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within the limits of your aviary. The Toucans are not commonly imported,

and generally one has to take what one can get.


The Ariel Toucan is not uncommon, and is a nice bird. The Toco

Toucan is famous for its large bill. The Short-billed is a handsome bird

and occasionally comes over. There are a great number of Toucans, but only

a few come to England.


Maximilian’s Aracari (pronounced Arasaree, with the accent on the

final letter) conies over occasionally, and also the Lettered Aracari, and I

think the Banded Aracari.


All these are much smaller birds. Reginald Philripps.



NESTING OF BURROWING OWLS.


Sir, — When I bought my Burrowing Owls last June, they' had been

kept in a small cage for over eight months, so that when I let them out into

a good sized aviary’ their delight was very' great, and they’ at once began to

fly about, and make themselves quite at home.


I put in a large heap of sand, of which they took no notice ; then a

happy thought struck me. Knowing that in their own country they are

fond of perching on telegraph posts, I had two very large pine stumps put

into the aviary, one of which had a high flat top on which the Owls speedily

perched themselves. These stumps undoubtedly gave them the idea of

burrowing. Almost immediately they began to dig out the earth, with

vigorous kicks, between the two stumps, choosing a sheltered part with

branches overhanging. They dug for some hours every day’, the male bird

doing most of the w'ork. The soil here is very sandy and light, and this

made it easy for them.


On the 12th of June I saw one bird with a leaf in its mouth, so I at

once threw in a handful of leaves and grass—but they’ did not touch them.

Then I tried lumps of dried (harbour) seaweed; these the Owls seized upon

at once and carried down the burrow, in beak and claws. Next day' they’

made a second entrance under the stumps, and for a fortnight continued to

carry down the seaweed, often quite large pieces at once, looking so excited

and interested, and when below making queer suppressed noises which

sounded wierdly’ up above.


Now the nest was evidently finished, and I was wondering if the hen

had begun to lay, when unfortunately the weather turned very hot, and the

Owls took their food down into the burrows, which was trying, as I dared

not rake it out for fear of disturbing them ; and indeed at this period they

were so fierce, and so unlike their usual gentle tame disposition, that they

would not have allowed me to interfere. .So I was obliged to shut the Owls

up, and commence a raid upon the burrows.


We moved away the stumps, and my husband dug down from two to

three feet but could not find the nest, although he traced the burrows as-

far as he was able, until the sandy earth fell in and destroyed all clue as to

where the nest might be. When the Owls were put back again they looked

much distressed and disappointed, and next day began digging again under

the one and only stump we had left. We filled up the hole, but they’ tried

a second and a third time.



