OCCASIONAL NOTES. AQ7 
“pandering to the vanity of its destroyer” (cf. Zool. 1878, p. 76), for I much 
regret its destruction. Mr. Wright, of Clifton, near Biggleswade, informs 
me that he has in hand “a male specimen of the Black Scoter, (idemia 
nigra, which was shot on the 19th August, by Mr. Hare, of Compton Mills, 
near Shefford.” I fancy this is a most-unusual date at which to meet with 
a Scoter in this part of England.—C. Marruew Prior (Bedford). 
Tawny Owl, NestiIne In 4 Burrow.—In regard to its nesting habits, 
the Tawny Owl seems to differ a good deal from other Owls. As a rule, 
the eggs are deposited in the hole of some tree, but it has been observed to 
make an open nest in a hollow of a fork, seven feet from the ground, and 
_ Sometimes.to make use of the deserted nest of a Rook (see Gray’s ‘ Birds of 
the West of Scotland,’ p.61). It has’also been known to lay its eggs upon 
the ground on a heap of fir-needles (‘ Ibis,’ 1866, p. 824). In ‘The Ibis’ for 
July last (p. 878) two instances are recorded of its nesting in a burrow. 
Capt. J. W. P. Orde mentions a nest of five eggs so placed which came 
under his observation in Argyllshire. One had rolled away into a branch 
of the burrow, the others were nearly hatched in the second week of April: 
Mr. Bruce, of Ederline, at the foot of Loch Awe, on April 18th, 1876, found 
a nest of this bird in a rabbit-hole, about two feet deep in a sloping bank. 
The nest contained four young Owls differing greatly in size; two were at 
least ten days older than the other two, and no two of them looked quite of 
the same age; they were covered with whitish down, and kept their eyes 
shut. The nest also contained a rat and two mice, freshly killed, and with 
their heads taken off. This approximation in habit to the well-known 
burrowing Owls of America is curious and worth noting.—J. KE. Harrine. 
Common Scorer 1n NorrHampronsHire.—A female of this species, 
Oidemia nigra, was killed near Woodford Mill, on the River Nen above 
Thrapston, and sent to me, in the flesh, on August 20th. I consider this 
occurrence worthy of record, not only because it is the first appearance of 
the species in this neighbourhood which has come to my knowledge, but 
also on account of the unusual time of year for the visit of such a sea-loving 
bird to an inland locality—Linrorp (Lilford Hall, Oundle). 
Grey Wacrain arecarious at Roostinc Time.—At p- 391 of ‘The 
Zoologist’ for 1878, Mr. H. Chichester Hart observes that he noticed on 
one occasion a number of Grey Wagtails congrégated together at roosting 
time in some reed-beds in Ireland. As this seems to be,a newly recorded 
fact in Ornithology, I have much pleasure in stating that quite recently 
(September 4th) I have frequently observed small parties of Grey Wagtails, 
consisting of a score or so of individuals, resorting to the reed-beds by the 
Ouse as soon as it begins to get dusk. At this time of year this species 
is very abundant here —C. Marrumw Prior (Bedford). 
