SCREECH OWL'S FAMILY. 13 



grown, one pair a quarter grown. Now this is a wonder- 

 ful and wise provision of Nature; for these owlets are rave- 

 nous beyond all belief, and the old ones are for everlasting 

 at work to keep them well supplied with rats and mice. I 

 reckon a screech-owl's nest ' establishment ' is a better 

 word is a regular blessing to the neighbourhood. A 

 screech-owl nestles in that huge aspen at the gate, going 

 into Godbold's ; and although we are told that e two of a 

 trade never can agree,' yet the hooter breeds there too, and 

 I never heard but that both species followed their mousing 

 propensities in perfect amity. 



But now to my tale. One day in October, 1822, I was 

 sauntering along a lane between Munsted and Hascomb, 

 when just as I passed a great pollard oak, I saw a screech- 

 owl come out of a hole from which had once issued a tole- 

 rably large branch. I tapped the trunk with the but end 

 of my gun, and immediately heard a response from within, 

 that noise which Bewick calls snoring. Of course, I laid 

 down my gun and climbed the tree, which was certainly 

 one of the toughest I ever undertook : there was scarcely a 

 twig to hold by, and the trunk was uncomfortably large. I 

 think the top of this tree must have been snapped off by 

 the wind, or perhaps struck by lightning at some remote 

 time, for a lot of short and thick worm-eaten splinters stuck 

 up amongst vigorous boughs, giving the tree a very odd 

 appearance. The treat of inspecting the interior was not 

 to be obtained ; so I put on a thick leather glove, and 

 thrust my arm up to the shoulder into the hole whence Mr. 

 Gillihowlet made his exit. The produce of the first grasp 

 was an owlet of very respectable size : quite three parts 

 grown, and too well feathered to be trusted alone, so I 

 buttoned him in the pocket of my shooting-jacket, and 



