BEHIND THE VEIL IN BIRDLAND 



a number of short notes uttered in quick succession. It also 

 repeatedly makes a clicking noise by opening and quickly closing 

 its beak, and this habit is peculiar to the majority of Owls. 



It is not an easy bird to photograph, for besides usually 

 choosing a dark wood in which to roost, it has a habit of con- 

 tinually bobbing up and down, and also opening and closing its 

 eyes, and one has to wait for a favourable opportunity when 

 these various movements are not in progress. 



When a brilliant light shines on the bird, it seems to have 

 no intention of ruining both eyes by using them both at once, 

 so it does rather a sensible thing. It closes one eye and looks 

 at the intruder with the other, and when that is tired, it slowly 

 closes it and opens the first again, and while we watched the bird, 

 it kept up a continual see-saw motion with its eyes. 



