THE MOPING OWL 
as to make unprovoked attack on all and 
sundry who unwittingly approach closer to 
the tree than these devoted householders 
think desirable. Accounts of this troublesome 
mood in nesting owls come from several 
parts of the country, and notably from 
Wales. In one case on record a pair of barn 
owls had their home in a tree overlooking 
Milford Haven, and the vicinity of the nest 
soon became dangerous. The male owl tore 
a boy's ear, knocked a man down, and 
attacked numerous human beings and dogs 
that made use of a path leading past the 
tree ; and these episodes were in fact of 
daily occurrence until some one shot the 
bird. Another pair of barn owls nested in a 
wood on the shore of Menai Strait, and in 
this case the young birds managed to fall 
out of the nest, and lay on the ground in 
full view of a public right of way. Why the 
old birds did not put their offspring back 
in the nest no one knew. Possibly they 
realised that the talons, which so efficiently 
gripped rats, might not prove gentle enough 
for the transport of owlets. At any rate, 
whatever their reason, they left the young 
119 
