BIRDS. 137 



keeper had previously taken the nest. After the late autumn 

 we saw more of these birds in the island. 



The Short-eared Owl occurs all through the Mainland, and 

 has been shot on several of the other islands, as Sanday and 

 Westray ; it does not, however, breed in Sanday. 



Mr. Kanken says it is more plentiful than any other 

 species of owl in Orkney, and remains there the whole year 

 round, breeding in the heather. 



In the Swanbister district it has become very rare. It 

 formerly nested regularly there, so Mr. Irvine-Fortescue informs 

 us, but he fears now (1888) that they are driven away for ever. 

 Dunn, the naturalist in Stromness, used to give 6d. each for the 

 Hen-Harrier's and Short-eared Owl's eggs. Although this was 

 cheap, adds Mr. Irvine-Fortescue, the natives thought it dear, and 

 the birds decreased in consequence. Much of the long heather, 

 which formerly was plentiful, is now burned for pasture ; this, 

 too, is much against the owls. 



In 1888 Buckley was informed by the keeper at Rousay 

 that he had only found one Short-eared Owl's nest that season, 

 and this he did not disturb: he thought, however, there was 

 another, but did not look for it. 



In 1889 we saw young birds that had been taken from a 

 nest on Wideford Hill, where a pair or two still linger. 



Every one knows that this owl can and does hunt in the 

 day-time in the breeding season ; but does it ever do so in the 

 winter ? The places most frequented by it, and many other 

 species of owls, during the breeding season, are in the north, 

 where there is practically no darkness during the time the 

 young are being fed, so the old birds must hunt in the light. 



Mr. Moodie-Heddle tells us he has seen a Short-eared Owl 

 take a half-fledged snipe on the wing. 



Syrnium aluco (L.). Tawny Owl, 



[Obs. Low in his Fauna mentions that this species is found in the 

 more hilly parts of Orkney in summer, but he never saw or 

 heard of it in winter, so concluded it was a migratory bird. 

 He compares its shyness with the boldness of the Short-eared 

 Owl. 



