2O Bird-keeping. 



houses to pick up the vermin harboured there, and 

 that they have been shot with the rats in their claws, 

 which they have pounced upon, when about to prey 

 upon the young pigeons. Owls are expert fishermen, 

 and will drop into the water upon the fish which come 

 to the surface. Some people have conjectured that 

 the eyes of the Owl, like those of the cat, glare in the 

 dark, and attract the fish within their reach by this 

 luminous appearance. They appear to be very like 

 cats in some particulars, and I have read of a young 

 LONG-EARED OWL (Of us vulgaris) which struck up a 

 great friendship with a cat and her kitten, only inter- 

 rupted in the case of the latter by her habit of playing 

 with a live mouse, which always excited the Owl's in- 

 dignation, and he would pounce down and kill it, and 

 then give it back to the kitten. 



The WHITE or BARN OWL (Strix flammed) is easily 

 tamed when taken young, and is a very amusing pet, 

 capable of great attachment to its owner, but of great 

 dislike to strangers, and very spiteful and mischievous 

 if it takes up any antipathy. I have heard of one Owl 

 who had a great liking for a tame skylark, and would 

 allow it to perch upon its back and nestle among its 

 soft plumage, but it would kill any other bird that 

 came within its reach. 



Another Owl belonged to one of the Canons of 

 Winchester Cathedral, and had the range of a very 

 pretty garden in the close, with ivy-covered walls and 



