A Study of the Little Owl, Athene noctua, in New Zealand. By B. J. Marples. Department of Zoology, University of Otago. [Read before the Otago Branch on July 14, 1942, received by the Editor, July 20, 1942; issued separately, December, 1942.] Introduction. The Little Owl, Athene noctua, or, as it is often called in this country, the German Owl, was introduced by the Otago Acclimatisation Society some 36 years ago, in an endeavour to control the numbers of the small introduced birds. According to Thompson, 28 owls were imported from Germany in 1906. Further liberations followed—39 in 1907, 80 in 1908 and 72 in 1910. Owls are also reported to have been liberated in North Canterbury, and in 1911, 66 were obtained by the Waimate County Council, at a cost of £50. A pair was also liberated in the North Island at Rotorua, about the same time, but does not appear to have become established. The bird soon began to increase and spread in the South Island, and before long was accused of being a serious menace to the native birds. At the present time, these accusations are widespread, and rewards are offered for the destruction of the owls. This history is closely parallel to that in England. The owl, though widespread in the Palearctic region, had only been recorded as a rare straggler in the British Isles. It was introduced into England towards the end of last century, and is at present widespread in England and Wales, except in the north. It is now, if not actually decreasing, probably increasing much less rapidly than formerly. Soon after its introduction, it was accused of killing song-birds and the chicks of game and poultry. It was consequently selected by the British Trust for Ornithology for special study, and a long and detailed report on the investigation by Miss Hibbert Ware appeared in 1938. The result of this investigation was to show that only negligible destruction of game, poultry and wild birds took place, and that the owl fed almost wholly on such insects, other invertebrates and small mammals as can readily be picked up on the ground. The sweeping accusations were shown to be without foundation, though it is pointed out that the feeding habits may have been somewhat different when the numbers were increasing rapidly than at the time of the investigation, when the rate of increase was less. However, a previous investigation of the food, carried out by Collinge in 1918, gave the same results. The bird is regarded as beneficial on the continent of Europe, and is protected in some countries. When the owl was brought to New Zealand, it was placed in a different environment, and changes, especially in its feeding habits,