THE BARN OWL FAMILY 187 
alive. Wishing to have more of them in the 
Zoo, some one watched the nest of the tower 
bird. When her little family of seven was about 
ready to fly, he took them away, and gave them 
to their caged relative. She promptly adopted the 
whole party, and reared them with the greatest 
care. No doubt she was glad to have something 
to do. Life in a cage must be very tiresome for 
wild birds and beasts. 
Mr. Reed of Philadelphia has told us how a 
pet barn owl threw up the castings. These, you 
know, are the bones and skin of mice and other 
creatures which are thrown up awhile after eat- 
ing. He would bow his head and shake it very 
hard. Then raise it and jerk out the little ball. 
This bird was very tame. The place where 
he liked best to sit was on the arm or shoulder 
of his master. If the man wanted to do any- 
thing except play with him, he had to get a 
stuffed bird to amuse the living one. It was 
like a doll for a baby girl. When the owl was 
not perfectly comfortable, he kept up a constant 
ery, so his master had to keep him well enter- 
tained and fed. 
The note of the barn owl is a wild screech. 
One is sometimes heard making this sound, but 
he is never heard flying, for, ike other owls, he 
is dressed in soft feathers that make no rustle. 
