. The birds of Essex: a contribution to the natural history of the country. Birds. 156 THE BIRDS OF ESSEX. November l6th, 1876 [Chelmsford Chronicle, Nov. 23), and in 1880, English exhi- bited one shot at Magdalen Laver (44. i. xi). According to Mr. Benton (), the screams of one of these birds caused the country people to regard as haunted a certain wood at Hockley. In Epping Forest it " has been obtained several times, and it would multiply rapidly if it were not so frequently destroyed by gamekeepers " (Buxton—47. 83), while both English (43. i. 24) and E. Doubleday (15) incl
. The birds of Essex: a contribution to the natural history of the country. Birds. 156 THE BIRDS OF ESSEX. November l6th, 1876 [Chelmsford Chronicle, Nov. 23), and in 1880, English exhi- bited one shot at Magdalen Laver (44. i. xi). According to Mr. Benton (), the screams of one of these birds caused the country people to regard as haunted a certain wood at Hockley. In Epping Forest it " has been obtained several times, and it would multiply rapidly if it were not so frequently destroyed by gamekeepers " (Buxton—47. 83), while both English (43. i. 24) and E. Doubleday (15) include it in their list of Epping Birds. It is common, and breeds round Harwich (Kerry). In the woods round Danbury, it is not rare (Smoothy). Mr. Fitch has one shot in the Maldon district. Dr. Bree writing on the " packing" of the Short-eared Owl (29. Jan. 10, 1880), says :— " Col. Hawkins informs me that at Alresford there are about fifteen of them, which take refuge in a fir tree, from which, when tapped, they noiselessly flyaway, but return again when all is quiet. Fancy a covey of Owls ! I have seen several similar instances recorded in the journals, especially the account given by Mr. Gurney, jun., who flushed a covey of, I think, thirty of these pretty birds ! " Later Dr. Bree again writes (29. Jan. 24, 1880) : " Col. Hawkins has kindly sent me one out of the covey of Owls at Alresford. It is the Long-eared Owl, and not the Short-eared Owl, as stated in my former ; Short-eared Owl: Asio brachyotiis. Locally, " Horn Owl," " Woodcock Owl,"' " Turnip Owl," and " Cabbage ; A winter visitant, common in .some yeans, but rare in others. I have one conclusive record of its having bred in the county, and it probably once did so abundantly. There are good reasons for be- lieving that it also bred on the Walton Marshes in 1S84 and again in 1889. I believe that this species has never before been re- co
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1890
