

SHORT-EARED OWL. 131 



of this Owl. In the stomach of one, Colonel Montagu 

 found the remains of a Skylark and a Yellowhammer. 

 Mr. Thompson of Belfast found the legs of a Purre, Tringa 

 variabilis of Meyer and Temminck ; and in the stomach 

 of one examined by myself, were a half-grown rat, and por- 

 tions of a hat ; but this is the only bird in the stomach of 

 which I ever found the remains of a bat. Wilson, however, 

 in his account of the White, or Barn Owl, says that bats 

 are the favourite food of most of the American Owls. 



The Short-eared Owl is well known in most of, if not 

 all, the southern and western counties of England, and 

 according to Mr. Thompson, is one of the regular winter 

 visitors to the northern counties of Ireland, preferring wet 

 and boggy places, where Snipes might be expected. Loca- 

 lities in the north of England, in Scotland, and the Ork- 

 neys, have been already named. It inhabits the whole 

 of the continent of Europe, and is found also in India and 

 in China. It is found also on many of the islands of the 

 Mediterranean, and on the African continent. Dr. Eich- 

 ardson says, " it is a summer visitor to the fur-countries of 

 North America, arriving as soon as the snow disappears, 

 and departing again in September. It was observed as 

 far north as latitude 67 ; and a female, killed at Fort 

 Franklin on the 20th of May, contained several pretty 

 large eggs nearly ready for exclusion. In summer it is 

 by no means rare in the fur-countries : and, as it hunts 

 frequently for its prey in the day time, is often seen. 

 When disturbed, it flies low for a short distance, and then 

 hides itself in the heart of a bush, from whence it is not 

 easily driven. Its nest, formed of withered grass and 

 moss, is placed on a dry spot of ground." This species 

 frequents Hudsons's Bay, Labrador, and Newfoundland, 

 in summer, and is found on the American continent in 



