108 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



the middle of October. Mr. Gatcomi)e noticed its appearance on April 10th, 

 lb72, at Plymouth (Zool. Ib72, p. 3258). Montagu mentions having 

 shot one in Devonshire, November 8th, 1805 (Urn. Diet., 8uppl.) ; and 

 Dr. E. Moore saw a pair in an orchard near South Milton on November 

 loth, 1828 (Trans. Plym. Inst. 1830). One occurred in Cornwall, 

 November 27th, 1821. 



This beautifully marked and singular-looking bird is very partial to 

 commons and the borders of woods covered with bracken, in which it 

 conceals itself during the day, coming forth in the gloaming to hunt for 

 the night-Hying insects which form its food. In the daytime it often 

 roosts on the branch of a tree, perching in the direction of the branch, 

 and not crossways like other birds. The nest is placed on the ground, 

 usually near a tree, and is nothing more than a depression chosen by the 

 bird, and here it lays two marbled eggs, which are among the most 

 beautiful of eggs laid by British birds. When entomologizing late in the 

 autumn we have often been annoyed by Fern-Owls. The blossoms of 

 the ivy are a great attraction to Noctua), and visiting them at dusk to 

 secure specimens we have been much interrupted by these birds, which 

 would come and snatch the moths off the ivy, or intercept them in the act 

 of settling within an inch or two of our face, and it was natural to con- 

 clude that the individual carried off by the bird was some special rarity — 

 perhaps a "Tawny Pinion" or " Dotted Chestnut.'' We were obliged at 

 last to take a gun with us and to send a shot at the bird as a hint to 

 betake itself elsewhere for its feast of Lepidoptera. When these birds 

 are disturbed in the daytime they are very foolish, and seem only half 

 awake, and are not difficult to capture. Immature birds maj' often be 

 seen on the south coast in September, pitching on garden-paths in the 

 daytime, and are very tame and stupid. Their note is a curious S(|ueak- 

 ing cry, which they utter in the evening, when they rouse themselves to 

 come forth to feed. They also make a sound like the spinning of a 

 wheel or the tearing of a piece of calico or silk, produced while perched 

 with the head downwards. The tints of this bird's plumage — diflerent 

 shades of brown in curious streaks and patches — are very similar to those 

 of the Wryneck, and corresponding closely with the colour of the bark of 

 trees, materially assist it in concealing itself on its roost. 



The male bird only differs from the female in having a patch of white 

 on each of the inner webs of the first three primaries, and in having a 

 white band across the edge of each outer tail-feather. 



The Pern-Owl ca])tures its insect-prey with its foot (like a Kestrel) 

 and has the inner eclge of the middle claw serrated for the purpose of 

 giving it a firm hold upon the slippery backs of beetles. In September 

 1871 we were shown the contents of the stomach of one, mainly consisting 

 of the elytra and thighs of Dor Beetles {Geotrupes). It is said to be 

 especially fond of the Ghost-Moth ( Hejnahis humuli), so very numerous 

 flying over grass-fields at dusk in June and July — 



" The busy Dor-Hawk chases the White Moth 

 Witli burring note."— fFortZswor/A. 



