SHORT-EARED OWL. 19 
SHORT-EARED OWL. 
Asio accrpitrinus, Pall. 
Pl. V., fig. 4. 
Geogr. distr—HKurope, Asia and America generally: from the 
Arctic regions to Africa and lower southern America; also the 
Hawaiian Islands, but not Australia; in Great Britain, though widely 
distributed, it breeds sparingly, more commonly in Scotland than in 
England, where it is chiefly confined to the northern counties. 
Food.—Mice, shrews, rats, moles, young rabbits, and young birds 
(but chiefly field mice and rats). 
Nest.—A mere depression in the ground, sometimes lined with a 
little loose dry grass. 
Position of nest.—Amongst grass, heather, or reeds, on open moors, 
in stubble, grass, or turnip fields. 
Number of eggs.—4-7. 
Time of nidificaton.—IV-VI; May. 
Though this bird is only known to breed upon the moors 
in the north of England it occurs in the southern counties 
later in the year, when it does good service in the destruc- 
tion of field mice ; at this time it is said that it is frequently 
seen by sportsmen when Partridge shooting, mounting high 
when disturbed, and apparently suffering no inconvenience 
from the daylight. 
Describing the discovery of the nest of this species in 
Hickling Marsh, Mr. Seebohm says, ‘‘ The eggs were 
extremely conspicuous from one side of the heap of rushes 
when the bird was off the nest; but so long as she sat close 
it might very easily be passed by without notice. Both 
birds were quite silent the whole time. ... There was 
not much attempt at a nest, not more than the Peewit 
makes. The ground seemed to be trodden into a hollow, 
which was lined with a few dry broken reeds and sedges. 
The reeds were lying in a heap on the ground; and in 
the place selected for the nest the thick cut ends slightly 
overhung the base of the heap, and formed some shelter 
over the nest on one side. We found a second nest on the 
following day containing six fresh eggs. It wasin a part of 
the marsh where there were very few reeds, the ground 
being covered with Carex and Juncus. This nest was very 
similar to the one we found on the previous day, and was 
lined with flat leaves of Carex, with a feather or two, and 
was surrounded with a few slender willow bushes.” (Hist. 
Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 171.) 
