Dr. John Kerr Butter.



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must keep quiet. When the male gives a loud clear hoot by day in

early spring whilst the female is sitting she will reply if in hearing, by

this cry almost in the tone of a nestling. The hoot of the Tawny Owls

gathers volume with distance ; when uttered close it often does not

sound at all loud.


The same applies to the soft deep “ Boo ” of the male Eagle Owl.

In mountains and forests it can be heard for a long distance, but in

one’s aviary it seems quite insignificant. Both sexes of the Eagle

Owls (Bubo) hoot, that of the male differing from the female in much

the same manner as that of the Wood Owls ; also both sexes utter an

adult development of the nestling call for food.


All the Barn Owls —Tyto = Strix (auctorum ), a genus spread over

the whole world—have more or less the same voice, a whistling screech.

This is uttered in many tones, and conveys many meanings : fear,

anger, caution, etc. It is the development of the nestling cry, as can

easily be proved by any one who has a brood of Barn Owls in their

surroundings. No Barn Owl develops any form of hoot, but the males

introduce a somewhat musical rattle into their screech when playing

on the wing, in early summer. However numerous Barn Owls may be,

they hunt alone and in silence. This last winter they have hunted

by daylight nearly every day, and it has been quite usual to see six

or seven in a short walk. They occasionally, but very rarely, catch a

mouse, which seems at present to be a very rare animal.


The Little Owls ( Athene ) and Scops Owls (Scops) have many cries,

and both have a musical hoot difficult to describe. The old specific

name Gin was evidently meant to represent the monotonous cry of the

Scops ; this cry is the breeding call.


Should not the portrait of the “Farmer’s Friend ” have been repre¬

sented by our Barn Owl—not an exotic Bubo ?



DR. JOHN KERR BUTTER


Dr. John Kerr Butter died at Cannock on April 29, 1920, after

a short illness of ten days. He will be missed by thousands of that

mining community, be regretted by the whole tribe of those who live

in tents, be mourned by those who enjoyed a personal friendship with



