4i



This time further precautions were taken ; and nothing

happened to prevent the successful hatching of two young birds

on the 5th Jul)^, after an incubation period of 35 days, or the

same as that of our European Eagle Owl. The third egg was

addled ; and the second youngster lived only a few hours.


When first hatched the young were covered with light

greyish down, and were assiduously cared for by the parents,

who both became rather savage. The male did not actually

attack an intruder, though, after much snapping of the bill and

many feints, he would occasionally make for one’s face ; but, on

seeing an upraised arm, he would alter his course and settle

down again.


Not so however the female, who luckily could not fly, for,

like a flash of lightning, she would leave her young and attack

one's boots and feet, with much energy but little result. Later

on, finding that their attacks produced no result, they confined

their somewhat rough attentions to snapping the bill ; but on

the least sign of intrusion the female would at once return to

the nest if she were away, and, needless to say, vigorously

protest against any interference with her child.


My Owls are always fed 011 lean raw beef, augmented with

rabbit, rats, or birds, as opportunity offers, generally about once

a week, and with a fast on Sunday ; during the rearing of the

young no especial change was made, except that ' fur’ was given

if possible three times a week, and there was no period of fast.


A few weeks after the young were hatched the male,

suddenly and for no ostensible reason, died. I was never able to

satisfactorily establish the cause of death ; but, as all his organs

were very much choked up with fat, it is probable that he had

dined ‘ not wisely but too well ’ on the extra rations provided.


And now, as to the baby, who is the j'aisou d'etre of this

article. During the first few weeks of its life it grew apace,

and at three weeks old the wings were just beginning to grow,

although it was not till some time afterwards that the body

feathers came. The tufts of down, forerunners of the so-called

ears, were noticeable about the fourth week ; and the bird was

fully fledged at nine weeks old. Long before this period, how¬

ever, the young Owl was quite capable of living without

parental aid, provided food was brought to it; and probably in

a state of nature the young are dependent on their parents for a

much longer period, until they gradually become sufficiently

adept at catching enough food to render them independent.



