390 Mr. .T. H. Giirney on the 



one oil the shore and one on the sandhills. Athene noctua is 

 well known but less common_, as is Stri.v ahico. Nyctala 

 tengmalmi has occurred at Nice (Ibis, 1881, p. 189), but not 

 in the Var, where, however, Asio accijjitrimis is stated by 

 Risso to be found '' in woods,'^ "which are not usually asso- 

 ciated with this inhabitant of the open country. All the 

 Owls are probably migratory except Bubo ignavus. 



Eagle Owl. Bubo ignavus. 



This formidable bird does not appear to be very uncommon, 

 and breeds in the Esterel chain, 1 understand. Three speci- 

 mens, if not more, have been taken near Valescure, probably 

 in winter, and if so, were driven no doubt by lack of food 

 from their mountain fastnesses, as is commonly the case on 

 the Lake of Geneva ; in this sense only is the Eagle Owl a 

 migratory bird, and it is unlikely that it ever goes far, or 

 crosses the Mediterranean. There are many stories of its 

 daring : one flew into Mr. Sargeant's partly-covered poultry- 

 yard at Valescure, attracted by his fowls, and being unable 

 to find the right way out again, was captured alive the next 

 morning. I believe it is at the Marseilles Zoological Gardens, 

 where Mr. Sargeant sent it. It had killed a chicken, and on 

 a previous visit had carried off two Guinea-fowls, the remains 

 of which were found on the hill opposite, no doubt left there 

 by the same nocturnal robber. Mr. H. Saunders says that it 

 also preys by day, but this act of spoliation was committed 

 at night. A second took up its abode in a valley near the 

 Grand Hotel, where it was seen eating a Wood-Pigeon, while 

 another killed two Ducks and a hare. When picked up, the 

 latter was minus an eye, but was otherwise uninjured, and the 

 owner of the ducks spoke with glee of the good roast it 

 made. This Owl is said to take kids and young roe-deer when 

 it gets the chance, and peasants have been known to support 

 themselves by daily robbing the nest of supplies brought for 

 the young " Grand-Dues.'^ 



Kestrel. Faico tinnunculus. 



A good many " Cresserelles " are scattered about, many 

 being migrants arriving or departing, though some have 



