152 TAWNY OWL. 
night, which, as with our antipodes, is its day. In the winter, 
when the trees ordinarily no longer afford it a covert, it: 
secretes itself in old buildings, or the hollows of trees, or in 
evergreens, such as firs and holly, and in ivy. 
If disturbed during the day-time, and frightened from its 
retreat, it flies about in a bewildered manner, the light doubtless 
being unnatural and uncongenial to it. It may easily, in this 
state, be overtaken and knocked down with sticks and stones. 
The twilight of morning and evening is the time to see it 
enjoying its fitful flight. 
The following anecdote of a bird of this species is related 
by Mr. Couch, in his ‘Illustrations of Instinct.’ ‘A Brown 
Owl had lone been in the occupation of a convenient hole 
in a_ hollow “tree; and in it for several years had rejoiced 
over its progeny, with hope of the pleasure to be enjoyed 
in excursions of hunting in their company; but through the 
persecutions of some persons on the farm, who had watched 
the bird’s proceedings, this hope had been repeatedly disappointed 
by the plunder of the nest, at the time when the young oncs 
were ready for flight. On the last occasion, an individual was 
ascending their retreat, to repeat the robbery, when the parent 
bird, aware of the danger, grasped her only young one in her 
claws, and bore it away, and never more was the nest placed 
in the same situation.’ These birds are easily tamed, and 
become quite domestic. ‘They are at first,’ says Montagu, 
‘very shy, but soon become tame if fed by hand. If put out 
of doors within hearing of the parent birds, they retain their 
native shyness, as the old ones visit them at night, and supply 
them with ample provision.’ Even if taken in the mature 
state they may be tamed without difficulty. They have never 
been known to drink. 
The flight of the Brown Owl is rather heavy and rie 
particularly at its first entering on the wing. 
The food of this species consists of leverets, young rabbits, 
moles, rats, mice, and other small quadrupeds; birds of 
various kinds; frogs, beetles, and other insects, worms, and 
even fish. 
The note resembles the syllables ‘hoo-hoo-hoo,’ and it also 
occasionally utters a harsh scream. I may here observe, in 
reference to the generic name prefixed to this species, that 
the name of the Owl is probably a corruption of the word 
‘howl.’ Meyer describes the note as resembling a satirical 
laugh. 
