THE BIRDS OF DEVONSHIRE. 67 



examples being some times noticed as compared 

 with the comparative plenty of other years. Mr. A. 

 H. Macpherson has taken great pains to ascertain 

 whether this species ever breeds in Devon, and his 

 enquiries up to the present time only show that it 

 has sometimes been confused with the Tawny Owl, 

 which often nests in rabbit holes, and rarely in open 

 heather. 



TAWNY O^Nll.—Syrnmm aluro (Linn). 



A CONSTANT resident and early breeder, fairly 

 plentiful in the wooded portions of the county, but 

 almost unrepresented in moorland districts. The 

 specimens that have come under my notice display 

 considerable variations in colour, between the two 

 well marked phases of gray and ferruginous. 



SNOWY (JWh.—Nijctea scnndiaca (Linn). 



A RARE visitant, but has occurred in several instances. 

 A specimen from the "Ross Collection," in the 

 Exeter Museum is said to have been obtained at 

 Exmouth. Another, obtained near Plymouth, 

 entered the collection of the Rev. W. S. Hore (Zool. 

 1876, p. 4900), and Dr. Moore records a third 

 specimen. Two Snowy Owls were undoubtedly 

 taken in 1876, during or subsequent to ''very severe 

 weather.'' Of these, the first, a small male bird, 

 examined by Mr. Gatcombe, was shot on the 13th 

 of March, on Ditsworth Rabbit Warren, Dartmoor, 

 by the little grandson of the Warrener. The 



