248 THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
not, the Barn Owl has maintained its numbers. There is, more-
over, evidence that on estates where the Little Owl has been
reduced by the keepers, the Barn Owl has shown a tendency once
more to increase. In my district the Barn Owl has vanished
from many immemorial nesting trees which have been occupied
by Little Owls.
One evening two summers ago, I was standing against a tree
in my field. A Brown Owl flew across the field and alighted on a
branch about ten yards from me. Instantly a Little Owl
swooped out of the next tree, struck the astonished Tawny Owl
square in the back and knocked it off its perch, pursuing it some
distance in its retreat. If a Little Owl will thus boldy attack
the Brown Owl, how much more will it the inoffensive Barn
Owl? It is my firm belief that the competition of the Little Owl
for food and nesting sites is slowly but surely exterminating that
most beautiful and useful of all English birds, the Barn Owl.
This is a line of enquiry that should be followed up, though
conclusive evidence will be difficult to obtain.
ADDITIONAL RECORDS OF ESSEX PLANTS.
By GEO. C BROWN.
(Continued from p. 193.)
Cichorium Endivia Linn. Grays, Dagenham, Melville and
Smith.
Crepis setosa Hall. Fil. Finchingfield, Canon Vaughan.
Little Dunmow, Felsted N.H.S.
Tragopogon porrifolius Linn. Grays, Rev. P. C. Cooke.
CAMPANULACEAE.
Campanula Rapunculoides Linn. Castle Hedingham, Canon
Vaughan.
Felstead, Felsted N.H.S.
C. Rapunculus Linn. Kelvedon, E. E. Turner.
PRIMULACEAE.
Lysimachia punctata Linn. River Roding near Rainham, Rev.
P. C. Cooke.