200 JOTTINGS ABOUT BIRDS. 



merit, watching the sea-birds, the rabbits, and the 

 wild-fowl, or swooping after them in all the heat 

 and pride of chase: the Buzzard (Buteo vulgaris), 

 sluggishly beating along the uplands in quest of 

 small and weak defenceless animals : the Sparrow 

 Hawk (Accipiter nisus), dashing along the hedge- 

 rows at dawn or even in quest of small Finches : 

 the Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), high up in the blue 

 sky, floating on quivering wings and outspread tail, 

 surveying the meadows and the stubbles below for 

 mice: the Osprey (Pandion haliaetiis), making a 

 meal off a captured fish, or striking at its finny 

 prey in the clear blue mountain lakes or lowland 

 broads. The Owls also are remarkably telling 

 subjects for the painter. What more noble-looking 

 than the Eagle Owl (Bubo maximus), or the Snowy 

 Owl (Surma nyctea), in the act of chasing the 

 smaller mammals, or at rest, either in the branches 

 of the pine trees or on the rugged rocks ? Both 

 these birds, it should be remarked, are only very 

 rare stragglers to our islands. The Tawny Owl 

 (Strix aluco) may be happily introduced amongst 

 ivy ; whilst the Barn Owl (Aluco Jlammeus) is just 

 as much at home near ruins, barns, or steeples. 

 All these birds possess well-marked characteristics 

 and much contrast of colour, which not only 



