STICKLEBACKS OWLS. 27 



We are twenty miles from the sea, and almost as many from 

 a great river ; and, therefore, see but little of sea birds. As 

 to wild fowls, we have a few teams of ducks, bred in the moors 

 where the snipes breed; and multitudes of widgeons and teals, 

 in hard weather, frequent our lakes in the forest. 



Having some acquaintance with a tame brown owl, I find 

 that it casts up the fur of mice, and the feathers of birds, in 

 pellets, after the manner of hawks ; when full, like a dog, it 

 hides what it cannot eat. 



The young of the barn owl are not easily raised, as they 

 want a constant supply of fresh niide ; whereas the young of 

 the brown owl will eat indiscriminately all that is brought ; 

 snails, rats, kittens, puppies, magpies, and any kind of carrion 

 or offal. 



The house-martens have eggs still, and squab young. The 

 last swift I observed was about the 21st of August ; it was a 

 straggler. 



Redstarts, flycatchers, white-throats, and reguli non cristati, 

 still appear ; but I have seen no black-caps lately. 



I forgot to mention, that I once saw, in Christ Church 

 College quadrangle, in Oxford, on a very sunny, warm morning, 

 a house-marten flying about, and settling on the parapet, so 

 late as the 20th of November. 



At present, I know only two species of bats, the common 

 vespcrtUio murinus and the vespertilio auribusS* 



each with the greatest rapidity ; biting, (their mouths being well furnished 

 with teeth,) and endeavouring to pierce each other with their lateral 

 spines, which, on these occasions, are projected. I have witnessed a battle 

 of this sort, which lasted several minutes before either would give way ; 

 and, when one does submit, imagination can hardly conceive the vindictive 

 fury of the conqueror, who, in the most persevering and unrelenting way, 

 chases his rival from one part of the tub to another, until fairly exhausted 

 with fatigue. From this period an interesting change takes place in the 

 conqueror, who, from being a speckled and greenish looking fish, assumes 

 the most beautiful colours ; the belly and lower jaws becoming a deep 

 crimson, and the back sometimes a cream colour, but generally a fine 

 green ; and the whole appearance full of animation and spirit. I have 

 occasionally known three or four parts of the tub taken possession of by 

 these little tyrants, who guard their territories with the strictest vigilance, 

 and the slightest invasion brings on invariably a battle. A strange altera- 

 tion immediately takes place in the defeated party : his gallant bearing 

 forsakes him ; his gay colours fade away ; he becomes again speckled and 

 ugly ; and he hides his disgrace among his peaceable companions." It is 

 the male fish only which are so pugnacious. ED. 



* Seven species of bats have now been ascertained; namely, the 

 horse-shoe bat, (rhinolophus ferrum-equinum of Geoffrey,) discovered 

 by Colonel Montagu, in caverns, at Torquay, Devonshire ; the lesser 





