30 ACCIPITRES. 



a more favourable position for swallowing. Then, 

 by repeated tossings of the head, the morsel was 

 thrown, as it were, little by little into the fauces. 

 All the while it was eating, even when the throat 

 seemed quite closed by the descending food, the whist- 

 ling hiss was maintained with incessant pertinacity. 

 Indeed, this sound, harsh and deafening as it was, 

 scarcely ever ceased, except when the bird was sleep- 

 ing. It was exceedingly vigilant ; the smallest 

 sound, even a light foot-fall, would arouse it, and 

 awaken this most unmusical noise. It was more 

 than usually loud when the bird was hungry, 

 and doubly so at the moment when food was 

 presented to it, as, in its ravenous eagerness to 

 seize, it frequently missed from its hurried motion. 

 Sometimes, when its belly was full, it substituted 

 a quivering whistle, in a very high key, emitted, 

 I believe, through the nostrils. The faeces were 

 very fluid, and resembled a thin solution of lime ; 

 they left a chalky deposit, pulverulent : and were 

 not at all fcetid. It seemed to have no desire for 

 drinking. On the 1st of November it died, having 

 been in my care about a fortnight. 



Soon after this, my lad Sam being again near the 

 Spanish-hole, looked in, and discerned the old Owl 

 sitting on the same spot, and on the 12th, I again 

 visited it. On peeping cautiously over the wall, I 

 discerned her on the rock, and fired; but merely 

 wounding her, she retreated into one of the cavities, 

 so that Sam, on descending, could not find her. There 

 were four eggs, which were placed close together, 

 but in no nest. Another Owl, doubtless the mate, 



