BIRDS OF THE DISTRICT. 311 
Bowers tells me that the old birds remain all winter, but the 
young leave in August. In 1893, Mr. HERBERT Bowsers noted 
that the young ones left about the third week in August, and 
he saw the old birds going out for the night one evening in 
December. Mrs. Lowe had the greatest difficulty in expelling 
them from a house on Hough Green, where they had taken up 
their abode, and were causing damage to the roof, some 
years ago. The same attachment to houses in populous suburbs 
is noted by Mr. W. E. SHarp, who writes —‘‘a pair bred for 
years in the eaves of a villa~-house in Bebington; and another 
pair in a house near Birkenhead Park.” 
“Resident” in Wirral, ‘‘but not so common as formerly.” 
(Br. p. 5.) 
Mr. Ruppy reports it ‘‘resident and common” in his 
district, ‘‘ although much persecuted.” 
* Asio otus. LoNG-EARED OWL. 
Resident, and not uncommon. There are specimens in the 
Grosvenor Museum from Delamere Forest (where it is said to 
breed [R.N.]), Mold, Bathafarn, and two young, in down, from 
Saughall. Used to breed at Colwyn Bay, and in Llangwstenin 
Wood {J.P.] Occurs on the Eaton Estate, where it breeds [H.G. ] 
Mr. C. Brappury took a nest in Stanney Wood in 1891. 
BROCKHOLES notes: “ Resident in the fir woods of Bidston, 
Prenton Mount, Storeton, Ness, and Burton. Sometimes also 
in mixed woods where there are Scotch firs, such as Badgers’ 
Rake Wood, Ledsham. There are seldom more than one pair 
of old birds in a wood. Nidification commences in March. 
This Owl never makes a nest for itself, but simply repairs the 
old one of a Sparrow-hawk, Crow, Magpie, or Wood-pigeon.” 
(Br. p. 4.) 
Resident in the Merionethshire slip; found a nest with young 
birds in an old Squirrel’s dray, in May, 1874 [T R.] 
* Asio accipitrinus.. SHORT-EARED OWL. 
A regular visitor in autumn and winter. Mr. GARLAND tells 
me he has also seen it 7” summer on the Eaton Estate. 
A specimen in the Grosvenor Museum was shot at Ince in 
1885, and another at Sealand in the autumn of 1887. MR. 
DRINKWATER Says it occurs also at Cholmondeley. 
In Wales, ‘‘often on the moors in winter” at Maesmor 
[W.J.K.]; at Abergele [J.H.] 
BRocKHOLES notes: ‘‘ Migratory here’? in Wirral; ‘Is 
occasionally met with in autumn. Sometimes some occur in 
winter on the sand hills near the Point of Air, Flintshire.” 
In this last locality, near Talacre, Sin PyErs Mostyn tells me 
it is common. 
