64 BRITISH BIllDS. [vol. vi. 



in 1911, but I cannot find any trace of them this summer, 

 although the birds were there at the beginning of April. Lord 

 Warwick's keepers at Easton tell me that there was a nest 

 in the park in 1910, and that four or five young birds were 

 reared ; also that there are one or two pairs there still. In 

 1911 there Avas at least one nest at Littley Green farm, and five 

 young were reared in the nest found. I know of one nest 

 there this year, but cannot say Avhat is in it as the entrance- 

 hole, as usual, is very small. In the park at Langleys, Mr. 

 Tufnell's residence, there were tAvo pairs nesting this year ; 

 but the birds were found to be taking Pheasants, and after 

 considerable search a nest was found with Pheasants in the 

 " larder." The young were destroj^ed, and that pair of birds 

 and one bird of the other pair. I found a nest with four eggs 

 on May 7th, 1912, but unfortunately in enlarging the hole, 

 dropped a large piece of wood on the nest and smashed an 

 egg ; the birds deserted. I have also had information of a 

 nest at Great Bardfield this year, but have not had time to 

 go to it. At the beginning of this summer I kncAV the where- 

 abouts of five separate pairs of these birds near the School 

 at Felsted. Wherever I ask about them now in the neigh- 

 bourhood they seem to have been noticed, and, in mj' opinion, 

 they will soon be very common at the present rate of 

 increase. J. H. Owen. 



THE FOOD OF THE LITTLE OWL. 



There has been much discussion in various sporting papers 

 as to the destructiveness to game of the Little Owl (Athene n. 

 noctua). I have carefully kept out of the controversy for 

 the reason that, in conjvmction with the late Lord Lilford, 

 practically all the Little Owls in the kingdom have their 

 origin from the birds liberated on our estates, and afterwards 

 carefully preserved by us and sympathetic friends and 

 neighbours. I think I can claim to having had the first 

 Little Owl's nest in this country on my ground, for a pair bred 

 in a rock near here as far back as 1879. I have had mimerous 

 nests and broods under my most careful observation for some 

 fifteen years- so many I cannot enumerate them, but certainly 

 some hundreds. Many nests with young have been daily 

 examined in very different localities. The " hoards " of food, 

 usually hidden in another tree, or in the roots of a tree near 

 each brood, have also been watched. There are generally 

 tA\ o or three of these " hoards " to each nest. The food of the 

 young after they have left the nest and imtil quite on " their 

 own." has also been as carefully ascertained as possible, so 

 I can write of the food of this bird with some confi.dence. 



