434 BUBO MAXIMUS. 



In perching it steadied itself with its wings, which it often, 

 even when undisturbed, extended and flapped for a minute or 

 more. On being roused from sleep it sometimes yawned, 

 stretched out and flapped its wings, and extended its legs in 

 succession. It trimmed its feathers with its bill, but never 

 applied to the uropygial gland, and in scratching its head and 

 cheeks, invariably used the inner dilated edge of the middle 

 toe. When it observed an object which it thought it might 

 capture, it stood erect on its toes, drew its feathers close, 

 stretched out its neck, raised its tufts, and fixed its eyes so 

 steadfastly on it, that its attention could not be diverted even 

 by pushing it with a stick. 



One kept by Sir William Jardine, he describes as being ex- 

 tremely active at night, when he " sometimes keeps up an 

 incessant bark, so similar to that of a cur or terrier, as to an- 

 noy a large Labrador house-dog," who, in replying, nightly 

 disturbed his neighbours. 



Young. — The young, which at first are covered, according 

 to Linnaeus, with soft whitish down, are when fledged similar 

 to their parents, but with the lighter tints more tinged with 

 red. 



