58 LORD LILFORD 



but the Barn Owls would drink at all, though 

 most of them were very fond of washing. I 

 care myself more for living birds than anything 

 else. I hope you will excuse me if I give 

 you the list of those I have alive at this 

 moment : 



' 1 White-tailed Eagle, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 

 1 Hobby, 5 Kestrels, 1 Sparrow Hawk, 1 Kite, 



1 Buzzard, 8 Owls, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Raven, 



2 Magpies, 1 Jackdaw, 1 Crossbill, 1 Brambling, 



1 Stork, 2 Night Herons, 2 Common Herons, 



2 Spoonbills, 1 Godwit, 2 Peewits, 2 Ring 

 Dotterels. 



' There is a heronry at Bulwick, the seat of 

 T. Tryon, Esq., in this county. A few herons 

 nest every year in Wytham Wood, about three 

 miles from Oxford. I know of one heronry at 

 Dawyck in Peebleshire, the seat of Sir John M. 

 Naesmyth. 1 I hope you will excuse my saying 

 that if you could by any means happen to get a 

 Short-eared Owl, or Merlin alive, and do not 

 want him yourself, I should be very glad of him 

 indeed.' 



1 This was in answer to an inquiry from Mr. A. Newton, who 

 was at the time making a list of the heronries in the United 

 Kingdom. 



