THE BROWN OR TAWNY OWL. 201 



settled down again to its maternal duties with perfect 

 equanimity. With regard to the plumage of this owl, little 

 need be said here ; its two descriptive titles, " brown " and 

 "tawny," convey a good idea of its general colouring. 



It is interesting to note, however, that there appear to be 

 two phases of this species, a red and a grey, sometimes 

 one shade predominating and sometimes the other. The 

 plumage is very soft and downy, the wing feathers being 

 covered with a delicate plush, whilst the free border of the 

 outer primary is distinctly ciliated. 



These provisions of nature enable the owl to fly, or rather 

 float, through the air without making any flapping noise 

 with its wings — a proceeding which would soon warn its 

 sharp-eared quarry of the approach of an enemy. What 

 creatures constitute the food of the tawny owl ? This gives 

 rise to the vexed question as to whether this bird is 

 destructive to game or not. 



One writer says: " The tawny owl does not prey exclu- 

 sively on mice and small birds, but makes great havoc 

 amongst game." Whereas other competent observers have 

 declared that it is quite innocent of the charges brought 

 against it in this respect. The latter statement is based on 

 a very remarkable feature of the owl's economy. 



Unlike most birds of prey, owls do not waste time in 

 picking the flesh off the bones of their victims ; but they 

 are either swallowed whole immediately on being captured, 

 or if too large they are just torn Into two or three pieces. 

 Hence, bones, hair, and feathers are swallowed as well as 

 flesh and blood. 



These indigestible parts are then separated from the 

 remainder by the process of digestion, and are thrown up in 

 the form of " pellets." 



An examination of these pellets, therefore, clearly proves 



