ASIOXID.E. 1 31 



1850 near Exeter (R. C.) ; some in Marcli 1876 near Plymouth (J. G., 

 Zool. IfiTt), p. 40o2) ; and one was shown to us in the liesh by the late 

 llev. John Hellins that was killed at Budleigh Saltertou in ]^Iareh 18S1. 



This species was unusually plentiful in the autumn of 1870 at Plymouth, 

 where six occurred in November (J. G.) ; and near Kingsbridge, where 

 twelve were flushed from one small patch of furze (H. X., Zool. 187(), 

 p. 5180). A small flock occurred near Ilfracombe, February 3rd, 187(> 

 (^I. A. !M., Zool. 1870, p. 4718). It is a winter visitor to Lundy Island 

 (Trans. Devon. Assoc, viii. p. 308). 



The Short-eared Owl is a well-known winter visitor to the South, 

 arriving about the middle of October, and leaving again towards the end 

 of March. It chiefly frequents moory ground, whei'e it squats close 

 during the day among coarse grass and rushes, and is often to be met with 

 in considerable numbers. In the late autumn the sportsman also comes 

 across it in turnip-fields, where the setters will draw on its scent and 

 stand it. It is then not a little ridiculous, on going up with the expecta- 

 tion of a covey, to see several of these Owls rise heavily off the ground, 

 when they will fly round one, looking like chcrubims as dejiicted on 

 tombstones in village churchyards, before scattering in different directions 

 in search of another quiet roost. One day when sniping on Braunton 

 Burrows after some heavy rains we had to splash for some distance 

 through flooded ground, until at last we gained a sandy hillock covered 

 with ru-shes, which rose like an island out of the water. Here Ave flushed 

 at least twenty Short-eared Owls, which sailed solemnly round us and 

 then settled on adjoining mounds. Sometimes the Snipe-shooter finds 

 these Owls even more numerous than the Longbills on the bogs, and will 

 come across Owls of all shades, apparently ; some so light in colour as to 

 appear white when they are making ott', and these light-coloured birds 

 being much more wary and difficult to approach than the dark olive ones 

 suggest that they are cautious old cock birds, which they really are. We, 

 however, put up one of these light birds one day on a bog and, instead of 

 consulting his safety by flying off (not that we should ever be guilty of 

 lifting our gun against an Owl), he swept round us close at hand utterhig a 

 curious cry, until another Owl, evidently his mate, also rose, and then the 

 pair flew off' a short distance, settling again on the bog, the lighter bird 

 ])erching on the top of a Avithered furze busli, from which he watched us 

 until we moved off'. On Lundy Island the Sliort-eared (hvl is considered 

 the precursor of the Woodcock, and at a time of severe frost we found 

 both Cocks and Owls plentiful on the island — the Owls very much in tlie 

 way, as the setters would draw on them, nuirk them down when they 

 were flushed, and then draw on them again and again. This species is 

 not exclusively nocturnal, for we have Hushed it off" a recently killed Peewit 

 in the middle of the day, the head of which it had, after the manner of 

 Hawks and Owls, but just devoured as its first liite. We do not ourselves 

 imagine that the Short-eared Owl kills many Snij)e. He may devour a 

 wounded bird which comes m hi.s way, but his chief food consists of 

 mice and beetles. On some extensive nuirshes intersected l)y stf)nc wnlls 

 we have been Short-eared Owls when started from their cover on the 



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