PBXLDONAB7 CLASSIFIED NOTES 



occurrence has been only once recorded (cf. Saunden, loc. cil. ; and Gatke, 

 uxirte Helgoland, Eng. trans., 1895, p. 192). [A. u T. J 



4. Nest and Eggs. Like the other owls, this species makes no nest, but 

 deposits its eggs in a hole of some sort : often in a hollow oak or other tree, but 

 also at times in buildings or walls, and also in quarries or crevices of rocks, and 

 occasionally in holes in the ground, rabbit burrows, under woodstacks, etc. (PI. 

 84.) Here its eggs are laid, to the number usually of 4 or 5, occasionally 6 or even 

 7. They resemble other owls' eggs, but are the smallest of our British breeding 

 species. (PI. E*.) Average of 100 eggs, 1*34 x M3 in. [34*1 x 28*7 mm.]. They an 

 generally laid about the last week of April or early in May, and are apparently 

 incubated by the hen alone, the male often keeping guard from a perch not far 

 distant, and showing great boldness in defence of the nest. Incubation, according 

 to Meade-Waldo and RUBS, lasts 28 days, and is performed by the hen alone, who 

 site very closely. Heir E. Detmers (Zeitschrift fur Oologie, x vii. p. 44) asserts that 

 a bird hatched out two young in a cage in 16 days after the laying of the first egg ! 

 One brood is reared during the season. [F. o. B. J.] 



5. Food. Although the smallest of our resident owls, the little-owl is a 

 bold and even at times savage species, and is more prone to feed by daylight and to 

 attack small birds and game than the other owls. A small series of pellets from 

 Northamptonshire, examined by L. E. Adams, gave the following results: Field- vole, 

 8 ; shrew, 7 ; longtailed field-mouse, 2 ; rat, 1 ; rabbit, 1 ; and beetle, 1. Von 

 Schweppenburg's results are as follows: Voles, 81*80 per cent. ; mice, 8-80 per cent. ; 

 birds, 3-20 per cent ; bank- vole, 2-90 per cent. ; shrews, 1 -80 per cent. ; rats, -30 per 

 cent. ; bats, '30 per cent. Remains of pigeons were also discovered, and in England 

 it has been known to take pheasant chicks from the rearing-ground, while Mr. Meade- 

 Waldo has observed it collecting earthworms from lawns in the evening. [F. c. a. J.] 



6. Song Period. Is most vociferous during the breeding period, [w. p. p.] 



SNOWY-OWL [Nfctea n$ciea (Linnaeus); Njctea scdndiaca (Linnaeus). 

 Catyogle (Shetlands). French, harfang ; German, Schnee-Evle ; Italian, 

 civetta delta neve]. 



i. Description. The snowy-owl may be distinguished from all other owls 

 by its large size and white plumage, more or less closely barred with dark brown. 

 The female is larger than the male. (PL 83.) Length, male, 23 in. [584-20 mm.], 

 female. 26 in. [660*40 mm.]. Iris golden yellow. The closeness of the barring in 



