10 BRITISH lilKDS. [vol. vi. 



quietly sitting on the top of the grandfather clock, the 

 highest perch in the room. During the day it is not 

 entirely confined to the cage, on the top of which as well 

 as on the clock it is especially fond of sitting, and thence 

 watches with half-closed lids the movements in the room. 

 Strangers do not cause it much annoyance, but no further 

 familiarity is allowed them than merely to scratch its 

 crown and facial disc. It tolerates also the partly instru- 

 mental cause of its captivity, the setter, but if a strange 

 dog enters the room it becomes terribly agitated, dashing 

 in terror about the cage. The return of Mr. Hall from 

 M'ork and the forthcoming meal are eagerly looked forward 

 to, and the Owl awakes from her daylight lethargy to 

 Avatch the door with anxious glances, and should he ever 

 omit to feed it at the accustomed time, if within the cage, 

 it comes close to the bars and emits a low mewing note, 

 resembling the indrawing of the breath between closed 

 lips, and not unlike the sound produced by the Little 

 Owl {Athene n. noctua). Besides this call it exceptionally 

 gives a low kind of whistle. 



On its capture its plumage was in excellent condition, 

 but during the latter half of March the moult took place, 

 after which the feathers of course were much brighter in 

 appearance. A few weeks after it was caught the wounded 

 wing had healed, although still stiff on account of the lack 

 of proper setting. 



This is the sixth specimen recorded for Northumberland, 

 and had probably been blown out of its natural course of 

 migration by the severe north \\ ind \\hich was experienced 

 the day previous to its capture. 



