SHORT-EAKED OWL. 

 Case 50. 



These birds are permanent residents in many 

 parts of the island, but numbers of fresh arrivals 

 make their appearance in the autumn, usually 

 showing themselves about the same time as the 

 first flights of Woodcocks in the eastern counties ; 

 and this fact, together with their somewhat similar 

 flight, has led to their being called in some districts 

 the " Woodcock Owl." 



This species appears capable of taking its prey 

 by day as well as night. I have often noticed 

 several of these birds hunting over the marshes in 

 Norfolk while the sun was up, and during dull 

 weather they all seem out in search of food by 

 3 p.m. 



They confine themselves entirely to the ground, 

 breeding amongst the heather on the open moors of 

 Scotland, and in the southern counties frequenting 

 the rush marshes and other waste lands. 



On their first arrival in the autumn they are 

 not unfrequently flushed from turnip fields, 

 occasionally being found in such situations in con- 

 siderable numbers. 



The specimens in the case were obtained in 

 the Hickling Marshes, in Norfolk, in December, 

 1871. 



See " Bough Notes," Vol. I, Plates 18 and 19. 



WILD DUCK. 



Case 51. 



Though not so numerous as some species of 

 our British wildfowl, the Wild Duck is by far the 

 most generally known, occurring at various seasons 

 in all parts of the island. 



There have been several discussions in the 

 sporting papers about the time that this bird 



