12 
on the borders of desolate moors, and the banks of fertile glens, 
where the bird is alike at home, trusting to the nearest clachan or 
homestead for a sufficient supply of its favourite prey. 
The Tawny Owl (Syrnium stridula). 
Frequently obtained. It seems to prefer woods where the trees 
are of some height, but its nest is seldom more than a few feet 
from the ground. It is merely a handful of withered leaves laid 
in a cavity where the larger branches diverge from the main 
trunk. The tawny owl is often procured by parties practising 
shooting at rooks. We have long noticed the partiality of this 
owl for rookeries. 
The Snowy Owl (Surnia nyctea), 
A splendid male bird of this species was shot near Kilmarnock 
in February, 1863, and exhibited by Dr Colquhoun at a meeting 
of the Natural History Society of Glasgow. It may not be out 
of place to state that two other examples of the snowy owl 
occurred in the Firth of Clyde about the same time. One of 
these, captured near Greenock, is now in the collection of Mr W. 
C. Angus, Aberdeen. 
Obs. —The Hawk Owl (Surnia funerea), having twice occurred 
near the Clyde estuary, is likely to be met with accidentally in 
our district. Examples of this bird, no doubt, find their way to 
the shores of Scotland by means of Clyde ships, on which they 
alight when at a considerable distance from land, and remain 
until nearing the coast. 
INSESSOBES. 
DENTIBOSTBES 
LANIADJE. 
Great Grey Shrike (Lanins excubitor). 
It is only of late years that the grey shrike has appeared in our 
district, or indeed in any part of the West of Scotland. Mr 
Oliver Eaton, bird preserver, Kilmarnock, has informed us that 
he preserved a specimen which was shot on the Kilkerran estate 
on 10th December, 1868, by George Blacklaw, gamekeeper there, 
and Mr Gray has examined two which were obtained near Kil- 
birnie in 1863. It has likewise been shot in Renfrewshire on one 
or two occasions. This species is now a regular winter visitant to 
the eastern counties of Scotland. 
