THE FERN-OWL,
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."]
Sian—When I read Mr. Gordon's article I am sure that I enjoyed it as much as did any of your many readers, though I felt compelled to criticize several of the conclusions at which he arrived. Nor do I agree with Mr. Gordon's remark in his letter last week that in natural history it is difficult to lifry down a rule that shall be free from exception. The nests of birds, for instance, are built according to type, and one would as soon expect to find a goldcrest laying its eggs on the bare ground as a fern-owl making a pretence of nest-building. The authorities state clearly : " Nest, materials none; eggs laid on the bare ground." I have examined quite two hundred nests and have never found any sign of nest-building. Then, again, Mr. Gordon's theory of the use of the pectinated claw seems to be impossible to support. To say nothing of the danger involved, the short, weak legs and the position of the claw negative the possibility. On the other hand, the claw is well placed to allow the bird to rub the bristles on the side of the mouth through the comb. May I add that in these last two years I have noticed that in many places the numbers of the fern-owl have decreased very considerably? It is to be hoped that this interesting and useful bird is not going the way of the swallow. When are we to have the International Bird Protection Act? With apologies for taking up so much of your
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