SHORT-EARED OWL.— EACILE-OWL. 31 



all three of wliicli it had no doubt captured on the ground. 

 I think this species is entirely terrestrial, as I have never 

 seen, or heard of, its settling in trees. It nests also on the 

 ground, but I have never known it to breed in Sussex. 1 

 have once only found a nest of this species myself, and as 

 it was not in Sussex, I should not have alladcd to it had it 

 not been for the marvellous ferocity of its owner. Were it 

 sitting hard I could have excused it, but, as it had only one 

 egg, I considered its assault upon me perfectly unjustifiable. 

 The nest was in a rabbit-burrow, and I saw the bird fly out. 

 I was kneeling down, when it deliberately knocked my cap 

 off ; I took the one egg, which is still in my collection ; the 

 bird made repeated attacks on me, and though I could easily 

 have lulled it with my stick, not wishing to do so, I was by 

 no means sorry when I found myself out of its way. This 

 was in Quy Fen, near Cambridge, in 1838 or thereabouts. 



In this county the Short-eared Owl is a regular autumnal 

 immigrant, never being found in the summer; its appearance 

 abou.t the same time as the Woodcock (seldom before the 

 first of October) has given to this bird the name of the 

 " Woodcock Owl.'' 



EAGLE-OWL. 



Bubo ignavus. 



The earliest notice of the occurrence of this bird in Sussex 

 appears to be that of Latham, who, writing in 1787, observes 

 (Gen. Syn. of Birds, Supplement, p. 40) that this Owl is 

 " now and then seen with us, one being shot by the game- 

 keeper of the Rev. Mr. Hare, at Hurstmonceux, in the year 

 1784 ;'' and from him Montagu, so far as Sussex is con- 

 cerned, probably got his information when he says in his 



