28 • THE BIRDS OF SUSSEX. 



places for tlieir coucealmcnt througliout the year and for 

 bringing up tlieir young at the proper season. Though not 

 so common as the Barn-Owl, it may be met with on the 

 whole range of St. Leonards Forest^ principally frequenting 

 the ancient beech trees. 



In March 1864 a pair of these birds were constantly heard 

 in the evening about the trees in my own grounds at Cow- 

 fold ; and as I had never heard them before^ I suppose they 

 must have been attracted by one which a neighbour had in 

 confinement near his house adjoining my premises. They 

 were very vociferous_, and were called and answered by 

 the tame bird, which had been taken in St. Leonards 

 Forest. The note of the Owl in the cage was very different 

 from that of its visitors, and its proprietor told me that he 

 had never heard it utter the same note but on these occasions. 

 This bird Avas quite an object of interest in the village, and 

 the owner informed me that it was as good as a watchdog to 

 him, as it made a great disturbance if any one was about 

 the premises at night, and that he, being a medical man, had 

 often been thus apprised of some patient requiring his 

 services. The utilization of the Owl might therefore be 

 advantageous to those who object to paying tlieir dog tax ; 

 it might also be useful as a warning of a meditated attack 

 by burglars, as was the goose to the defenders of the old 

 Roman capitol. The Tawny Owl is said occasionally to 

 catch and eat fish, and to supply them to its youngs but its 

 principal food is rats and mice, and although it no doubt 

 also helps itself pretty liberally to young rabbits and leverets, 

 the good it does far outweighs its depredations among the 

 game. I once found in the hole of a beech tree, in which 

 were three young Owls, two brown rats and three water- 

 rats, and a very small rabbit. Mr. Jeffery states, in his 

 private notes, that this bird has bred every year in a hollow 

 tree near the Downs from 1859 to 1887. 



