39 



THE SHORT-EARED OWL. 

 (Asio accipitrinus.) 



In Hungary Short-eared Owls appear in numbers 

 with the Buzzards where field mice get the upper hand, 

 and work with these grander birds. A peculiarity of 

 the species is to crouch down to the earth like a hen when 

 in danger. So confiding in nature is it that it falls an 

 easy prey to the guns of those whom we call the " Sun- 

 day sportsmen," to the great loss of the agriculturist. 

 Large numbers of the Short-eared Owl arrive regularly 

 in Great Britain from the Continent, to remain with us 

 during the winter. This species is often termed the 

 Woodcock Owl here, partly on account of its twisting 

 flight it is supposed, and also because both birds make 

 their appearance about the same time some years in 

 larger, some years in lesser numbers. A few pairs still 

 breed in the eastern counties, but it nests more often in 

 the north, in widely scattered parts of our moorland 

 districts. In Scotland the species is common ; but in 

 Ireland it has not yet been recorded as breeding, 

 although it is very common there in winter. I remember 

 a relative telling me of a Short-eared Owl hovering much 

 over a terrier he had out walking with him, one evening 

 late, on Congleton Edge. Probably the bird had its 

 young on some tuft of heather near them and was 

 anxious as to the safety of these, and it would not have 

 hesitated to attack the terrier had it been alone. 



Mr. Ogilvie-Grant, in Lyddeker's " R. Natural 

 History," says: "It is a curious circumstance that, 



