OF NEW ENGLAND. 337 



" In a short time it would take food from me without fear ; 

 I never saw it drink, although water was kept constantl}' near 

 it. Its food consisted of mice, birds, and butchers' meat, on 

 which it fed readily. I kept tlie bird c;iged for about two 

 weeks, during which time it became quite tame, but would not 

 tolerate handling, always threatening me with its beak when 

 my hands approached it. As the wires of its cage broke its 

 feathers when moving about, and as it hardly seemed resigned 

 to confinement, I opened its cage and gave it the freedom of 

 the room, leaving the windows open night and dny. About 

 this time I gave it the name of ' Scops,' to which in a little 

 while it would answer, when called, with a low rattle, which 



sounded like the distant note of the kingfisher. 



* * , * * * * * 



"When a bird is given it for food, it takes it in its claws, 

 and with its beak invariably pulls out the wing and tail feath- 

 ers first, then eats the head, then devours the intestines ; then, 

 if not satisfied, it eats the remainder of the bird, feathers and 

 all. 



" That this owl sees tolerably well in the daytime I have proved 

 to my satisfaction. I caugiit a mouse and put it alive into an 

 open box about two feet square. This I placed upon a bench 

 near Scops, wdio was attentively watching my movements ; the 

 moment it saw the mouse, the owl opened its eyes wide, bent 

 forward, moved its head from side to side, then came down 

 with an unerring aim, burying its talons deep in the head and 

 back of the mouse. Looking up into m^^ face, and uttering its 

 rattling note, as if inquiring, 'Isn't that well done?' it flew 

 up to its perch with its struggling prey grasped firmly in its 

 talons, where it killed the mouse by biting it in the head and 

 back. During the whole act it displayed considerable energy 

 and excitement. 



******* 



"Scops will, in taking birds from my hand, almost alwa^'s 



look up in my face and utter its subdued rattle. In sleeping, 



it usually stands on one foot, both e3'es shut, but sometimes 



etretchcs out at full length, resting on its breast. When sound 



23 



