40 WITHIN AN HOUR OF LONDON TOWN. 



to give some account of his "tricks and manners" 

 in the following history of my bird " Patch." 



"Will you come and look at a small owl I have 

 caught ? " I was asked one day. 



" Certainly I will." 



Sitting mournfully in a cage suspended from a 

 rafter, I saw a little fellow not more than eight 

 inches in length, with his wise-looking yellow eyes 

 wide open. It was a naked-footed night-owl (Strix 

 passerina). Knowing something of his own lan- 

 guage, I gave the little bird his salute by sounding 

 one of his call-notes. Bending his head down he 

 replied directly. 



Something about him interested me, and I paid 

 him many more visits. Till one day his owner said, 

 " You know how to treat that bird far better than I 

 do ; will you accept him, cage and all ? " 



" On one condition." 



" What is that ?" 



" That you accept his portrait, life-size, in return." 



" A bargain ! " was the answer ; " and, from what 

 I have seen, you will get tired of him in a week." 



I took him home with me at once, a mournful- 

 looking little object. In the evening, as I sat by 



