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A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 86. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Dendrocopui minor (Linn.). An uncommon resident, decidedly local in distribution, and one which also escapes notice from the elevation at which it passes much of its time. Commoner than the last, but I should certainly not call it, as Lord Lilford does about Lilford, the commonest Northamp- tonshire woodpecker. In the east of the county I should say that there are three pairs of the green woodpecker to one of this bird. Nests (often, but not always, at a great height) in holes in trees, and lays its eggs early in May. 87. Kingfisher. Alcedo iipida, Linn. Still manages, in spite of much undeserved persecution, to be a fairly common resident, though I ought to modify the last word by mentioning that in continued frost kingfishers leave the frozen inland waters for the sea shore. They nest as early as the middle of March, and as late as the end of July, but it is difficult to ascertain whether they are double- brooded, or only irregular. The eggs are laid in a hole in a bank, made usually by the birds themselves, but I have known them use an old sand-martin's hole. 88. Roller. Coraciai garrulus, Linn. Lord Lilford records that one was seen at Lilford in September, 1859 (^°'- '• 253). 89. Hoopoe. Upupa epopi, Linn. An irregular occasional visitor, generally in spring. Five times shot {Lilford, i. 248-52) in Northants. It visits England so frequently that, if not wantonly massacred (as it usually is), it might become a fairly common resident. 90. Cuckoo. Cucului canorus, Linn. A common summer visitor, reaching us about the middle of April, and letting every- body know it. It takes the duties of maternity lightly, and ' farms out ' its progeny to the care of pied wagtails, pipits, reed and sedge- warblers, hedge-sparrows, and other birds. (I once took an egg from a grasshopper- warbler's nest in Northants, which is very unusual, and no wonder, considering the art- fulness of that bird in hiding its nest.) The old cuckoos leave us in July, the young birds often a month later. 91. White or Barn Owl. Strix fiammea^hxnn. Usually called the ' screech ' or ' white ' owl. A not uncommon resident, still, unfortu- nately, persecuted by * gamekeepers and ignor- ant farmers ' (Saunders) whose best friend the poor bird is, as it does more efficient work gratis than any ratcatcher. It breeds in April or May in hollow trees, dovecotes (where it does no harm whatever) and holes in buildings or rocks, sometimes laying its eggs in three pairs and at intervals. 92. Long-eared Owl. Asia otus (Linn.). An uncommon resident, its numbers in the winter being reinforced by immigration. Breeds early in March and lays its eggs in an old squirrel's drey, or the disused nest of a magpie, carrion-crow, or wood-pigeon. Feeds on rats and mice, and small birds up to the size of a blackbird. 93. Short-eared Owl. Asia accipitrinus (Pallas). An uncommon winter visitor (though a few remain and breed in the fens) arriving about the full moon in October and frequenting open ground, not woods ; feeds on rats, mice, and small birds, fish, and occasionally insects. 94. Tawny Owl. Symium aluco (Linn.). A not uncommon resident, breeding in hollow or ivy-covered trees as a rule, laying its eggs as early as the middle of March or as late as July, though it is not known that it is double-brooded ; frequents woods, and feeds on rats, mice, moles, small birds and fish. 95. Little Owl. Athene noctua (Scopoli). A resident, originally imported and turned out by the late Lord Lilford on his estate, and now thoroughly established. It has been massacred as far from Lilford as Earl's Barton. A useful bird — as it lives largely on mice and rats, but also eats small birds and insects — yet many are murdered, on the senseless principle of killing any unfamiliar visitor. 96. Scops-Owl. Scops giu (Scopoli). A very rare visitor to Britain, of which a doubtful occurrence at Duddington is to be found in Lilford (i. 57). 97. Marsh-Harrier. Circus aruginosus (Linn). The bird seen by Lord Lilford near Aid- winkle {Lilford, i. 44) remains the only record for Northamptonshire. 98. Hen-Harrier. Circus cyaneus (Linn.). Of this there is only one occurrence on record, the one shot at Collyweston, September, 1890, but others have been seen at different times. 99. Montagu's Harrier. Circus cineraceus (Montagu). A summer visitor, of which also but one Northamptonshire specimen is on record, shot at Thorpe Waterville, August 31st, 1894. A few pairs still make heroic efforts to breed in a few of the eastern and southern counties, but without much success. 120