174 



BIRDS. 



thinking that the two species, this and the last-mentioned, have in 

 most cases been transposed, as I have known them to have been in 

 other places and under other circumstances. 



Booth's record, I think, therefore must stand alone, unless we 

 accept that alreadj^ given by Mr. Nelson (?). As for any identifica- 

 tion from eggs alone, I have never much believed in that, after some 

 very constant years of experience in the collecting field ; though I 

 know many people do believe in identifications so obtained. 



In Mr. Malloch's registers I find a good many entries, but there 

 is not one which could be put down to a summer specimen, unless 

 one which is dated 6th August 1894, and belongs to J. G. Millais, 

 may be so considered. The rest date between 2nd March and end 

 of September in diff'erent years, omitting such as can be truly given 

 as summer occurrences. 



The following notes from the late Rev. H. A. Macpherson's MS. 

 are of interest. Of an Owl of this species obtained in North Uist 

 he relates that he kept it in confinement, and sums up the quantities 

 of food it consumed thus : " This bird requires 5 mice per diem. 

 Ergo — a brood of 5 would consume some 175 weekly, or 1050 in 

 six weeks, apart from the food of the adults." Now we know 

 that as many as eight eggs have not uncommonly been found in the 

 nests of this species during the time of the great Yole-plague, and 

 we know also that during Lemming years in Norway, as many as 

 eight eggs are not uncommon in nests of the great Snow}^ Owl ; and 

 one recent account I have makes mention of no less than nine eggs 

 in one nest of the latter species. This was during the autumn or 

 late summer of 1903, which was a Lemming year in Norway. No 

 wonder the present species was so abundant in the Border counties 

 of Scotland during the time of the Vole-plague ! Yet how rapidly 

 they again almost disappeared when the Voles died ofl" ! The above 

 young bird was taken from the same nest whence I obtained two eggs 

 in that same year. 



I have the authority of the late Mr. Allan Briggs, of St. Andrews, 

 verified by his friend Mr. J. Honey, that they both remembered 

 this species of Owl nesting, "many years ago," in a young plantation 

 at Kinshaldy, Tents Muir. The note was in journals kept by Mr. 

 Briggs, the use of which, however, I am not in a position to benefit 

 by, though I was allowed to see them for a short time after his 

 death. Mr. Ber^vick is also aware of this fact, and adds that these 

 birds also used to nest at Priorsmuir. 



