OWLS. ]67 



the season of the year, well feathered ; but the down ap- 

 peared here and there between those feathers which had 

 not yet attained their full growth. After it was caught 

 it was shut in a large hen-coop, when to his surprise, 

 on the following morning, a fine young Partridge was 

 found lying dead before the door of the coop. It was 

 immediately concluded that this provision had been 

 brought there by the old Owls, which no doubt had 

 been making search in the night-time for their lost 

 young one. And such was, indeed, the fact; for night 

 after night, for fourteen days, was this same mark of 

 attention repeated. The game which the old ones 

 carried to it consisted chiefly of young Partridges, for 

 the most part newly killed, but sometimes a little 

 spoiled. On one occasion a Moor-fowl was brought, so 

 fresh, that it was actually warm under the wings; a 

 putrid, stinking lamb was at another time deposited. 

 It was supposed that the spoiled flesh had already been 

 some time in the nest of the old Owls, and that they 

 brought it merely because they had no better provision 

 at the time. The gentleman and his servant watched 

 several nights, in order that they might observe, through 

 a window, when and how this supply was brought; but 

 in vain for it appeared that the Owls, which are very 

 quick-sighted, had discovered the moment when the 

 window was not watched, as food was found to be 

 placed before the coop on those very nights. In the 

 month of August, the attention on the part of the old 

 birds ceased; but it should be observed that this was 

 the usual period when all birds of prey abandon their 

 young to their own exertions, and usually drive them off 

 to shift for themselves in distant haunts. 



It may be readily concluded, from this instance, how 

 much game must be destroyed by a pair of these large 

 Owls, during the time they rear their young. Our 

 Baru-Owl is, by many, accused of being equally injurious 

 to game, but experienced sportsmen are most of them 

 of opinion, that game is rather preserved than destroyed 



