on the Birds of St. Croix. 65 



whole hand were introduced with the intention of taking it out 

 of the cage, it would generally fall over backwards, and clutch 

 violently at the intruder with its talons, grasping firmly, and 

 submitting to be thus lifted out. There were times, however, 

 when it evinced a more friendly disposition, and it would then 

 sit patiently on one's finger and endure to have its head stroked. 

 Finding, from trials often repeated, that it showed little taste 

 for birds or insects, I fed it almost entirely on small lizards 

 {Anolis, sp. ?). These it invariably swallowed whole, head fore- 

 most of course. On offering it a well-grown lizard, it would try 

 to seize it in its beak, as near the head as possible. If it suc- 

 ceeded in getting a good hold, it instantly grasped the body with 

 one foot, and, keeping the animal straight, soon disposed of it ; 

 but if, as often happened, it missed its first aim, the reptile 

 would generally attack the bird, seizing hold of it between the 

 gape and eye with its tiny mouth. A struggle would then take 

 place, the Owl going over on its back and endeavouring with one 

 or both feet to pull ofi" the lizard, the latter seldom giving way 

 except with a mouthful of the former^s facial bristles, which in 

 this species are very long even in the young bird. On these 

 occasions, as often as not, the reptile would have the best of the 

 battle, and make his escape. A few days after I received this 

 live bird, an adult, believed to be one of its parents, was shot 

 and sent to me from the same locality. The stomach of this 

 example contained insects only ; its sexual organs were much in- 

 jured by shot. At the time I believed it to be a male, but am now 

 inclined to change this opinion." — A. N. 



"A male of this species was brought to me from the Great 

 Fountain Estate on May 11th, 1858, the stomach of which con- 

 tained the remains of several beetles. On September 1st, I re- 

 ceived a young bird which had been knocked down by a stone 

 on the Estate Allendale ; it was full-grown and feathered, with 

 the exception of a small quantity of nestling-down on the back 

 of its head. I was unable to ascertain the sex. I was told that, 

 at the River and Great Fountain Estates, Owls were generally 

 heard ' bawling ' at sunrise ; but I have been to those places at 

 that hour, and listened for them to no purpose." — E. N. 



Though there does not seem to be much doubt of this being 



VOL. I. F 



