THE MOREPORK 169 



life very different from that which is found in them now. A 

 little New Zealand owl was nestling close under the fronds of a 

 fern-tree. As soon as his retreat was discovered by some small 

 birds, the battle, or rather, the mobbing, began. The incessant 

 noise the little fellows made brought up their friends from all 

 Cjuarters, so that the observer was astonished to see the cloud of 

 birds gather so (juickly. They were so filled Avith rage, and so 

 intent on insulting their enemy, that they were apparently utterly 

 fearless and regardless of the presence of a human being. But 

 while they would often fly up close to him, they never laid hold 

 of him, or touched him with their beaks, and not a feather flew. 



Still, the owl did not like it, and tried hard to get at them 

 without removing from his perch, by thrusting forth his head and 

 fiercely snapping his beak. While there was noticeable a 

 difference in the dilation of the pupil of his eyes, which sometimes 

 glared on the disturbers of his sleep and peace, it is doubtful if 

 he clearly saw them, although he must have heard them well 

 enough. Occasionally, the owl, when persecuted in this manner, 

 flew away to some other neighbouring tree or bush, but, in doing 

 that, he generally made a woeful mistake, sometimes coming 

 abruptly against a branch, or Ijetween the close-growing canes of 

 supplejacks, and sometimes lighting in a less secure place, Avhere 

 the enemy could surround him. Another flight would take place, 

 perhaps back to his old quarters ; but it always seemed as if there 

 could be no rest, no peace, for him while daylight lasted. When 

 night came on, however, the tables, no doubt, were turned upon 

 his persecutors with heavy interest. The words of the old song 

 apply to him as well as to the owl of the ^Mother Country : 



Not a bird of the forest e'er mates with him, 



All mock him outright by day; 

 But at uight, when the woods grow still aud dim, 



The boldest will shrink away. 



There were no mice in the country before Europeans came, so 

 that the owl had to depend almost solely on small birds for its 

 animal food, though it also fed upon grasshoppers, wetas, and 

 other large insects. 



