THE SPOTTED OWLET 257 



is very bold, habitually venturing forth in daylight. 

 Thus the other birds grow accustomed to it, and do not 

 so often molest it. 



During the day the spotted owlet is, of course, civil 

 enough to the other birds of its acquaintance. At 

 night, however, its manner changes. No sooner has the 

 sun sunk below the horizon than it assumes a cock-of- 

 the-walk air, and then makes no bones about punching 

 the head of a king-crow, or any other bird which ought 

 to be abed. 



The spotted owl is a ludicrous little creature. One 

 cannot look at it without laughing. The moment the 

 bird notices that you are watching it, it crouches in the 

 most ridiculous manner, glares at you, and then treats 

 you to abuse of which the quality is such that it would 

 do credit to any coster. When you begin to laugh, the 

 bird flies away in a huff. 



Athene brama lives chiefly on insects, but it will 

 attack shrews, mice, lizards, and small birds. Some- 

 times an unusually bold owlet ventures inside the bun- 

 galow in order to hawk the moths attracted by the 

 light. 



The bird breeds in February or March, and lays its 

 eggs in the hole of a tree or building. The eggs are 

 white, as are those of almost every bird which nests in 

 a dark place. Birds cannot count above two, so that if 

 eggs which are laid in semi-darkness were not white, 

 some of them might become separated from the main 

 body without being noticed by the bird, and so fail to 

 be hatched. 



In India, as in England, owls are accounted birds of 

 s 



