ITS BIRDS. 83 



Raven. "A pair of ravens used to nest in the Wanstead heronrj-. 

 Your grandfather, Samuel Gurney, took me there one 

 spring (I think about 1833 or 1834), and we then saw two 

 young ravens which the keeper had taken out of the nest 

 a few hours previously. Your grandfather bought them, 

 and turned them loose in the stable-yard at Ham House, 

 but as he would not have their wings cut, in a few weeks' 

 time they flew away." — J. 11. G. 



Barn Owl. I used to hear this bird nightly twenty years 

 ago in Lord's Bushes, the old hollow trees of which it 

 frequented. I am sorry to say it has disappeared from 

 that locality, but I saw a pair close to Fairmead Lodge 

 in the summer of 1884. A chorus of angry jays attracted 

 me to the tree where they were. Farther on in the 

 Forest his silent flight, caused by a fringe of down on 

 the wing, may more frequently be observed. Mr. Lister 

 writes: — -"Was a frequent visitor to my garden years 

 ago, and used to beat over the Virginian Creeper that 

 covered the end of the house, where sparrows roosted 

 in great numbers. It bred in an old poplar in the 

 grounds of Forest House, and still breeds yearly in the 

 trees at Elmhurst, Woodford." 



Tawny Owl. Not uncommon ; may be heard in the evening 

 at almost any season. Monk Wood. 



Long-eared Owl. Has been obtained several times, and it 

 would multiply rapidly if it were not so frequently de- 

 stroyed by gamekeepers. 



Short-eared Owl. An autumn and winter visitor. Shot on 

 several occasions by sportsmen in turnip fields in the 

 neighbourhood. 



Red-backed Shrike. One of the handsomest of our spring 

 visitors. The broods keep together well into the sum- 

 mer, and are often seen. They breed in the neighbour- 

 hood frequently, if not every year. ' ' I have watched a 

 male l)ir(l fix the head of a young wren on to a thorn in 

 his 'larder,' using great exertion. Their store usually 

 consists of insects and worms." — A. L. 



Great Gray Shrike. The late Mr. Doubleday, of Epping, 

 had a bird of this species which was captured by a bird- 

 catcher in the Forest, and which he kept alive in a cage 

 for a long time. It invariably hung up its food in its 

 cage. If half a dozen small birds were put in (dead), 

 it hung them all up by forcing their heads through the 

 wires of the cage ; and pieces of meat were also hung up. 



Rook. The Forest is enhvened by several rookeries by 

 Leyton Flats, Woodford Green, Copped Hall, etc. 



Jackdaw. They come in great numbers to i^oost in the 



