Norfolk Plover {CEdicnemus scolopax). 



