312 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



took it home and set it up." It was afterwards examined and 

 properly identified. Such occurrences are numerous in the 

 annals of entomology, and serve to maintain the justifiable 

 expectation of every field naturalist. 



We can only find room for one more extract from Mr. 

 Whitaker's reminiscential store, and it relates to our old friend 

 Strlx flammea : — " Many years ago we kept a lot of Pigeons, but 

 one spring could never raise a pie. On asking the keeper the 

 reason, he replied, ' It's all along of those old Owls ; they fetch 

 them every night.' I said, ' I don't believe it.' ' Well, sir, if 

 you will come at dusk, I will show you.' We placed ourselves, 

 and soon an Owl came and went into the dovecote. ' He's gone 

 for one,' said the keeper. In a few minutes out he came with 

 something in his claws, and was immediately shot. On picking 

 it up we found not a Pigeon but a big Eat." This narrative 

 deserves a place in the brief held for the Tawny Owl. 



Two hundred and fifty-nine species are enumerated, irre- 

 spective of a few others not sufficiently authenticated to add to 

 that total — an excellent avifauna for a somewhat small inland 

 county, and embracing some birds which would scarcely be 

 expected to be found in such an area. 



