194 RED DEER. 



the other side of the wall, and so shot 

 the bird. Hooded crows are also found, 

 and take the eggs of game. Owls are 

 verv numerous in the covers. "\Yood-owls> 

 or brown-owls, as they are indifferently 

 called, are considered by the keepers de- 

 structive to game, especially to young rabbits. 

 Eabbit's ' flex ' is always found in a wood- 

 owl's nest — ' flex ' is the local equivalent of 

 fleece, or fur — and the bodies of young 

 rabbits have been found in the nest, which 

 is in a hollow tree. They will take a leveret. 

 A trap for owls is set on a pole ; the 

 pole is firmly planted in the ground, and 

 has stout nails driven in each side, so that 

 it is easy to climb up, and fix the trap. 

 There is no bait ; the owl comes floating 

 along on his rounds as it grows dusk, 

 and seeing a convenient post alights on 

 it, and is immediately caught. This habit 

 of perching on any conspicuous pole is most 

 fatal to these birds, and however many 

 may perish, the remainder never learn the 



