THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



156 



expedition in the NewForestjIwasawokeone 

 night by a pain in my arm, and upon strik- 

 ing a light, I found an insect liad penetrated 

 half way into the flesh, which, in my en- 

 deavour to extract, I pulled in two. This, 

 however, was much larger than the harvest 

 bug, and I regret I did not preserve it or 

 note the species. 



Kemedies. — Ihe means used to get rid of 

 these pests are, rubbing the skin with sul- 

 phur ointment, benzine, oil of petroleum, or 

 phenio acid. 



(To be continued.) 



BRITISH BIRDS. THEIR 

 NESTS AND EGGS. 



By S. L. Mosley. 

 SHORT-EARED OWL. 

 Strix brachyotus, Forst. 

 Br ACHY OTUS— Br achy s (Gr.), short; Ottis 

 (Gr.), the ear. 



Size.— Male, length about ift. 2in. ; ex- 

 panse rather over 3ft. Female rather larger. 



Plumage. — The following descriptions 

 are taken from a pair in my own collection : 



Male.— Bill nearly black ; eyes reddish 

 yellow; the frill of feathers surrounding 

 the eyes are dark in the centre, shading off 

 to white at the outer extremes. The ears, 

 which are much shorter than in the last 

 species, are composed of a few feathers 

 which are blackish brown in the centre and 

 ochreous at the edges. The whole of the 

 upper parts are of the same colours, each 

 feather being pale ocherous, or whitish, and 

 having a dark centre. The primaries are 

 ochreous tinged with orange, and barred 

 with brown. Tail ochreous, with about 

 seven brown bars ; under parts lighter, in 

 some specimens nearly white, with longitu- 

 dinal brown stripes which are thickest 

 towards the throat 



The Female is darker in colour than the 

 male, the yellow being deeper and the dark 

 patches more pronounced. 



Immature birds are darker and browner 

 in colour, and the markings larger, and the 

 eyes lighter than in adult birds. 



The Young, according to Dresser, is 

 " covered with close, soft down ; upper parts 

 dull dark brown ; the down tipped with 

 warm ochreous; forehead and round the 

 eye deep brown ; under parts ochraceous '< 

 the throat and upper breast clouded with 

 sooty brown. 



Varieties sometimes occur very pale in 

 colour, the ochreous colour being entirely 

 absent, leaving the ground colour white ; 

 the dark markings rather paler, giving the 

 bird a very grey appearance. This variety 

 is not peculiar to either sex. 



Migration. — This is a migratory spe- 

 cies, arriving in this country about the first 

 week in October and departing in March, 

 though not unfrequently it remains to breed. 

 Coming, as it does, about the same time as 

 the Woodcock, it is known in some districts 

 as the Woodcock Owl. Upon its arrival it 

 is generally found in some abundance in all 

 the eastern counties. Its prey draws it into 

 the vicinity of corn and stubble fields, where 

 it is sometimes congregated in large num- 

 bers. At Flambro' Head some men begun 

 to cut a field of corn, and seeing an owl 

 they procured a gun and brought the ma- 

 rauder to the ground. As they proceeded 

 with their work, owl after owl sprung up ; 

 each in turn were brought down, until when 

 the field was done they had slain fourteen. 

 Of course, this is only farmer-like, and 

 quite compatitive with an Englishman's 

 stupidity : the owls being there for the very 

 awful crime of killing mice, they must be 

 brought to the (iron) bar of (in)justice. 



But man, proud man 1 

 Drest in a little brief authority; 

 Most ignorant of what he's most assured. 

 His glassy essence— like an angry ape, 

 Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven, 

 As make the angels weep." — Shakesperb, 



Note. — "The note of this species is said 

 to resemble the words " Kiow " or " Keaw." 



