THE YO\]m NATURALIST. 



157 



Flight. — The flight of this owl seems 

 to be more diurnal than any other of the 

 British species, flying generally in a pretty 

 straight line by repeated and easy flaps of 

 the wings. 



Food. — Its food consists of rats, mice, 

 and large insects ; but when these are not 

 procurable it will attack small birds up to 

 the size of a plover. It will also eat reptiles. 



In confinement it may be treated to a 

 similar diet, with the addition of butcher's 

 meat. 



Habitat. — in this country the short- 

 eared owl seems most numerous along the 

 eastern counties of England. It is also 

 found in parts of Scotland and Ireland. It 

 seems more of a ground bird than the other 

 species of owls, very seldom alighting in 

 trees. 



Abroad it is found in most parts of 

 Europe, also in various parts of Asia ; in 

 America, from the arctic regions to far 

 south ; and in Africa and the Sandwich 

 Islands. 



Nest. — Little or no nest is made, a 

 hollow being simply scraped out on the 

 ground beneath the shelter of some over- 

 hanging tuft of heather or other vegetation. 

 The site chosen is generally upon a moor or 

 heath. When any material at all is used 

 it is generally some dry grass or something 

 of that sort. 



Eggs. — Four or five eggs are laid, but 

 sometimes the number reaches six or even 

 seven. They are white, and generally of a 

 very rounded form. This species seems to 

 breed rather later than the last. 



A DAY AT THE "GHOST 

 GROUND." 



By R. Christie, Glasgow. 

 What a charm there is in the very name 

 of Summer, and at the return of this lovely 

 season how the hearts of all are gladdened ! 



The scenes which nature at this period afford, 

 conspire to render it a season of pleasure 

 and delight, inspiring the whole creation with 

 joy. 'i he trees are then in their fullest dress 

 — a profusion of flowers and various plants 

 are everywhere scattered around — our hedges 

 display their verdant foliage— the warbling 

 of the feathered tribes have a peculiar sweet- 

 ness of melody — the insects, those gems of 

 nature, are particularly active and vigorous — 

 while the gaiety of all surrounding objects, 

 together with the genial warmth of the 

 weather, are such as to inspire all, whether 

 pleasure-seekers or students of nature, with 

 delight. The holiday is welcome for its very 

 sense of freedom — free to come or go where 

 we will at our leisure, unfettered, undisturbed. 

 The classical student forgets that either 

 Ovid or Virgil was ever in existence, and, 

 for the present, the cash-book and ledger 

 are things of the past to the man of 

 business. 



But now to come to my subject — *'A day at 

 the ' Ghost Ground.' " 



A bright, sunny, summer's day invites us 

 — that is, an esteemed friend, a member of 

 the " net brotherhood," an enthusiastic natu- 

 ralist, and myself— to exchange the dusty 

 streets of the town for the sylvan shade. Do 

 not, reader, imagine that the "Ghost Ground" 

 is the abode of some supernatural being ; 

 this rather uncommon name having been 

 given to a small field within a few miles of 

 Glasgow by some entomologists — and I think 

 that is the only name it is known by — in 

 consequence of the great numbers of the 

 Ghost Moth (H. huviuli) which were taken 

 here in the summer of 1880. This moth is a 

 ghost by name and reolly a ghost by nature : 

 for while they were plentiful for a few days, 

 all at once, as if by magic, they disappeared 

 and, I believe, have never been seen here 

 since. 



The first creature that attracts our atten- 

 tion is the larva of A caja, better known, 

 however, as the *' woolly bear," or as some 



