260 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xiii. 



-even though as in this case, the spot chosen for the eggs was 

 a wood. 



Barn-Owl {Tyto a. alba). 



June 17th. — Young Barn-Owls hissing. I again found 

 -a mole eaten by them, and at another nest a large frog, in 

 both cases there was not much left besides the skin and the 

 head. The under-parts in an adult male Barn-Owl are pure 

 white, while in the female they are invariably a little spotted, 

 a distinction long ago pointed out by Mr. Gunn, but not 

 generally recognized. 



Merlin {Falco c. cesalon). 



With regard to other birds of prey, the increase of the 

 Kestrel has been alluded to. Several Merlins were met with 

 on the coast by the Duchess of Bedford and Dr. Riviere 

 ■during the autumn. Various other Hawks were also viewed 

 on passage, including a few Peregrines, Harriers, and five 

 or six Rough-legged Buzzards in different places, but no 

 Honey-Buzzards. Dr. Long watched an Osprey fishing. 

 (See British Birds, XHI., p. 58.) 



Marsh-Harrier {Circus cBruginosus) . 

 Montagu's Harrier {Circus pygargus). 



August 19th. — Met Miss Turner, who informed me that 

 she had recently seen a black variety of Montagu's Harrier on 

 one of the Broads. Many years ago a similar melanism was 

 killed at Yarmoath, and is in the Museum. Mr. M. Birkbeck 

 tells me that when on the Broads in June he was shown nests 

 of Montagu's Harrier, and one Marsh-Harrier's, which con- 

 tained eggs, fortunately under protection. 



On May 14th Mr. Meade-Waldo and I saw an adult Marsh- 

 Harrier quartering the marshes in somewhat dangerous 

 proximity to a Bittern's nest, and as Miss Turner assures me 

 that these Harriers will " mob " and fight with Bitterns, 

 and possibly take the young ones, they must be regarded as 

 enemies. Marsh-Harriers are also quite ready to " mob " 

 a Heron, either in play, or perhaps to rob him of some fish. 



Spoonbill {Platalea I. leucorodia). 



This year Breydon had only one visit from a Spoonbill, 

 which came in on May 12th (B. Dye), the wind the preceding 

 evening having been south (force 5). Another appeared on 

 the Broads on May 23rd with a south-east wind, as reported 

 by Miss Turner, and during the autumn there were one or 

 two Spoonbills in the latter part of August on the flooded 

 marshes at Salthouse (C. Borrer). 



