VERTEBRATE ANIMALS OF LEICESTERSHIRE. 161 
pale yellow. Two still survive. Mr. Davenport, who took them, 
described the ears of the old bird as ‘‘ standing up above the nest 
like the ears of a fox.” 
Asio brachyotus, Forster. Short-eared Owl (Woodcock Owl). 
—A winter migrant, generally distributed, but not common. 
Potter, in his ‘ History of Charnwood Forest,’ mentions it as 
occurring “in the wilder parts of the moors, and in turnip fields;”’ 
and Ingram writes, ‘‘ occurs amongst gorse bushes and low 
shrubs, generally two or three together.’ Widdowson, from 
whom I received several specimens, considered them fairly 
common near Melton. One procured at Leicester Abbey on 
September 20th, 1882, by Mr. Warner’s keeper, was presented 
to the Museum. 
Syrnium aluco, Linn. Tawny Owl (Wood Owl, Brown Owl). 
—Resident, but not very common. I received two nestlings 
(a male and female by dissection) taken at Bradgate, May 15th, 
1885, and an adult pair procured at Newtown Linford, on 
December 19th, 1885. The gizzard of the male contained the 
beak of a Sparrow or Greenfinch, a few feathers and bones, and 
a quantity of fur of mice, including a lower jaw of the Red Bank- 
Vole. The gizzard of the female contained a little fur and some 
remains of the Red Bank-Vole, a pony of feathers, and two 
beaks of sparrows. 
Order Accirirres.—F amily Fanconipa. 
Circus eruginosus, Linn. Marsh Harrier.—In Potter’s ‘ His- 
tory of Charnwood Forest’ itis stated that one was killed and 
another seen at Buddon Wood, in 1841, by the keeper to Mr. 
Butler Danvers. Harley says, ‘“‘The late Mr. Adams told 
me that he used to take it in his traps frequently before 1811, 
when Charnwood Forest was unenclosed, and the species used 
to be met with more recently about the wild gorse-land lying 
above Whitwick, called the ‘ waste,’ from whence I have seen 
specimens brought.” 
Circus cyaneus, Linn. Hen Harrier (Blue Hawk).— Potter 
records one as seen at Thringstone in 1841, and Harley states, 
on the authority of Adams the keeper, that it used to nest in 
Charnwood Forest regularly before the enclosure, as also in other 
parts of the county. He adds that, ‘‘ some years ago I winged 
a partridge in barley stubble, and, on the dog aitempting to 
