194 THE BIEDS OF HELIGOLAND 



far south, because otherwise the Common Jay is never seen here, 

 not even in solitary instances. On the 5th of November 1864, two 

 of these Owls were shot; two others were killed on the 24th of 

 September 1881, whilst three or four individuals were seen on the 

 same day. Isolated specimens have been seen in the interval 

 between these dates, and the last example recorded was observed 

 in my garden on the 7th of October 1884. 



I have, on two occasions, kept this interesting little bird alive for 

 several months, after which I sent the specimens to the Zoological 

 Gardens in London, but unfortunately with but poor success, the first 

 example having died soon after its arrival in the Gardens, while the 

 second is said to have flown away during the sea voyage on board 

 the steamer, although it was confined in a strong wooden box, with 

 wooden bars nailed tightly and closely to one another in front. 



During their confinement, these Owls readily accepted dead 

 birds, but refused the carcases of such as had been skinned; if, 

 however, before presenting the skinned birds I first turned them 

 over among loose feathers, I managed to induce the Owls to partake 

 of them. 



This species is a breeding bird in all the northern countries of 

 Europe, Asia, and America, as far as 68 N. latitude. In England, 

 according to Harting's statements, it has occurred twenty times 

 up to the year 1872 ; this fact, combined with the extremely rare 

 appearance of related species of the same genus, proves that the 

 autumn migration of this species is not so rigidly confined to a 

 southerly line as that of the former, but may, under favourable 

 conditions, tend to deviate considerably to the west. 



32. Long-eared Owl [WALD-OHREULE]. 

 STRIX OTUS, Linn. 1 



Heligolandish : Hurn iihl = Horn Owl. 



Strix otus. Naumann, i. 451. 



Long-eared Owl. Dresser, v. 251. 



Hibou moyen-duc. Temminck, Manuel, i. 102, iii. 54. 



Although Heligoland has nothing to offer Avhich might invite 

 an inhabitant of the woods like this Owl to visit it, the bird is, 

 nevertheless, well known to every gunner on the island. Under 

 the most favourable conditions, however, scarcely more than three, 

 or at most four, are likely to be met with in one day ; nevertheless, 

 scattered as they occur, they are to be seen through the whole 

 of late autumn up to the beginning of winter ; and again, though 



1 Asio otus (Linn.). 



