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Hugh Wormald — Long-tailed Tits



get his Ural Owls, viz. East Prussia. She, for it was a female, lived with

us for three years in perfect health, and then escaped, and as she had

evidently been captured when adult, there is no doubt but that she found

little difficulty in getting her own living. In many ways this little owl

differed entirely from all the numerous species of owls which I have kept.

The peculiar whistle and chirp (to my ear musical) is most un-owl-like,

and is characteristic of the genus Glaucidium, as is also the peculiar

nianner in which the tail is elevated—you cannot say cocked up—-

and swung from side to side—you cannot say wagged—when the bird

is in motion. I have not bred this owl, so cannot say how the adult

plumage is assumed, viz. if immediately after the first white down, or

if there is an intermediate down between the nestling white down and

the true feathers, or no, but I should be inclined to think that the

plumage is assumed as in the Scops Owl, without any intermediate

down. Perhaps Miss Chawner, who has successfully bred a kindred

species of the same genus can enlighten us. I find by my notes that

I considered this owl to be an insect and bird eater, in this case differing

from Lord Tavistock. Also she was a very large eater. I should think

in the northern forests and semi-Alpine forests in which it finds its

home that titmice very likely form a considerable part of its food.

Our bird was extremely fond of sunning itself and in taking a dust-

bath ; she also bathed and drank, but was not nearly so fond of a bath

as the generality of owls, which, with the exception of the Barn Owls

and Little Owls {Athene), are great washers. It was interesting to note

that when the tail was elevated the “ hinge ” seemed to be nearly in

the middle of its back, showing how much was “ feather ” and how

little owl !



LONG-TAILED TITS


By Hugh Wormald.


The way in which the numbers of Long-tailed Tits have increased

in the last two years must be a matter for congratulation to every

naturalist, gardener, and fruit-grower. The winter of 1916-17 very

nearly exterminated them here in Norfolk, and their numbers remained

very small until last spring, when there was a perceptible increase of



