Short Notes and Queries. 



153 



Todcl, photographer, in a small room built on purpose for them. During 

 the day they are generally asleep, but as night advances they become very 

 noisy. Their hooting at night may be heard at a considerable distance. 

 The barn and tawny owls of the neighbourhood come and perch on the 

 roof above the eagle owls, and answering them by their respective cries, 

 keep up a dismal concert all night through. This only ends with the 

 approach of morning, when the wild birds retire, and the prisoners fall 

 into a deep slumber. The food of the captive eagle owls consists of meat, 

 rats, and other vermin. They will consume in a week 14ibs of meat, 

 besides a dozen rats. This no doubt seems enormous, but I can per- 

 sonally vouch for the truth of it. I have seen them swallow pieces of 

 meat weighing two ounces. These fine birds are very cleanly in their 

 habits, washing themselves in clean water every morning ; and it is 

 singular that they will never wash twice in the same water. It is a shame 

 to see these noble birds in captivity, but were they set at liberty to- 

 morrow, dozens of men would be out with their guns, and never rest 

 till they had entirely driven them away, or laid them dead at their feet, 

 such being the unfortunate, not to say culpable, propensity for destruc- 

 tion which characterises the Englishman who sees a noble or rare bird 

 before him — a propensity the result of which is the gradual extermination 

 of all our rare birds. — Walter Raine, 5, Leeds Terrace, North-street, 

 Leeds, March 25th. 



Nest and Eggs of Moorhen. — During an excursion to Strensall 

 Common last spring, I came across a nest of the common Gallmulaf 

 containing 26 eggs — an enormous quantity, the usual number being eight 

 or nine. The eggs were in three distinct batches ; seven or eight were 

 very similar, being of a warm stone colour, marked with large, rich brown 

 spots. Another lot were considerably smaller, and were very slightly 

 freckled with rust colour ; while the third batch differed entirely from 

 either of the preceding. I think this is sufficient proof that three moor- 

 hens must have laid their eggs in one nest — an instance which I think 

 has never been known to occur before. The nest which contained them 

 was as large as and similar to that of the coot. It would be interesting to 

 know whether the three birds did their share during incubation, or the 

 I original owner of the nest was left in charge of the whole. — W. Raine, 

 Leeds, April 16th. 



Aulacom7iium turgidum. — Neither of the two notices of Aulacomnium 

 ' turgidum given in the last number of the Naturalist is quite accurate, and 

 I therefore trouble you with this short note. Specimens of the Whern- 

 side plant were submitted to Mr. Bos well in August last, and were at 

 first regarded by him as J., palustre var. imhricatum, Schpr., which is A. 

 turgidum of Funk, but not the true A. (Mnium) turgidum of Wahlenberg 

 and of recent authors. The first specimen from Whernside which I saw 

 was sent to me by Mr. Lees on the 23rd October last, and was marked 

 " A, paludre, var. turgidum.'' The next was sent by Mr. Wesley on the 



