BARRED OWLS IX CAPTIVITY. 127 



occasion do I remember a hawk's taking any no- 

 tice of Puffy, although in many instances he has 

 betrayed their presence by his change of shape 

 and expression. Once while walking with him 

 along the shore of Chocorua Lake he changed 

 his whole appearance in the twinkling of an 

 eye, and as I turned to follow his gaze I saw 

 an eagle strike the water near by, dashing the 

 foam high into the air. 



About sunset on August 12, 1889, I heard a 

 barred owl hooting near a small lake close to 

 the foot of Chocorua. Two of us set out at 

 once with guns and reached the crest of a kame 

 near the lake just as the moon rose. After wait- 

 ing quietly until weary, I began hooting, and to 

 my surprise and delight an owl responded from 

 a tree close by. I hooted again ; it came nearer. 

 Then I " squeaked," and the next second I has- 

 tened to hide my head in the bushes, for the 

 wings of an owl had brushed my face in the 

 darkness, making cold shivers run down my 

 back. We fired three times at this owl and 

 another which joined him, but failed to kill 

 either. After amusing myself and others sev- 

 eral evenings by calling the owls in this way, I 

 took Puffy with me and placed him on a swing- 

 ing bough where he was plainly visible to cre- 

 puscular eyesight. Several Swainson's thrushes 

 found him out before twilight faded, and com- 



