THE BIRDS OF PREY. 209 



either Scotland or Ireland. As so many are yearly brought 

 over from the Continent, many being turned loose, it is 

 unusual to treat it seriously as a British bird. The late 

 Lord Lilford established it in Northamptonshire.] 



The large and handsome Snowy Owl, which comes from 

 the North, is a regular winter visitor to the north of Scot- 



t Snowy land, though of its visits to England less than 

 Owl - a score have been reported, and to Ireland 

 eight only. The plumage is white, with black spots. This 

 owl is not perhaps a very welcome visitor to the game- 

 preserve, though even there its choice will fall most readily 

 on the sick or w T ounded birds. It also fishes, much after 

 the fashion of the osprey. 



Hawk-Owl. A rare straggler, of which there are two 

 recognised forms the American, which has occurred some 

 half-dozen times, mostly in Scotland. The other, or 

 European, form has been recorded (by Dr Sharpe) but 

 once. 



Scops Owl. A rare straggler from the South, which has 

 been recorded many times in England, once in Scotland, 

 and five times in Ireland. 



^Eagle-Owl. A handsome eared owl from the Continent 

 that visits the Orkneys and Shetlands, where it once 

 probably bred at long intervals, but rarely occurs farther 

 south, never in Ireland. 



CHAPTER IV. THE BIRDS OF PREY. 



[The group under notice embraces birds of very various 

 habits and appearance, some being pronounced carrion- 

 eaters, others, the smaller more usually, disdaining all food 

 that they have not killed themselves. As in the owls, the 







