156 THE BIRDS OF ESSEX.
November 16th, 1876 (Chelmsford Chronicle, Nov. 23), and in 1880, English exhi-
bited one shot at Magdalen Laver (44. i. xi). According to Mr. Benton (35.294),
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 fly away,
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 letter."
Short-eared Owl: Asio brachyotus. Locally, "Horn Owl,"
"Woodcock Owl,'' "Turnip Owl," and "Cabbage Owl."
A winter visitant, common in some years, 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 1884 and
again in 1889. I believe that this
species has never before been re-
corded as breeding so far to the
southward in Britain. It is occa-
sionally met with in all parts of the
county, but most often near the
coast, and it frequently gathers
into small flocks.
Dale, who calls it the "Horn Owl,"
says (2. 396), " I have seen these
caught in this county toward the sea
some of which may not unlikely [have]
be[en taken] here [Harwich]. These are that sort of Owl which Childrey * * *
mentions." King says (20) it was " not uncommon " round Sudbury in 1838—
meaning, presumably, in the winter. Edward Doubleday met with it (15) in the
Epping district, and Mr. Buxton says it is an autumn and winter visitor (47. 83).
About 1832, Mr. Parsons wrote (11) " that it was not uncommon on the marshes
[of Rochford hundred] in the autumn, arriving in October, though by no means
a regular visitant, and in some seasons scarcely one seen." Mr. T. S. Tiller notes
that when shooting at Great Chesterford, on November 27th, 1879, he sprung
thirteen from some rough grass, eleven being on the wing at once (29. Dec, 13).