282 BRITISH BIRDS. [VOL. XI 
J. E. Harting even goes so far as to propound the astonishing 
theory that the Ring-Ouzel is a resident with us! See 
Handbook of British Birds, 1st Edit., p. 12; 2nd Edit., p. 41. 
F. C. R. Jourpain.] 
SNOWY OWLS REPORTED IN STAFFORDSHIRE AND 
OXFORDSHIRE. 
Tue Rev. J. O. Coussmaker, of Hamstall Ridware, near 
Rugeley, writing in the Field (19th Jan., 1918) states that 
while driving from Lichfield. about 3.45 p.m., near Pipe 
Ridware Church, he saw a Snowy Owl (Nyctea nyctea) not 
forty yards away. It tried to settle on a hedge, but failed 
and fell over backwards, but quickly recovered itself and 
continued its flight. He adds that it had ‘some brown 
feathers’ on its back. Mr. Coussmaker is familiar with most 
of our common birds and has recorded several of the rarer 
species, such as the Dartford Warbler and Woodlark, from his 
neighbourhood, so that confusion with the White-breasted 
Barn-Owl (7'yto a. alba) should be impossible. Curiously 
enough the presence of a Snowy Owl was reported to me 
under very similar conditions on Otmoor, Oxfordshire, about 
the end of March 1917, during the wintry weather which then 
prevailed. The bird was first seen by Messrs. Wicks and 
Jeans, while driving out to Beckley from Oxford, about 3 p.m. 
It was flying low along the hedgerows and on one occasion 
turned and came towards them, so that they had a good view 
of it. Both agreed that it was unlike any Owl they had seen 
before and the descriptions of the size and plumage agreed 
closely with that of the Snowy Owl. The bird was also seen 
subsequently by Mr. Hall of Beckley. hunting a hedgerow 
near Otmoor. I hesitated to record uus specimen because 
none of the observers knew a Snowy Owl by sight, and a Barn- 
Owl on the wing seen suddenly at close quarters looks larger 
than it really is. I may add that I have seen a Barn-Owl 
blunder right into a quickset hedge in daylight and had no 
difficulty in capturing it. Even the dark spots on the plumage 
of all but very old Snowy Owls have their parallel in the 
small spots on the breasts and flanks of the Barn-Owl. The 
great difference in size, the absence of yellowish brown on 
the upper surface, and the striking" ow irides of the 
Snowy Owl at once serve to identify ‘1t when seen by an 
ornithologist, but a considerable element of doubt must 
attach to cases such as that just quoted. F.C. R. JouRDAIN. 
GLOSSY IBIS IN NORTH LANCASHIRE. 
A Guossy Isis (Plegadis falcinellus) was shot at Garstang, 
North Lancashire, in September 1917, and is now in the collec- 
