FIGHT WITH AN OWL IN HYDE PARK.
[TO THE EDITOR Or THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—The following on the visits of rare birds may interest your readers. Crossing Hyde Park about 5.30 the other day, I saw a fine large hawk suddenly swoop down to the grass, near the reservoir, behind a tree thirty yards from me ; he then flew off to the high trees on the south side of the Serpentine. One evening last October I saw a nut-hatch, when I was standing on the bridge watching the bats; he was with them, flying about between the arches, and I saw him several times. One of the chair-keepers, very early in last year, was dusting a chair on a cold, dark night, when he was attacked by a big owl, which flew at him and cut his ear • he, however, by defending himself with his cap, managed to knock it down, and kneeling on it tried to secure it with his cloth wrapped round his hand, but it bit through the duster and badly hurt his thumb; eventually, with the help of one of his comrades, they stunned it by striking it with their metal ticket-case, and then threw it over the paling bounding the Deputy-Ranger's place. A large barn-door owl has for some years frequented Kensington Gardens, and I saw him fly close over my head into the gardens ; he certainly was a very fine bird, and I should like to know if he has been recently seen. Last winter a night-keeper heard the peculiar call of the curlew as they passed over.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Previous page
