OWLS 205 



A pair of them, who had taken up their quarters 

 in the roof of a thatched bungalow in Ambala, used 

 always to fly out during the day if any one lingered 

 about in the immediate neighbourhood of their 

 roost, and were forthwith pursued by a crowd of 

 shrikes, brown-backed robins, king-crows, sparrows, 

 and hoopoes ; but they seemed to deal with the 

 occurrence in a very composed fashion, and to 

 regard it quite as a matter of course. Just at sun- 

 down they come out of their lurking-places, and 

 take up a position on some dead branch or other 

 exposed point near their caves and overlooking an 

 open space. It is most diverting to watch them 

 emerging; one after another, before fairly coming 

 out, putting forth its queer little round head and 

 staring eyes through the opening of the cavern. 

 After they have emerged they usually sit very 

 quietly for a time as though only half awake, and 

 are either perfectly silent or occasionally utter a low- 

 toned " chirrk." Then, all of a sudden, they begin 

 to chuckle and finally break out into a perfect torrent 

 of hoarse chattering ; and finally, after having in- 

 dulged in such exercises for some minutes, they 

 spread their short, rounded wings and sail off to 

 their night's hunting. During the course of the 

 night they are usually very silent, only now and 

 then one of them will be moved to chatter loudly ; 

 but at dawn, and just before retiring for the day, 

 they once again chatter noisily. All through the 



