PRAIRIE OWLS— ' AMYDRUS TRISTRAMI ' 221 



To the same. 



1 Lilford ; April 16, 1895. 



' I should say without actual knowledge that 

 the Burrowing Owl would be a specially good 

 mouser. My birds only hatched out one of four 

 eggs, but their breeding operations were much 

 interfered with by the introduction of " Prairie 

 Dogs " into their compartment. ... I am in 

 anxious expectation this afternoon of the arrival 

 of some Amydrus Tristrami^ straight from the 

 monastery of Mar-saba, near Bethlehem.' 



To the same. 



'Lilford: July 2, 1895. 



' We had a most exciting otter hunt here 

 on Saturday last, rinding the animal in the long 

 drain that runs from the pond and debouches 

 into the river just above our solitary plane- 

 tree ; he was quickly bolted by a terrier and for 

 nearly four hours constantly viewed and steadily 

 hunted, but I am not sorry (except for the 

 hounds' sake) to say that the gallant beast 

 eventually and most mysteriously beat us and 

 entirely disappeared, to fight another day.' 



1 Golden-winged Blackbird. 



