The ghost owl is the queerest-looking bird imaginable 



The Ghost Owl 



IN the roofs of many country churches white owls 

 have bred for generations they are often called 

 church owls, as well as barn and screech owls. Though 

 they rear six or seven young ones in a season, except 

 when there are young, only one faithful pair is found 

 at home in the old haunt, and none can tell of the 

 fate of the others, to what ivied tower they have 

 flown, lonely ruin, old dove-cote, loft of barn, farm- 

 house eave, or hollow oak of the woods. 



We often climb to an old loft where in the day-time 

 we may be sure of finding the white owls at home. 

 On a summer day the mother bird will be seen, drowsy 

 and blinking, standing guard over her eggs or young 

 ones, and making the strangest hissing and snoring 

 sounds. One great claw moves uneasily, now touching 

 one or two dirty white eggs, then pressing closer to 

 the motherly breast one or two scantily downed owlets, 

 or a youngster more forward in feathering, and then 

 the claw is raised threateningly, as if to scratch out our 

 eyes if we dare to go a step nearer. There is no nest : 

 but as the eggs are laid at intervals, the owlets first 

 hatched help to keep warm the later eggs and young. 

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