68 A YEAR OF SPORT AND NATURAL HISTORY. 



so badly broken that the foot and tarsus dropped away. He has 

 been on the sick-list once since then, but the loss of his foot affects 

 him but little, and his beautiful hoot may be heard any winter 

 night, clearly distinguishable from the voice of any neighbour of 

 his own kind. " Kee-wick, kee-wick " cry the hungry young ones 

 through the summer nights, the sound subsiding in a smother and 

 a choke as the old hen stuffs the youngster's mouth with food. 

 Long after the ytung are well able to provide for themselves these 

 idle ways go on ; but sooner or later there comes a day when the 

 parents tire of their trouble, and, rounding on their shameless 

 progeny, drive them out a-field to cater for themselves. 



The Tawny displays amazing boldness in the defence of its 

 nest. The writer has known more than one instance in which an 

 'old bird, annoyed at an inspection of her nursery quarters, has 

 stooped with hearty good will at the head of the aggressor. That 

 head was, fortunately, protected by a good stout hat, but the 

 deep cuts in the head-gear made by the bird's claws bore witness 

 to the strength of the assault. 



THE BARN OWL. As the Tawny is essentially a bird of the 

 woods, so the Barn Owl is essentially a bird of the open fields. If 

 the Tawny does little injury to game, the Barn Owl does still less; 

 needless to say the gamekeeper nails it up on the kennel door 

 all the same. A farmer of my acquaintance has allowed a pair 

 of these birds to nest in his pigeon loft for many years, and the 

 kindness, he considers, is on their side, not on his. So well known 

 are the ways of this owl and its young ones that it is difficult to 

 find anything new to say here. Its hissing, its snoring, its relays 

 of eggs, its habit of swaying, its softness of flight, the unearthly 

 screech with which it evokes the echoes by night and frightens 



