132 THE EIKDS OF DEVOX. 



ground fly and perch on the top of a "wall, and as one approached fly 

 on again to the next wall, taking care to dip down and put the wall each 

 time between the pursuer and themselves. 



Colonel Montagu remarked that the short tufts on this Owl's head are 

 only erected when the l)ii'd is in a qiiiescent state, and are instantly 

 depressed when it is disturbed : whereas the longer tufts of the preceding 

 species have been iioticed by an excellent observer to be pricked up when 

 the bird is watching for, or suspecting, an intruder on its privacy (J. 

 F. lirockholes, Zool. iSoO, p. ()~52). These tufts of feathers, however, 

 are in no way connected with the ears of these Owls, or assist their sense 

 of sound. 



AVe have seen a Short-eared Owl mount right up into the bright sun- 

 shine until lost to sight ; and keepers of lighthouses have recorded that 

 Ihis species is able to bear without inconvenience the full glare of their 

 lanterns, flying into the blaze of light in order to capture the small birds 

 fluttering and beating against the glass, and even availing themselves of 

 the artificial light to pur<;ue and capture Thrushes on the wing. " Con- 

 stantly one hears their dying cries," says Mr. Giitke, writing from Heligo- 

 land, " when clutched by the nude talons of an Owl that had just flitted, 

 like a phantom, noiselessly past the light." 



The Short-eared Owl appears to be scarce on Dartmoor. In ten years' 

 Snipe-shooting over the northern and eastern portions of the Porest we 

 never came across a single example. "We are not aware that the nest of 

 the Short-eared Owl has been obtained anywhere in the South-western 

 Counties, although the bird might occasionally be expected to nest on some 

 of the West-Country moors. We have known its nest to be taken on 

 Skomer Island, off the S.W. coast of Pembrokeshire, no great distance away 

 from North Devon. 



Tawny Owl. Sijrnhun aluco (Linn.). 



llesident, generally distributed in wooded districts throughout the 

 county, but not so plentifully as formerly. Breeds. 



There are two varieties : one larger, with greyish plumage (grey phase), 

 much longer and stronger claws, and said to be much fiercer and more 

 destructive, preying even on rabbits ; the other smaller, with reddish 

 plumage (red or erythrismal phase). 



The well-known Hooter is a common frequenter of woods and planta- 

 tions, living in the dark shelter of spruces and firs especially, throughout 

 the county ; and glad should we be if more mercy and protection were 

 meted out to this very useful bird, whose benefits to the agriculturist in 

 the destruction of rats and of the mischievous long-tailed field-mouse call 

 for some better consideration in return. We would also bespeak the 

 indulgence of game-preservers, whose keepers too generally in ignorance 

 destroy this harmless Owl. As we have ourselves had both Pheasants 

 and Brown Owls existing side by side in the same covers, and have never 

 known any of the former to have suflered from the Owls, we can make 



