270 AN OWL'S HEAD HOLIDAY. 



were nearly ready to fly, and in the course of a 

 day or two I saw one of them sitting in a tree in 

 the midst of a drenching rain. On my offering 

 to lay hold of him he dropped into the grass, 

 and when I picked him up both parents began 

 to fly about me excitedly, with loud outcries. 

 The male, especially, went nearly frantic, enter- 

 ing the bowling alley where I happened to be, 

 and alighting on the floor ; then, taking to the 

 bole of a tree, he fluttered helplessly upon it, 

 spreading his wings and tail, seeming to say as 

 plainly as words could have done, " Look, you 

 monster ! here 's another young bird that can't 

 fly ; why don't you come and catch him ? " 

 The acting was admirable, all save the spread- 

 ing of the tail ; that was a false note, for the 

 youngster in my hand had no tail feathers at 

 all. I put the fellow upon a tree, whence he 

 quickly flew to the ground (he could fly down 

 but not up), and soon both parents were again 

 supplying him with food. The poor thing had 

 not eaten a morsel for possibly ten minutes, a 

 very long fast for a bird of his age. I hoped he 

 would fall into the hands of no worse enemy 

 than myself, but the chances seemed against 

 him. The first few days after quitting the nest 

 must be full of perils for such helpless inno- 

 cents. 



For the credit of my own sex I was pleased 



