A HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE 94. Cuckoo. Cuculus canorus, Linn. A common summer migrant. The male cuckoo arrives first about the second week in April, and the mature birds leave in July or early August, whilst the young of the year remain later, even into October. I kept a young cuckoo alive through two winters, but it never obtained its full plumage, neither was its note heard. Incubation lasts 12 days 2 hours, as I proved by placing an egg in the incubator. 95. White or Barn-Owl. Strlx flammed, Linn. Locally, Screech Owl. This harmless and useful bird is still com- mon, though it is decreasing in numbers; even where they are strictly protected they do not seem to multiply. More than twenty years ago we placed three young birds in an old dovecot at Park Place and confined them for three weeks, during which time they were fed on mice. On being liberated one left or was driven away, but the others or their de- scendants have bred annually (with the excep- tion of one year). If we take the average number of young reared at the low estimate of four the large total of at least eighty is reached, yet I have never known more than two nests on the property in one year. Mr. Aplin states (Birds of Oxfordshire, p. 36) : 4 Two and sometimes three broods in the season.' My own experience here is different. I have never known more than one brood, though young of different sizes may be seen, as the eggs are laid at intervals of some days. Mr. Wallis informs me at least two broods were reared in his barn near Bucklebury in 1901. 96. Long-eared Owl. Asia otus (Linn.). Locally, Horned-Owl. Resident, but not common. I have never known it breed in the parish of Wargrave or Remenham, though it certainly does so near Henley, on the Oxfordshire side. I have met with it at Rose Hill; and nests have been found in Windsor Forest near Wantage, and in other localities. It is not recorded in the report from Radley College, but is met with further south. 97. Short-eared Owl. Asia acdpitrinus (Pallas). Locally, Woodcock-Owl. A winter migrant in some numbers. Usually seen about the end of October. I once saw a flock of nearly a dozen together, probably just arrived. Mr. Newton says (in lit.) they are usually common about Wallingford in October, and I have notes on their occur- rence from many parts of the county, especially the low-lying districts. 98. Tawny Owl. Syrnium aluco (Linn.). Locally, Wood-Owl. By far the commonest of our resident owls; found wherever timber is plentiful. It is a very early breeder, as I have discovered young in March. ' How can owls hurt young pheas- ants when they only hunt at night? ' is a ques- tion often asked; the answer being that owls fly over the coops in search of mice which are attracted by the food put down for the young birds, the hen is alarmed, the little chicks run from the shelter and then are often picked up by the owls. Perhaps this is done at first in mistake for rats or mice, but the result is the same, and individual birds acquire detri- mental habits. If discretion is used and the harmful individual destroyed, there is no need to make war on the whole race. 99. Tengmalm's Owl. Nyctala tengmalmi (Gmelin). Two were seen, and one of them, a female, was killed in Windsor Forest about i864(J3/n/r of Berks and Bucks, p. 167). It was preserved by Mr. Hasell, taxidermist, of Windsor, and Clark Kennedy adds : ' Mr. Hasell is well acquainted with this species and the above statement may be depended on.' [Eagle-Owl. Bubo ignavus, T. Forster. In the autumn of 1843 the R CV - A. Matthews states that he had a good view of an eagle-owl on the railway embankment near Goring, which is little over half a mile from our boundary (Zool. 1849, p. 2596). He adds : ' The bird at that time was not more than 50 yards distant, so that even if I had not previously noticed its colour, short- ness of tail and general appearance whilst on the wing, I could hardly have been mistaken as to its identity.' One was killed near Oxford in 1833, and Messrs. A. and H. Matthews saw it in the flesh (Zool. 1849, P- 100. Marsh-Harrier. Circus teruginosus (Linn.). Dr. Lamb ('Ornith. Bercheria') says that in 1814 this bird was common in the marshes near Newbury, and even as late as 1868 Clark Kennedy says : ' Resident throughout the year, but nowhere numerous.' At the present time it can only be considered a rare wanderer. A fine specimen is recorded from Newbury, shot on January 13, 1875 (Zool. 1875, p. 4381), which from the description was probably a female. One was shot at Culham Court (C. E. Stubbs, MS.) Mr. Bradshaw very kindly sends me information 152
