202 TALKS ABOUT BIRDS 



for owls really have homes, and generally live 

 in the same place in which they lay their eggs 

 and rear their young. Once in America an 

 owl was found in possession of sixteen fresh 

 fish, in mid-winter, when all the water in the 

 neighbourhood was frozen, and it turned out 

 that half a mile from the owl's home some 

 boys had broken the ice on a pond, and the 

 practical bird had found this out and been 

 working hard to get in his supplies while he 

 had the chance. After this it is rather hard 

 on owls that they should be abused for being 

 stupid ! 



After the kiwis, the stupidest-looking and 

 the sleepiest night-birds are the moreporks, 

 queer Australian birds which you can gener- 

 ally see at the Zoo. They are about as big as 

 rooks, with mottled grey plumage, very small 

 feet, and big flat heads with enormous mouths, 

 like frogs. They snap up their food with 

 their bills, and do not catch it in their claws 

 like owls, and they can swallow a sparrow 

 whole. 



They are some of the laziest birds in exist- 

 ence, and in the daytime are so sleepy that 

 they can sometimes be touched, even in the 



