PONDS, PADDOCKS, AND AVIARIES 85 



captivity, but generally the parents devour their young. 

 One of my night-herons laid an egg this morning on 

 the top of a box bush, trodden to a sort of flat 

 form by a stork. Those night-herons have been here 

 for three years, and I have great hopes of a brood." l 



"June 22nd, 1893. 



" It would be interesting to know where the Scoulton 

 gulls get their mice,* and of what species the latter are. 



" I envy your seeing the gadwalls and * short-billed 

 culloos ' f at such close quarters in their native homes. 



" A propos of the ferocity of owls, a cottager in this 

 neighbourhood found a well-feathered young tawny on 

 the ground below the nesting hole in April last, and 

 carried it home to his cottage at a short distance. Two 

 nights afterwards, as he was feeding this owlet, one of 

 the old ones dashed at his head and clawed him nastily 

 about the nose and eyes." 



"June 23rd, 1893. 



" Last year we had a nest of little owls (Athene noctua), 

 of which I have turned out a great many, in an ash- 

 stump about two miles off. The tenant of the farm 

 was passing the place unawares one evening when the 



1 To the Rev. Murray Matthew. 



2 To the Editor. 



* In this very dry summer the Brown-headed Gulls brought many 

 voles to their nests. 



t The Thickknee or Norfolk Plover (QLdicnemus scolopax). 



