650 SUPPLEMENT. 
Carine Noctua. (Athene noctua, Vol. I. p. 151.) 
§ 6007. One.—Lilford Park, Northamptonshire, April, 1892. From 
the late Lord Lilford’s Collection, 1906. 
Lord Lilford briefly recounted (Birds of Northamptonshire, i. pp. 66-68) his 
attempts, carried on for many years, to introduce this species into his neighbour- 
hood. I owe this evidence of the more or less success by which they were 
attended to the kindness of his son and successor, who informs me that he was 
told by Cosgrave, the keeper of the aviaries at Lilford, that this egg was taken 
from a nest in the park there, and therefore laid by a bird at liberty. Whether 
the Little Owl can be deemed to be naturalized in this country may be doubtful, 
but it has often bred at large, and I have heard of the occurrence of several 
examples at a considerable distance from where they or their parents were 
liberated, and even so far off as Cambridge. The species is so largely insecti- 
vorous, that it might be expected to have much difficulty in maintaining itself in 
winter with us, and we have still to learn whether it is able to better its chance of 
existence by migration. 
ALuco FLAMMEUs. (Strix flammea, Vol. I. p. 152. 
2 
§ 6008. Ten.—Antananarivo, Madagascar, September, 1862. From 
Mr. J. C. Caldwell. 
These eggs were given to my brother Edward by Mr. Caldwell, who was sent 
by the Government of Mauritius in charge of presents for King Radama at his 
coronation, and stayed over two months at Antananarivo, the capital of Mada- 
gascar. He furnished the following information which my brother communicated 
to ‘The Ibis’ for 1863 (pp. 339, 340) :—‘ The Owl’s eggs (five in number) were 
brought to my house in Antananarivo for sale, in consequence of my having 
promised a reward for them. I then offered the man another dollar on condition 
of his bringing me in person to the nest he found, that I might see it with my own 
eyes. In a couple of days he returned, took me to the rock over which the 
Christians were formerly thrown, and led me along a ledge, where I was obliged 
to take off my shoes and stockings for fear of slipping. The face of the rock, when 
not precipitous, is covered with the prickly pear and scanty cvarse grass. It was 
on this ledge that I got the second nest. The bird was sitting when I came up, 
and there were four eggs. The nest was on the rock, under a prickly pear ; and the 
eggs barely separated from the rock by a little coarse grass which grew there. 
In fact, there appeared to be no attempt made to take any trouble in forming it. 
It was not in the dark, the vpening or passage looking to the north-west, and the 
whole rather exposed than otherwise to the hot sun, which was powerful enough 
to make it very unpleasant to walk bare-footed over the granite rock. As I was 
remounting the ledge to get to the narrow path I had come by (for I had gone 
down the slope about fifteen feet to get to the nest) I saw another Owl sitting on 
a nest exactly similar, and as the bird flew away knocked her down with a 
stick, and took the eggs also, four in number. It was about half-past three in the 
afternoon. I also disturbed several others, but could not get at their nests.” 
Mr. Caldwell afterwards gave my brother seven more of these eggs taken as 
