28 British Birds of Prey, [Sess. 



that it is most destructive to birds of the singing class as 

 well as to game. Year after year I have removed the young 

 of these birds from the nest, and put them in a box, for the 

 express purpose of observing what food the parent birds 

 brought to them. This generally consists of bkckbirds, 

 thrushes, sparrows, finches, young pigeons (both wild and 

 tame), young pheasants, young partridges, moles, young hares, 

 young rabbits, and mice. I know they also kill young rats, 

 but I have never personally seen one brought to the young. 

 It is a mistake to suppose that owls seek for their prey only 

 in the dark. At the time when catering for their nestlings, 

 which is when the days are at their longest, they commence 

 to hunt between three and four o'clock in the afternoon. 

 Even in the month of February I have known one swoop 

 down in the middle of the day and pick up a squirrel. No 

 doubt this is unusual, but it shows the destructive character 

 of the tawny owl. Eecently one came down a chimney in a 

 friend's house in Kingussie, and laid an egg on the sideboard. 

 This bird can now be seen confined along with two kestrels, 

 and the trio seem to live in harmony. 



The Long-Eared Owl. 



This bird is common in most parts of the south country, 

 especially where there are spruce woods, where it sits screened 

 from observation during the day. It is easily known by the 

 " horns " or tufts of feathers on its head. Usually selecting 

 the old nest of a pigeon or carrion-crow, it deposits its eggs, 

 generally five in number, and few birds display more faithful- 

 ness and bravery in defence of their nest and young. After 

 a heavy shower of snow and severe frost the following night, 

 in the month of March, I have seen one frozen to the nest, 

 though, life-like, covering her eggs. 



The Short-Eared Owl. 



This bird is a winter visitor to this country, and only on 

 rare occasions was it known to breed till the outbreak of the 

 vole plague on the Border pasture-lands, ten or a dozen years 

 ago. Hundreds at that time were to be seen nesting in the 



