272 THE BIRDS OF KENT 



On July 20, 1906, a Long-eared Owl was seen in the 

 woods near Ruckinge ; it flew up on to a dead bough, 

 and looked about, and then flew on to another, ignoring 

 the presence of the observer. 



Mr. H. Elgar writes that " Mr. Boucher, of Maidstone, 

 has a very light-coloured specimen of the Long-eared 

 Owl, shot at Egerton in January, 1907." 



SHOET-EARED OWL. 



Asio hracliyotus (Forster). Phil. Trans., Ixii., 

 p. 343 (1772). 



This owl is certainly an uncommon species in Kent, 

 being an autumn and winter visitor. 



The Eev. J. Pemberton Bartlett, writing in 1844, 

 states that it was " common in Eomney Marsh, and 

 occasionally met wath throughout the county." The 

 marsh has greatly changed since then, and bird-life with 

 it. There is a male specimen in the Maidstone Museum 

 which was obtained in Eomney Marsh in January, 1881, 

 by M. H. Ivennard, and a female procured near Maid- 

 stone on March 5, 1892, by Mr. Turner. One of these 

 birds was shot at Boxley by Mr. E. Balston when 

 Pheasant shooting with Major Best in the winter of 

 1869-70. According to the Eev. C. H. Fielding, it has 

 been found at Chalk and Eamsgate. Mr. W. Prentis 

 says : " When partridge shooting I have met with them 

 in our turnip fields. On one occasion a pair nested and 

 succeeded in hatching their young on an island marsh 

 which had been lying idle throughout the winter and 

 spring." 



