Feeding and Protection of Young Birds. \2\ 



its offspring to tear pieces of prey for themselves — 

 at any rate, after a certain age — because I have 

 Avatched Eaglets sit up in their own comical way 

 and tear off pieces from ^lountain Hares — a form 

 of diet with which their tierce parents kept them 

 most liljerally supplied. 



Tawny ()wls appear to lay in a good stock of 

 food, from which their children may take a few 

 bites whenever they feel so disposed. I have found 

 the hind quarters of a half-grown rabl)it. part of a 

 mole, young Peewit, adult Barn Swallow, Ring 

 Ouzel, and Missel Thrush lying round the young of 

 this species on the loft of an old l»arn in Westmor- 

 land : bnt I do not think that the Screech or I'ain 

 ( )wl |>rovi(les such liberal fare for its olive branches, 

 althouiih it, too, is a verv hard-workin<^^ bird. 



Some peo])le think thai Owls only come forth 

 at night in search of prey. Nothing could be 

 furtlxn- from the fact, for Screech Owls may often 

 be seen at live or six o'clock on a dull sunnner's 

 evening diligently quartering hedge-sides in search 

 of mice wherewith to supply the Avants of a family 

 of four or ^\i^ hungry young ones. 



^lerlin Hawks breed upon the ground, as will be 

 seen from our illustration (p. 119) of a nest containing 

 three eggs and a newly-hatched chick. They feed 

 their offspring upon young (n'ouse. Snipe, and small 

 birds of different species, which they are very care- 

 ful not to pluck and prepare anywhere near their 

 homes, for fear the gamekeeper should see tell-tale 



