i6o 



THE BIRDS OF ESSEX. 



SCOPS-OWL, 



recorded. Dr. Laver informs me that "for several weeks in 1854 ^ bird of 

 this species rested in a privet hedge at Paglesham." Mr. Wm. C. Emson of 

 Littlebury shot a male on June nth, 1888, near a large wood in Littlebury 



parish, known as Howe Wood, in which it 

 had for some time taken up its abode (40. 

 xiii. 30). Mr. Emson informs me that he 

 believed there were at first two, as he shot at 

 one about a week before and it appeared to fall 

 among some clover, whither some boys ran to 

 pick it up, but could not find it. Two are also 

 y^ said to have been heard previously. The bird 

 used to commence its plaintive cry about half- 

 past eight every evening, usually when perched 

 ^^ on some high elms about half a mile from 

 -^" Howe Wood. The cry is described by Mr. 

 _ Emson as somewhat resembling the loud 

 croaking of a frog, and the village boys tried 

 to imitate it by crying " chalk, chalk." Its 

 dismal cry was kept up the greater part of 

 the night, and could be heard more than 

 half-a-mile off. The country people got 

 quite superstitious about the bird and regarded it as an evil spirit, especially 

 as it was shot at several times before it was secured, and several of them even 

 asked Mr. Emson whether he thought shot would penetrate it. That gen- 

 tleman says that the Owl did not appear to mind his approaching it 

 below the tree, but concealed itself against a branch, all the while keeping 

 up its curious cry, which appeared to come from a place quite different 

 from that at which the bird really was. Mr. Emson got a boy to climb the tree 

 and shot it as it flew out. in a letter, he adds: — "a neighbouring farmer 

 says they have nested two years in succession in a rabbit's hole, about four 

 miles from here, on the borders of Cambridgeshire, but have disappeared this 

 year." 



As this species has on several occasions been met with in Britain in 

 summer^ and on no less than four occasions since 1805 in pairs (38. 93), and as it 

 has once been recorded (though erroneously) as having bred here, I thought it 

 well to make further inquiry into this statement. The supposed breeding took 

 place, it seems, in 1886 and 1887, in Heydon Hill plantation, in the occupation of 

 Mr. Wm. Jonas, of Heydon Bury, who informs me that he several times heard 

 strange Owls in the plantation, making " a peculiar noise — something like a child 

 crying." It was, however, his gamekeeper, J. Ward, who first detected the birds 

 in 1886, and consulted Mr. Joseph P. Nunn of Royston as to what species they 

 were. From Ward's description of their size and colour, that gentleman came to 

 the conclusion that they must be Scops Owls, in which he was confirmed when 

 Ward, on being shown the cuts in Yarrell, selected that bird. Mr. Nunn offered 

 Ward a handsome present if he could find their nest, but this he was unable to 

 do until the following 3'ear, when he found two young birds, from six to 

 eight inches high, on the ground in the plantation. At the time. Ward had 

 with him Mr. T. H. Wrycroft of Heydon, who has independently informed me 

 that he saw the birds, which were small, dark brown, and on the ground, though he 

 could find no nest. They seemed to have a hood of down. No one disturbed them. 

 Mr. Nunn believes all Ward's statements in the matter are reliable. It is very 



