OWLS. 



(Oct. 4, 1890.) 



VERY few people, few even of the regular fre- 

 quenters of the Gardens, are, we imagine, aware 

 of the existence of the "owls' cages" at the Zoo. 

 Indeed, we have many times heard the remark 

 that it was extraordinary that the Society should 

 possess no owls except eagle owls birds of this 

 species being well known to all visitors from the 

 position of their cage. This ignorance, however, 

 is not to be wondered at, as the cages in question 

 are placed at the back of the " llamas 7 house," 

 perhaps the most out-of-the-way spot in the 

 Gardens ; but they generally contain an interest- 

 ing little collection of owls, and amongst them 

 examples of most of the commoner of our native 

 species. 



At the. present time ten species are represented, 

 of which the following are British: the barn owl, 

 the tawny or wood owl, the long-eared owl, and 

 the short-eared owl; among the most noticeable 

 of the others being the Oriental eagle owl from 

 Java, and several burrowing owls from Buenos 

 Ayres the latter the most comically consequential 

 looking little fellows imaginable. 



