HIS NOTES ON THE L1LFORD COLLECTION 259 



few playful attacks on trousers, gaiters, petticoats, 

 and boots, I never heard of any malice on their 

 part towards any living creature. Their natural 

 food consists of carrion and garbage of all sorts, 

 tortoises, and other small reptiles, and I hold 

 the many stories that are current on the Con- 

 tinent of their carrying off children, lambs, and 

 kids, as very nearly, if not entirely, mythical. 



1 Amongst the most beautiful of our recent 

 acquisitions in Eaptorial birds is an adult white- 

 bellied Sea Eagle from Australia. This is the first 

 of its species that I ever possessed, and its 

 strikingly contrasted plumage of pure rich grey 

 and white renders it a very great ornament to 

 the collection. I have many other eagles of 

 great interest to myself, but not calling for 

 special notice in notes intended for a more or 

 less public meeting. Of my favourite birds the 

 owls, I have at this time of writing some 

 twenty different species alive. I may mention 

 as special varieties amongst them, a very fine 

 Nepaul Wood Owl, a South African Eagle Owl, 

 and four Ural Owls. I believe these birds to be 

 the only living representatives of their respec- 

 tive species now in England. 



s 2 



