STREAKED TUFTED-OWL. 46ff 



southern counties of England. Although often raised by sports- 

 men and others, it is not certain that it usually hunts during the 

 day. It is found in stubble fields, or among turnips, by the side 

 of a hedge, or on the grassy margin of a brook or ditch, where 

 it rests in an erect posture. On being disturbed, it flies off in 

 an undulating manner, with a buoyant flight, shooting away 

 in various directions, and inclining its body alternately to either 

 side, much in the manner of the smaller gulls. After proceed- 

 ing some hundred yards, it generally alights, when a person 

 may get within shot, although it does not allow so near an ap- 

 proach as most other species. 



Bewick having mentioned the occurrence of twenty-eight 

 in a turnip field in November, Montagu thinks that the cir- 

 cumstance of its being thus occasionally gregarious may be ac- 

 counted for by the abundance of food in a particular place. 

 *' Mr Austin assures us that a few years since, mice were in 

 such vast abundance as to destroy a large portion of vegetation 

 in the neighbourhood of Bridgewater ; and in autumn a great 

 many of the Short-eared Owls resorted to that part in order to 

 prey on them. They were found in the fields amongst the high 

 grass." 



In December 1835, I came upon one standing by the side 

 of a ditch, about a mile from Edinburgh. On my approach 

 it flew ofi:, and although shot at, without being wounded how- 

 ever, alighted at the distance of about two hundred yards, by 

 the edge of a turnip field. Before I got half way to its new 

 station, it rose, ascended to a considerable height, and hovered 

 about, very much in the manner of a gull. A rook presently 

 made up to it, and endeavoured to peck at it, but the owl took 

 care to keep beyond reach, by rising in a spiral direction. It 

 was then attacked by another rook, and afterwards by two 

 more ; but it still kept above them, and continued to ascend 

 until it gained a great elevation, when they left it one by one. 

 After sailing a long time in circles, it flew off to a great dis- 

 tance. It was a clear sunny day ; yet the owl seemed in no 

 degree incommoded by the light. 



Montagu states that " the Short-eared Owl comes to us in 

 October, about the time the Woodcock makes it appearance, 

 VOL. III. II a 



