416 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



fought SO furiously at times that I was afraid they would tear 

 each other to pieces, and I had on several occasions to separate 

 them. Eventually they settled down more quietly, and the 

 female, taking to the nest, laid four eggs, which she sat upon for 

 the usual time, but failed to hatch. Meanwhile, in another cage, 

 two of the three young birds had mated, and, after attempting to 

 get rid of the tliird by driving and hunting it about the cage, 

 they eventually killed and devoured it. Although the ususl 

 complement of eggs was laid, they were not hatched; but, as the 

 two pairs of birds seem now to be more comfortably settled, 

 I anticipate better results next breeding season. 



An adult male Little Owl was shot Nov. 6th, and sent to me 

 from the neighbourhood of Harleston. Its stomach contained 

 the remains of a tumbler dung-beetle, a centipede, five or six 

 lepidopterous larvae (including that of the common sword-grass 

 moth), and a small black beetle, unidentified. This specimen 

 exhibited no traces of confinement ; its internal organs were 

 healthy, and its plumage quite perfect. On comparison with my 

 tame specimens it proved to be much less in weight, being 

 6^ ozs. instead of 7f to 10 ozs. The plumage of the wild bird 

 also was somewhat darker, the beak of a deeper yellow, the 

 claws finer, sharper, and more deeply curved ; the following 

 being its dimensions : — Total length (beak and tail included), 

 9J in. ; expanse of wings, 22^ in. ; wing, from carpal joint, 6| in. ; 

 cere and bill (ridge of upper mandible), 1 in. ; tail, 3^ in. ; 

 tibia, 2^ in. ; tarsus. If in. ; middle toe and claw, 1^ in. ; outer 

 toe and claw, 1 in. ; inner toe and claw, 1 ^ in. ; hinder toe and 

 claw, I in. ; weight, 6|- ozs. avoirdupois. 



On Sept. 13th an immature male Nightjar was shot at Beeston, 

 near Norwich. The spots on the outer primaries, which are 

 generally white in the adult bird, were in this specimen of a pale 

 brown, as in the female, excepting that on the first primary, 

 which had just commenced to show a white centre. The stomach 

 contained remains of insects, principally small beetles. 



As usual at this period of the year, a small flock of Gray 

 Wagtails made their appearance on Oct. 2nd at the dam at the 

 back of the New Mills, Norwich. I noticed one, a particularly 

 rich-coloured male bird. A few days after their appearance they 

 were scattered along the banks of that part of the river (Wensum) 

 between the New and Hellesdon Mills. 



