Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 1 (1877).djvu/303

Rh whole cockles of considerable size, and numerous fragments of this and other mollusks. About this time a Red-breasted Merganser in immature plumage, was killed on the estuary of the Duddon, and brought to a local birdstuffer for preservation.

At the beginning of February, happening to be on Walney Island, I took the opportunity of calling upon the owner of a pair of Pallas's Sand Grouse, which were killed at the time of the notable irruption of this species in 1863. I was glad to find the specimens in good condition, though sadly spoiled in the stuffing. The history of their capture is interesting. The man who first saw them (the father of the present owner) came upon the flock of, I think, eight while out with his gun on the island, but had no ammunition with him beyond the two charges in his piece. He succeeded, however, in bringing down two, and at once ran home for more powder. On his return the rest of the birds were gone, and were not heard of again nearer than Lincolnshire, where some were killed on the following day.

The Walney farmers have been crying out this winter against the wholesale destruction of Short-eared Owls, which have visited the island in greater numbers than usual, and might be seen at any time of day hawking after the mice, which here abound, owing I presume to the absence of their natural enemies. The first flight appeared, with the Woodcocks, on October 28th, and throughout the following month numbers were killed almost daily. I doubt, in fact, whether one in a dozen lived to depart again in the spring. Long-eared Owls may also be seen every winter in Sowerby Wood, an extensive coppice to the north of Barrow-in-Furness. This wood is noted for its Woodcocks, and I may mention, as a fact which I have not hitherto seen noticed, except by a single writer in 'The Field,' that those which breed there annually depart with their young, about July; at least, I gather from those who are most likely to know that although old birds are tolerably plentiful, and young ones have been found in June, none are ever seen in August and September.

On the whole, what are known as rare birds have been extremely scarce during the past twelve months, the only one which has actually come under my observation being a specimen of Tengmalm's Owl, which was killed by a gamekeeper at Irton, in Cumberland, in October last.