are all whistling or calling merrily out to each other. Thus it seems 
as though Bird-land heralds in « bright spring morning. 
During the day should the smaller birds discover Barred Owlet’s 
whereabouts, they all go for it with a zest and earnestness worthy 
of a good cause, and torment it by the discord they set up, till it 
flies to another tree, where they all follow in hot haste, led to the 
attack by a few lusty Sibias, and this goes on till, it has fairly given 
them the slip. Like most of the Athene, cuculoides leads a solitary 
existence, a sort of retirement to some specially secluded locality, 
to which it tenaciously adheres. A male of this owlet has taken up 
its quarters, in the old olive tree at the head of a road leading to 
the house. In spring he seems to feel the want of company ; his 
unceasing ¢00-lo0-loo-lo sounds, are more frequently heard, in the cheer- 
ful spring morning not unlke an invitation. When all bird-land 
has either paired off, or shown greater devotion and concern for 
their partner’s welfare in life’s struggle. Long after, all the birds 
have settled down to the more strenuous business of nest construc- 
tion, picking up or discarding, with the nicety of qualified architects, 
the proper materials, of only the plants and mosses, as the case 
may be, their forefathers had used before them, Cuculoides, be- 
gins to exhibit more social instincts, he shared a nice tender vole, 
he had secured for breakfast with his, may be mate of not many 
summers, his mournful coo-loo-loo-lo has changed for a more master- 
ful Raptorian call, as he busies himself setting his house in order, 
in the olive tree, which has a prominent compartment caused chiefly 
by decay, about ~ up the bole of the tree. This somewhat dank 
and musty chamber has served, as a safe retreat, when the storms 
raged ; the lightning flashed and heavens loud sounding artillery 
had sent every bird under shelters which, at best were precarious. 
This not a little repulsive looking hollow in the olive tree, has at 
this particular period got scoured and cleaned inside, and Mrs. 
Cuculoides lined the floor with soft chips of woody fibre ; a few 
dead leaves and a feather or two. Cuculoides’s courtship has been 
short. and philosophical, and now that his mate has entered on the 
more serious duties of life, he sits on the bough, above, with an ugly 
pugnacious frown for all who approach too close to his abode ; no 
doubt he possesses a fair stock of bravery what though he hastely 
retreated within when Linauetus cristatellus, the bold daring Crested 
Hawk-eagle alighted just over head, and scanned the horizon ; but 
you must take into account the occasion, on which Lanius tephronotus 
the Grey-backed Shrike, caught the rough end of his tongue or when 
Sibia lost a tail feather or two for pushing his enquires too far, 
Barred Owlet is about 104 inches in length ; irides are golden 
yellow ; plumage, above, is dusky rufous, the feathers barred horizon- 
tally with white and dull reddish ; some white showing on the 
