252 The Long-Eared Owl. [Sess. 



scapegoat handy, our suspicions fell upon the Carrion-crows, 

 who at that time were busy completing a new nest a few 

 yards from the one usurped by the Owls. Although we were 

 never able to gather the necessary evidence for a true and 

 lawful conviction, suspicion continued to rest upon these black 

 rascals until this very year, when they were finally excul- 

 pated with all due honour and reparation by an incident 

 which I may relate hereafter. 



During the weeks that followed the desertion of this nest 

 we scoured the wood regularly, in the hope that either one 

 pair or the other would nest again ; but as May began to 

 advance and neither sight nor sound of Long-eared Owls was 

 forthcoming, the Owl-hunting grew less vigorous, until amid 

 the multitude of other interests it became very casual, and 

 probably perfunctory. You will understand, then, how our 

 astonishment was mingled with mortification when an angry 

 old Long-eared Owl suddenly swooped down upon us as we 

 were peacefully strolling through the Scots fir corner on the 

 evening of July 13. Fluttering from tree to tree and over 

 our heads, it set up the most extraordinary series of sounds, — • 

 strange uncouth barks and mews, alternated with wing- 

 beating, bill-snapping, and furious hissing. The medley was 

 only comparable to the music of the feline serenader : in 

 versatility, if not in composition, the Owl was probably the 

 superior. We had been present at similar if less vehement 

 performances in the upland woods, and knew it betokened the 

 proximity of young. Close by was the second nest built by 

 the Crows in 1905, and when we scanned the ground beneath 

 it we found liberal indications that an Owl's progeny had 

 been reared or were being reared above. Owing to the grow- 

 ing darkness we postponed the examination of the nest until 

 an opportunity afforded itself for climbing in daylight ; but 

 we had no doubt that the old Owl owned a family either in 

 the nest or at large in the upper branches of the trees round 

 about. On July 15 S. E. Brock visited the wood alone and 

 climbed to the nest. I quote his own report of the experi- 

 ence : — 



"Climbed to 1905 Crow's nest. When near the nest there 

 was an outcry behind me, and an old Owl came flying across 

 from some fir trees a few yards away and perched on a tree 



