io WITH THE WOODLANDERS. 



each time, exactly like those of a rabbit caught 

 in a trap, or fixed by a stoat or weasel. Crows, 

 magpies, and jays know very well what that cry 

 means : it is as a dinner-bell to them, for after 

 the stoat or weasel leaves a rabbit, a feathered 

 company come to eat him. As the evening got 

 more dusky, the boys would come out in their 

 gardens, which were surrounded by the fir-woods, 

 to call the owls to them. They would hiss and 

 snore like the white owl the barn - owl ; hoot, 

 click, and bark like the wood-owl the brown or 

 tawny owl ; and squeak like mice, for the pleas- 

 ure of seeing the owl swoop towards the place 

 where the sound or sounds proceeded from. 



"You bide still, an' see ef I don't fetch him in 

 this 'ere fir close to our gate," said one to me. I 

 did " bide still," being very much interested in the 

 whole performance. First he locked his hands 

 together with the thumbs upright, and into the 

 hollow of the hands he blew between the thumbs. 

 This was the hooting-machine ; and it was simply 

 perfect. Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo'e hoo ! rang out 

 the fourth note being longer than the others. Then 

 followed the click of the bill, as the fine bird snaps 



