SNOWY OWL. 309 



therefore, the gardener fed it hy literally forcing 

 the meat down its throat. The food was bullock's 

 liver, or any kind of hutcherVmeat, and occasion- 

 ally a pigeon or rabbit cut in small pieces. 



" During the summer and autumn of 1835 it 

 moulted, and the new plumage was a good deal 

 lighter, or less speckled and barred than formerly. 

 From this change of colour, and from recollection 

 of the relative size and appearance of the sexes in 

 museums, I concluded that the bird was a male. 

 Mr Audubon, the celebrated American ornitholo- 

 gist, happening to visit Canonmills in the course 

 of the season, saw the bird, and, from his intimate 

 knowledge of the same species in North America, 

 at once confirmed our conjecture as to its being an 

 immature male. 



" I must confess that we did not succeed in 

 taming the owl to the extent which we at first 

 expected. He always remained rather shy and 

 suspicious. What was remarkable, he would 

 allow a live mouse or sparrow to be placed in the 

 cage beside him without touching the tempting 

 prey, at least in our presence. He evidently 

 recognized Mr Lawson and myself, and was little 

 moved at our appearance ; but on the approach of 

 a stranger, he opened his mouth, and hissed, or 

 fuffed Kke a cat, keeping his mouth open as long 

 as the intruder remained near. If much alarmed, 

 or suddenly surprised, he produced a snapping 



