A HISTORY OF LEICESTERSHIRE years ago near Lockington ; the man who stuffed it is alive, but getting old and infirm.' 89. Cuckoo. Cuculus canorus, Linn. A summer migrant, generally distributed and laying its eggs in other birds' nests so close to Leicester as at Aylestone and Knighton. On 6 Aug., 1886, I saw a young cuckoo which had been reared by pied wagtails (Af. lugubris), in the grounds of the Borough Asylum. A young one in a hedge-sparrow's nest, built in a privet-hedge in a garden off the Saffron Lane, was brought to me by C. Johnson on 24 June, 1889. It was savage at first, hissing and ruffling its feathers, and raising itself repeatedly with a swaying motion in the nest, with other threatening gestures. When hungry it made a note like that of the hedge-sparrow, and although at first it would not take food, it soon learned to eat slugs, which had to be forced down its throat. In about two days it became quite tame, and opened its mouth, uttering a little sibilant, pleasing note, and fluttering its wings to be fed. It died, however, in about ten days. On 25 June, 1889, another young one of a more hepatic cast of plumage, and with white frontal feathers, was sent to me by one Thomas Garrett, who found it in a wagtail's nest built in a wagon under a hovel at Knighton. This one was never tame, and was most spiteful, darting out its head like a snake, and pecking savagely at the hand. Some few slugs were forced down its throat, but it refused all, and gradually becoming tame through weakness, died on the fifth day. This bird was a male by dissection. Mr. G. Frisby says that he heard the cuckoo on 3 April, 1906. Mr. W. J. Horn, writing in 1907, states that in 1905 two young cuckoos spent about a month in the paddock adjoining his house, and it was not until 1 3 September that the last one departed. In the spring of 1906 a cuckoo roosted in a chestnut tree in Mr. Horn's garden, within a few yards of the house. 90. White or Barn-Owl. Strlx flammea, Linn. Locally, Screech-Owl. Resident and generally distributed. This bird has more than once visited the portico of the museum at night. In the spring of 1885 I found that it fre- quented Aylestone Church. Mr. W. J. Horn writes in 1907 : " It used to nest every year in Market Harborough in an old elm tree, but the lead which was put on to prevent decay also excluded the owls. In ten years I have seen two alive, one dead in a gamekeeper's museum and heard one screech." 91. Long-eared Owl. Aslo otus (Linn.). Locally, Horned Owl. Resident, but rarer than the short-eared owl. It was included by Mr. Babington amongst the birds of Charnwood Forest as 'not very common.' Harley noted that it occurred at Gopsall Woods, and that it affected well-wooded tracts, especially where coniferous trees and evergreens prevailed, but was not so frequently met with as the ' Brown ' or ' Ivy ' owl. He wrote : ' The long-eared owl is, of all our nocturnal birds of prey, the most solitary,' and remarked that it did not limit itself to small mammalia, but attacked the young pheasant, and made havoc of the partridge, as he had more than once witnessed. The late Dr. Macaulay reported one shot by the keeper on the Laughton Hills, 2 May, 1890. Mr. G. Frisby reports it as occurring in the vicinity of Quorn. 92. Short-eared Owl. Aslo accipttrinus (Pallas). Locally, Woodcock-Owl. A winter migrant, generally distributed, but not common, and remaining to breed. Mr. Babington (Potter, op. cit. App. p. 66) mentioned it as occur- ring ' in the wilder parts of the moors, and in turnip- fields.' This species, unlike any other owl, is frequently seen in the daytime, often falling to the gun of the sportsman in the autumn, and Harley justly remarked that its flight is ' performed in an awkward, vacillating manner, reeling, as it were, from side to side.' Mr. Ingram wrote : ' Occurs amongst gorse bushes and low shrubs, generally two or three together.' The late Mr. Widdowson, from whom I received several specimens, considered them fairly common near Melton. One procured at Leicester Abbey on 20 Sept., 1882, was given to the museum. Mr. Davenport shot one at Ashlands in September, 1882, and the late Dr. Macaulay reported one shot at Smeeton Hills, 15 Nov., 1882. Mr. G. Frisby, writing on 27 Nov., 1905, says: 'This bird was searching for food over the " allotments." I had a good view of it, and soon after it or another one was shot.' He saw one also at the same place 28 Nov. 1906. 93. Tawny Owl. Syrnlum aluco (Linn.). Locally, Brown Owl, Grey Owl, Ivy Owl, Wood Owl. Resident, but not very common. I received two nestlings (a male and a female by dissection) taken at Bradgate 15 May, 1885, and an adult pair procured at Newtown Linford on 19 Dec., 1885. The gizzard of the male contained the beak of a sparrow or green- finch, a few feathers and bones, and a quantity of fur of mice, including a lower jaw of the bank-vole. The gizzard of the female contained a little fur and some remains of the bank-vole, a quantity of feathers and two beaks of sparrows. The late Dr. Macaulay reported it as breeding at Kibworth. Mr. G. Frisby wrote on 17 July, 1905 : 'This night I spent round Swithland and Quorn Woods, and listened to the tawny or wood owl. Its notes are very loud and clear, resembling, hoo-hoo-hoo, o-o-o, and hi-hi-hi. The other note was much like that the huntsman gives out with his horn.' 94. Little Owl. Athene noctua (Scopoli). A new record for the county and noteworthy not only for its increasing commonness in Britain but for the fact that it has nested in the county. Mr. G. Gough established a new record for the county when he shot a little owl near Glooston Wood, on 12 Jan., 1900. Mr. W. J. Horn saw one in Market Harborough on 24 Sept., 1901, and another on I April, 1905, at Saddington Reservoir. He had also seen several others in the immediate neighbourhood. A female specimen (immature) was shot at Kibworth on 28 July, 1906, by Mr. C. D. Price, who presented it in the flesh to the museum. The Rev. Hugh Parry, writing on 7 Nov., 1 906, reports a nest of this owl in a pollard ash tree close to Tugby village, on 4 May, 1906, and on 1 8 May another nest at Loddington by Launde, with four eggs, which were hatched off. '34
