136 WILD NATURE IN STRATHEARN. 



breaking his wing, he uttered a piercing scream r 

 and continued to scream until he reached 

 terra fimna, when he at once turned on his 

 back, presented his claws, and with open beak 

 was prepared to die game. Withdrawing the 

 ram-rod it was the days of the muzzle- 

 loader I offered him the end of it, which he 

 promptly seized, and I thus carried him home. 

 Although to appearance he was unhurt, except 

 the broken wing, he must have been injured 

 otherwise, for he was found dead next morning, 

 Brave little fellow ! I wish I had ^ half his 

 pluck. 



The Tawny and all other Owls are indis- 

 criminately shot by keepers. Why ? They are, 

 so far as game is concerned, harmless. They may 

 pick up, when opportunity occurs, a young rabbit, 

 but rats, mice, and moles are their chief food,. 

 and but for their blood-creeping " hoo-hoo-oo " on 

 a dark night, when the keepers, touched with 

 superstition, are watching, there is nothing to be 

 charged against them. To see a pair of Tawny 



