BIRDS 92. Cuckoo. Cucttlus canorui, Linn. Locally, Gowk. A summer migrant, arriving in April and leaving in August. I have frequently seen the young cuckoo in the middle of September. In the Woolhope Transactions for 1896 Dr. Williams mentions an in- stance that came under his notice of a cuckoo hunt- ing for a nest in which to deposit her eggs before she was ready to lay. 93. Barn Owl. Strlx flammea, Linn. Locally, White Owl, Yellow Owl, Screech Owl, Gilly Howlet, Howlet, Madge Howlet, Church Owl, Hissing Owl. A common resident in the county, but hardly so common as formerly. Regarding the nesting of this bird in the county Dr. Williams remarks that in 1893 he found a stockdove had taken possession of, and laid one egg in a hole of a tree which had frequently been used as a nesting-place by a barn owl. About a week later a barn owl flew out of the hole, and ten days later the owl was found sitting on four of her own e^gs and that of the stockdove, having driven the latter away. I fear they are not very plentiful in that part of the county near Hay, as some years ago nine were brought in one year to a local bird-stuffer for preservation. In the Woolhope Transactions ior 188411 is remarked that the brown and barn owl are nearly as numerous as formerly, the latter perhaps rather less so, owing to the mistaken zeal of some farmers. 94. Long-eared Owl. j4sio otus (Linn.). Resident, and occurs occasionally in different parts of the county. Its numbers are increased in autumn by migrants from the continent. One was killed at Widemarsh, in 1878, and another at Lyde in 1 88 1. The specimen in the Hereford Museum was killed at Wilton, near Ross. It has nested at Shobdon and Croft, and hasalso been seen at Berring- ton. A fiilly adult pair were brought to Ashdown by Mr. Seal of Upper Dinmore, killed there on November, 1892. This species is less plentiful than the barn owl. 95. Short-eared Owl. Asia accipitrinus (Pallas). Locally, Woodcock Owl, Short-horned Owlet, Mouse Hawk, Hawk Owl. A rare winter visitor to the county, where also very few have been observed. Large numbers arrive from the continent in the autumn. The following have been shot in the county : one at Kington, one at Mordiford, one at Marden, one at Ross and in 1890 one near Ross, now in the possession of Mr. T. Hutchinson ; another is in the Hereford Museum, and Mr. Garstone shot one at Belmont in 1890. In November, 1893, Ashdown purchased a fine female specimen at Hereford. Mr. Saunders says the young are tawny on the under parts, and I have killed a bird late in the year with its breast a rich yellow colour instead of the usual light shade. 96. Tawny Owl. Symium aluco (Linn.). Locally, Brown Owl, Wood Owl, Hoot Owl, Ivy Owl, Jenny Howlet. A resident and one of the commonest of all the owls. This is also a most useful bird for the farmer, although not perhaps quite so useful as a killer of rats I I and mice as the barn owl. It may not be generally known that there is a grey variety of this bird, which, although occurring on the continent, is not common with us. Mr. Blake has a stuffed specimen of this variety shot on the Ross Estate thirty years ago. [Tengmalm's Owl. Nyctala tengmalmi (J. F. Gmelin). The only record for the county is a specimen in the Hereford Museum which has no history, but as one of this species was captured near Kidderminster on 17 November, 1902, it is not improbable that it has also occurred in Herefordshire.] 97. Little Owl. Athene noctua (Scopoli). Locally, Little Night Owl, Sparrow Owl. A rare visitor. The Rev. F. O. Morris, in his book on British Birds, reports one specimen from Herefordshire in 1838. One was taken at Bredwar- dine and another seen at Gayton Hall, Ross (Blake). It may be confidently expected that others will be observed, as the late Lord Lilford turned out a great many at Oundle, and it is probable that in the course of time they will spread all over the country. It has also been turned out at intervals by other ornitholo- gists, a pair being liberated at Fawley by Mr. J. Skyrme, so that in certain localities it has almost become acclimatized. [Marsh Harrier. Circus aeruginosus (Linn.), There is a very good example of this bird in the Hereford Museum, but I have not been able to find out where it was obtained. It is quite possible, how- ever, that it was captured in the county.] 98. Hen Harrier. Circus cyaneus (Linn.). Resident, but becoming very rare, for which the gamekeepers are to be blamed. It formerly frequented the neighbourhoods of Ross, Breinton, Monnington, and Bredwardine. One was shot at Wen End, Ross, in 1873, by Mr. Phelps (Blake). Mr. Home records one killed at Whitney in 1878, one at Bedstone, one seen at Moccas Court, and another at Llanwarne in 1854. One was shot at Lewson, near Whitchurch, in 1880. In 1884 Mr. Southall, in a paper read to the Woolhope Club, remarked that in the neighbour- hood of Ross two had been killed within the last twenty years (probably one is mentioned above, and possibly others not recorded), but it was probably never plentiful in Herefordshire. A specimen was killed at Flaxley Abbey, near Micheldean, on the borders of the county (Blake). 99. Common Buzzard. Buteo vulgaris. Leach. Locally, Puttock. Now no longer common, although still fairly plen- tiful in the adjoining county of Brecon. It bred at Bishopswood in 1 88 1, occurred at Goodrich Castle in 1886, and at the Dowards, Penyard Wood, Ross, and Peterchurch. In 1883 a fine specimen was trapped on the Leys Estate, and its partner was seen in the neighbourhood. In September, 1890, several buz- zards passed over Graftonbury, and a fortnight later Mr. Andrews of Much Birch sent Ashdown a good female for preservation. A little later in the year Ashdown received a very interesting immature bird (probably bred in the county). Mr. Southall re- marked some years since that the gamekeepers had destroyed nearly all the large birds of prey in the 37 18
