THE FERN-OWL. 87 



mentions it, among other sources of interest, in 

 the Naturalist's Summer Evening Walk, in an 

 elegantly written little poem, bearing that title. 



u While deepening shades obscure the face of day, 



To yonder bench, leaf- sheltered, let us stray, 



To hear the drowsy dor come brushing by 



With buzzing wing, or the shrill cricket cry; 



To see the feeding bat glance through the wood, 



To catch the distant falling of the flood ; 



While o'er the cliff th' awakened churn-owl hung, 



Through the still gloom portracts his chattering song." 



This bird passes only a small part of the year 

 with us ; it is found in every part of the old con- 

 tinent, from Siberia to Greece, Africa, and India. 

 It arrives in* England about the end of May, 

 and quits it again about the middle of August. 

 During this period, it may be seen wheeling 

 about in mild still evenings, when its peculiar 

 note may be heard to a considerable distance. 

 This bird is solitary in its habits, two being 

 rarely seen together. It frequents wood-covered 

 hills, heathy plains, and especially spots where 

 the fern plant abounds. It is said to make no 

 nest, but merely to deposit its eggs in a hole at 

 the foot of a tree or rock, or even on the plain 

 ground : two or three eggs is the usual number. 

 They are rather larger than those of a blackbird, 

 oblong, shaded and marbled with brown on a 

 white ground : the female is said to hatch the 



