748 The Zoologist— May, 1867. 



existence, and perhaps may rush to the conclusion that it is totally 

 absent. Mr. Stevenson is almost the only writer who carries this 

 conscientiousness to a sufficient extent ; indeed to an extent thoroughly 

 and scrupulously honest, and with this alone can I ever feel perfectly 

 satisfied. Wherever we find in a book continued proofs of this 

 honesty of purpose it seems impossible to avoid forming a favourable 

 impressiou both of the author and of his labours. 



It seems unnecessary here to say anything of the physical cha- 

 racters and agricultural changes so constantly going on in Norfolk, 

 since these have been so admirably treated in these pages by Messrs. 

 Gurney and Fisher; sufficient to say that the area of fen land is 

 constantly on the decrease, owing to the extensive system of drainage 

 now carried on, and for the same reason the area of arable land and 

 fir-plantation is constantly on the increase. From the same causes the 

 number of aquatic and wading birds are decreasing, while arboreal 

 species are slightly on the increase. We have an apt illustration of 

 this in the longeared owl. 



Longeared Owl. — " The longeared owl is another instance of the 

 changes which have taken place in a few years, from local causes, in 

 the habits of some of our feathered visitants. Whilst drainage and the 

 plough are fast driving the harriers and other marsh breeders from 

 their accustomed haunts, the rapid increase in our fir-plantations, 

 especially near the coast, affords such inducements to this species to 

 remaiu and breed with us, that the autumn visitant of a few years 

 since, only occasionally known to stay through the summer, may now 

 be more properly termed a numerous resident, receiving additions 

 to its numbers in autumn. The Rev. R. Lubbock, writing of 

 this owl some twenty years ago, though mentioning the fact of its 

 sometimes remaining to breed, says, ' The bird may be considered 

 altogether rare,' which statement is in strange contrast to the number 

 of specimens now, at all seasons of the year, brought to be preserved 

 in this city (particularly the case in 1854), and but for the thoughtless 

 persecution of keepers and collectors, a pair or more might be found 

 located in almost any of our woods or plantations of sufficient extent. 

 In the spring of 1856 no less than ten young birds were taken in a 

 plantation at Sprowston, near Norwich, and several old ones were shot ; 

 yet since that date a few pairs have still continued to frequent the same 

 locality, and they are more particularly plentiful in the extensive fir- 

 coverts in the vicinity of our east coast. In the western and south- 

 western parts of the county they are also very plentiful." — p. 44. 



