OWLS. 15 



SCOPS OWL. Scops giu, (Scopoli). 



Yarrell, i. p. 173; Harting, p. 93; Dresser, v. p. 329; Ibis 

 List, p. 89; Scops scops, Secbohm, i. p. 193. 



This, the smallest of the British owls, is an acci- 

 dental and rare visitant. Mr. Harting (I. c.) enume- 

 rates twenty instances of its occurrence in Great 

 Britain. One was killed at Buckland Bipers a few 

 years ago (W. Thompson). 



It may be well to note here that Mr. E. Meade 

 Waldo, of Rope Hill, Lymington, during the last few 

 years has turned out a great number of Little Owls 

 (Athene noctua) in that part of the country, and it is 

 not improbable that we may hear of the appearance 

 of some of them in Dorsetshire, reported as visitors 

 from the Continent, should the observers be unaware 

 of the fact above stated. 



SNOWY OWL. Nydea scandlaca, (Daudin). 



Yarrell, i p. 187 ; Dresser, v. p. 287 ; Ibis List, p. 87 ; Nyctea 

 nivea, Harting, p. 89 ; Surnia nyctea, Seebohm, i. p. 177. 



The Snowy Owl is also an accidental visitant. It 

 is essentially an Arctic species, straggling southward 

 during hard winters. Mr. Harting enumerates 

 twenty- two instances of its occurrence in Britain, 

 excluding the Hebrides, Shetland, and Ireland, where 

 at various times a good many have been met with. 

 One shot at Langton Copse, in this county, is in 

 Mr. Farquharson's collection. 



