ASIOXID.E. 137 



chiefly on mice, proclaim its close relationship to the Owls. Hawk-Owls 

 inhabit the northern parts both of Europe and America. The American 

 form, which is darker in its plumage, has been distinguished bj' some orni- 

 thologists from the European Hawk-Owl. Most of the examples that have 

 been obtained in England belong to this darker race, but an undoubted 

 specimen of the lighter INorth-European bird was shot at Amesburj-, iu 

 Wilts. As the bird seen by Captain Still was not obtained, we cannot 

 say to which race it belonged. 



[Eagle Owl. Buho ignavus, Forst. 



The only authority for the occurrence of this species in this county is 

 Dr. Edward Moore, who says " 1 have seen one specimen near Honiton iu 

 18:^0" (Trans. Plym. Inst. 1830, p. :2y8) ; and " I have only seen one 

 specimen in Devonshire, and that in a living state near Honiton in 1820 " 

 (Mag. Xat. Hist. 1837). These are but meagre particulars, as we are not 

 informed whether the bird had been captured in a wild state ; or if there 

 were any reasons to conclude that it had not escaped from an aviarj'. 

 It is only with the greatest diffidence that we mention this fine bird in 

 Gur book at all. 



In the MS. Notes of birds sent to hira for preservation, Mr. Bolitho of 

 Plymouth records, under date May 10th, 1800, a " Great-eared Owl received 

 from Wm, Chichester, Esq., Grenofen, Tavistock, which weighed 4| lbs. 

 Extent of wing 5 ft. 11 inches." Mr. J. Gatcombe informed us that 

 this specimen was understood at the time to have died in captivity. It 

 was purchased at Bolitho's sale by the late Mr. Marsh-Dunn, and we saw 

 it in 1883 in his fine collection at Teignmouth. 



Eagle-Owls have attained to a great age in aviaries in this country ; 

 Lord Lilford possessed one which was considered to be at least seventy 

 years old. 



Why this fine Owl, the Buho grande of Spain, should have been so 

 grossly slandered b)^ Mr. T. Forster in his ' Synoptical Catalogue of British 

 Birds,' 1817, as to have " i/jnavas " bestowed upon it as its specific name, 

 we arc at a loss to imagine, and would prefer to see Baho raaxlmm adopted, 

 a name which was given to it by Eleniing in his 'British Animals,' 1828, 

 and has been used by most writers on British Ornithology. Lord Lilford, 

 who had many opportunities of observing it iu Spain, Corfu, etc., speaks 

 highly of it as a courageous and noble bird, and Mr. Dresser calls it " one 

 of the boldest of the European Inrds of jjrey," and adds, '* no game-bird, 

 not even the Capercaille, is too large for him. "J 



Little Owl. Athene noctua (Scopoli). 



vVn accidental visitor of very rare and somewhat doubtful occurrence iu 

 a really wild condition, l>eiiig often imported and kejjt iu ca|)tivity. 



A specimen is mentioned in the Sujjplemeut to Montagu's ' Ornitholo- 

 gical Dictionary,' on the authority of 31 r. Comyiis, as having been sun ((nd 



