RAPTORES. 15 



at one time common in Caen Wood, Hampstead, 

 and may still occasionally, though rarely, be seen 

 there. It is also found in Pinner Wood, where 1 

 have reason to believe that it breeds, and in Ruislip 

 Wood, on the north-west side of the county. The 

 food of the Long-eared Owl is very similar to that 

 of its congeners, consisting chiefly of field-mice and 

 small birds. 



Short-eared Owl, Strix bracJiyotus. An occa- 

 sional winter visitant. In the winter of 1840-41, a 

 male and female of this species were killed in a field 

 near Kingsbur}^ Reservoir. A few years later, towards 

 the end of October, a j^air of Short-eared Owls rose 

 with a covey of Partridges and were shot by Mr. 

 Bond and his brother, each, oddly enough, killing a 

 Partridge and an Owl. One of the Owls was of an 

 unusual variet}^, being so light in colour as to look 

 almost white at a distance. Since that time several 

 Short- eared Owls have been killed in this neigh- 

 bourhood. One was shot in November, 1860, near 

 Caen Wood, Hampstead. Another was killed in an 

 open field, near the same wood, in December, 1861. 

 This bird I saw very shortly afterwards. Several 

 examples have occurred near Scratch Woods, Edge- 

 warebury, and on Edgewarebury Common. The 

 last of which I have heard was killed at Edgeware- 

 bury in November, 1865. 



It is asserted that the Short-eared Owl never 

 perches, but roosts upon the ground, and a writer 



c 2 



