166 FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 



suggested that he was preying on small birds. 

 We afterwards saw him hunt all the hedgerows 

 round for about a square mile, and an hour 

 later return to the swampy valley and sit about 

 on posts which were there, every now and then 

 quartering the furze bushes where numerous 

 small birds roost. Altogether his behaviour 

 was very suspicious. 



There was evidence of considerable slaughter 

 in the neighbourhood ; but whether all or any 

 of the victims were attributable to the owl we 

 could not, of course, say. 



We found the following remains Vanellus 

 vanellus, the Plover (1) ; Phasianus colchicus, 

 pheasant (2) ; Anthus pratensis, Meadow Pipit 

 (1) ; Erithaca rubecula melophilus, Robin (1) ; 

 Columba palumbus, Wood Pigeon (1) ; Turdus 

 musicus, Thrush (1) ; Lepus europaeus juv., 

 Leveret (1) ; Lepus cuniculus, Rabbit (2). 



STRIGIDAE. 



i 

 (57) Syrnium aluco. Tawny Owl. 



Jan. 28 At. 5.10 p.m. one flew over the upper end of 

 High-street, Poole. (E.H.C.) 



Feb. 19 At dusk doubtless the same bird was observed 

 in Longfleet flying precisely the same course. 

 (W.P.C. and E.H.C.) 



Apr. 30 At Canford two observed sitting in a birch 

 tree ; on examination of the ground, below a fir 

 tree which contained a squirrel's dray, close by, 

 castings were observed. E.H.C. threw a stick 

 at the dray and dislodged a squirrel, and 

 concluded that this was not the nest, as he 

 considered a squirrel and the owls would not 

 share apartments. 



