Birds. 2427 



feathered race. We killed one, on the sea-shore near Brighton, in the 

 act of devouring a small crab, — showing a taste for crustaceous ani- 

 mals, with which till then we were unacquainted. 



Sparrow Hawk [Accipiter frlngillarius). This is the most com- 

 mon and the most untameable species of the whole family. In Febru- 

 ary, 1843, we killed a remarkably fine pair: when alive, these birds 

 had all the upper parts of their plumage of a beautiful slate colour, — 

 a little darker, perhaps, than that of the hen harrier, — but within two 

 hours after death it faded to the dusky brown usually seen. Is this 

 change of colour after death anywhere noticed ? We are inclined to 

 think it takes place in other species of this family. In young gyr 

 falcons, when alive, the slate-coloured tinge is very distinct, although 

 in preserved specimens of the same age we have never seen it. 



Barn Owl {Strix jlammea). Much has lately been written respect- 

 ing the hooting of the barn owl ; but as few persons can have enjoyed 

 better opportunities of observing their habits, we beg to offer the fol- 

 lowing remarks — the result of an unbiassed inquiry into the matter. 

 These birds not only rear their young, but constantly reside through- 

 out the year in the tower of Weston Church, which stands within a 

 hundred yards of the front of the parsonage-house. Scarcely a day 

 passes without our seeing or hearing them ; and often in the dead of 

 night, perched on the roof of the stable, they favour us with a serenade 

 of their mellifluous screech, but with no sound approaching to a hoot. 

 We cannot positively assert that this species never hoots ; but thus 

 far we can safely say, that, with every opportunity, we never heard it ; 

 and (we say it with all deference to those who have advanced a con- 

 trary opinion) we must conceive that its character of hooting has 

 originated in error. This may possibly be accounted for in this way : 

 the call-note of both the white and the tawny owl is very similar ; it 

 has much the sound of " tee-whit," the first syllable being prolonged, 

 and the last short and loud. This call is generally repeated by the 

 tawny owl as a prelude to hooting, and has thus, we think, confounded 

 the two species. A pair of these owls hatched and reared a single 

 young one of a second brood, in the latter part of the autumn of 1846 : 

 the last time we had the young bird in hand was at the end of No- 

 vember; he was then full-fledged, and could fly a little. 



Tawny Owl (Ulula stridula). Is very abundant here in the woods. 

 Our remarks on the supposed hooting of the barn owl are much 

 strengthened by an intimate acquaintance with a bird of this species, 

 which a few years since we reared from the nest. He was allowed 

 his full liberty from the first, and as he grew up acquired an extraor- 



