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corner of the aviary, and from this lay a good sized drain pipe,

about three feet long. The whole should then be covered with a

large mound of sand, leaving only the end of the pipe visible.

The drain pipe should be of considerable size, say nine inches in

diameter, and should have about two inches of sand on the

bottom, or invert, so that the Owls will not have to walk on the

cold earthenware pipe itself. As to food, nothing conies amiss in

the way of dead creatures, providing that they are fresh ; birds,

mice, rats, or even butcher’s meat. Insects are also greedily

eaten, especially beetles of all kinds.


Mr. Meade-Waldo, who has bred this species several times

in his aviaries, tells me that the young ones burrow as soon as

they can run ; and, curiously enough the young of the kittle

Owl, Athenenoctua, does the same, but leaves off when grown up.

He has also pointed out another very interesting feature in which

the young of this species and those of A. noctua , are alike, namely

that they have a complete juvenile plumage, between the down

stage, and the adult plumage; whereas in the Scops family

the young moult direct from the down stage to the adult plumage

as do the Hawks.



A DEMOISELLE CRANE.


By Mrs. Gregory.


“ Kra-aak — kra-aak — kra-aak ” — that is the voice of

Cocpiette outside my window. Coquette is the name of my

hen Demoiselle Crane, and that thrice repeated gutteral cry

brings back to my memory another voice, more powerful, more

resonant, in its trumpet-like notes—the voice of my beloved

“ Carlos Mateo,” a bird of such wonderful fame—“ his like shall

ne’er be seen again ” ! He was a fine specimen of a Demoiselle

Crane was Carlos—upright, defiant, bold as a lion when he had

his mistress to defend; walking up with his stately measured

tread at the first advance of a stranger, his red eyes shining like

precious stones, and his whole bearing alert and watchful.

Bound me he would sidle keeping very close guard, and the

moment the intruder’s eye was off him, instantly he would fly

with outstretched wings, beating then; violently, and occasionally

giving a sharp peck with his beak if it were a gentleman ; with

ladies he did not behave quite so badly. If anyone touched

anything belonging to me he was up in arms in a moment, even

to the extent of standing before particular seats and nooks in



