OTUS BRACHYOTOS. 161 



shellmounds and kitchen middens of early races of men were 

 always examined with keen interest, under his guidance and 

 shrewd remarks. In reference to the flint implements, he said 

 he recognised the workmanship of one particular individual, 

 the excellence of whose handiwork he considered unmistakable — 

 being a mason and lapidary himself his opinion had weight. 

 He always referred to this workman with admiration as " that 

 clever fallow." " I've found flint arrowheads," he would say, 

 "in different pairts o' the muir a' the way frae the Channel 

 Wuds to Eeres Farm, some o' them wi' very little wark upon 

 them, ithers as finely shaped as if intended for jewellery ; but I 

 could aye tell that clever fallow's wark whenever I got my 

 hand's on't." It was no use pointing out that flint implements 

 represented avast period of time, when many generations of flint 

 workers must have lived and died, left or lost their implements — 

 he adhered to his point, and referred to a particular place on the 

 moor where "that clever fallow" lived. Certainly the finest 

 specimens of flint workmanship have been found around the spot 

 indicated. He knew every foot of Tentsmuir, and picked up 

 many fine specimens of flint work ; but this extensive moor is 

 equally interesting as a haunt for our feathered friends — 

 especially sea-birds — thousands of terns, plovers, ducks, curlews, 

 redshanks, and other birds come there annually to breed, both 

 on the surface of the moor and in the many rabbit burrows. 

 Already, on the 8th of April this year, 1892, mallard and teal 

 ducks' eggs have been got, as well as long-eared owls', and a 

 stray capercailzie cock was also seen in the old Fir-Park Wood 

 at the same time ; while grouse, recently brought to the moor 

 and protected, are increasing rapidly, and possibly a short-eared 

 owl may also be seen again. If disturbed in its breeding haunts 

 this owl flies a short distance, stares at the object of alarm, and 

 visibly erects its short horn-like feathers. If a dog be there it 

 hovers above it, utters a querulous cry, and gives an impatient 

 snap of its bill, like an angry horse champing its bit, as I have 

 heard the long-eared one do in the old F'ir-Park. It is about two 

 inches larger than the last. The male is 15 inches to the end of 

 tail, and 17 inches to the tip of wings when closed, and 38 

 inches in extent of wings ; the female's two inches larger, the 

 tail, as in all owls, being comparatively much shorter than the 

 falcon's or hawk's. Like all owls it has very large eyes, the 

 iricles bright gamboge yellow (like most of them), and its ears 

 are also furnished with a conch and an operculum. To show 

 that this owl is now rare — when the Marquis of Lothian's 



