34 On the Onntholooy of Wilts [Strigkhe']. 



wishing to see its metliod of seizing a live bird, I one evening 

 turned two spaiTows into its apartment; of these it took no notice 

 whatever, which apparent apathy on the part of my pet, I attri- 

 buted to the brightness of the evening, but great was my astonish- 

 ment on the following morning to find one sparrow roosting quietly 

 in a corner, and the other, bold as he was and resolved to the letter 

 to take the bull by the horns, snugly domiciled on the top of the 

 owl's head, actually nestling in the soft long feathers there, while 

 the owl, good easy bird, sat on its perch quite unconcerned, though 

 fasting for thirty-six hours. Macgillivray affirms that it is only 

 to be seen in the enclosed and wooded parts of the country, but I 

 can speak from experience that it frequents no less the wilder and 

 bleaker districts, abounding indeed in all places ; and taking up its 

 abode indiscriminately in towers, ruined buildings, ivy- covered and 

 hollow trees. 



Tawny Owl{^Yva\xim. stridula), very plentiful throughout the county 

 is this species, though not so often seen as the last, but perhaps 

 this may arise from its more retired habits, as it loves the solitude 

 of thick woods, and seldom leaves its lurking place till nightfall ; 

 it is more destructive than the ' Barn ' owl, not always contenting 

 itself with mice, rats, and moles, but sometimes preying on young 

 rabbits and leverets as well : these birds are very clamorous at 

 night, making the woods and taeadows re-echo with their loud 

 and melancholy hootings : Gilbert White declares that at such 

 times their throats swell as big as a hen's e^^ ; and "VYaterton says 

 that neither in Europe nor America has he .ever heard an owl utter 

 sounds so much resembling the human voice as those which our 

 ' Tawny ' owl sends forth : that observant naturalist adds " were 

 you to pronounce the letter in a loud and very clear tone of 

 voice, and then after a short pause, repeat the same letter in a 

 drawling tremulous accent, you would have a tolerably just idea of 

 the hooting of the Tawny Owl: it will some times produce a sharp 

 cry, which sounds not imlike the word 'quo-ah,' both male and 

 female utter this cry." This species occasionally adopts the deserted 

 nest of another bird, but usually lays its eggs in a hollow tree, on 

 the soft bed of its own pulverized castings : Hewitson says, that 



