32 ACCIPITRES. STRIGID.E. 



and before I could get within range, they, whose 

 senses were now vigilant and acute, perceived me, 

 and flew to a neighbouring tree, whence they pre- 

 sently removed to a distance. On the following 

 evening I took care to be on the watch soon 

 after sunset: presently I heard the well-known 

 cry kep, kep; and the bird, arriving on noiseless 

 wing, took up its station on one of the lofty limbs 

 of the cotton tree. It called in this manner for 

 a minute or two, when the other came flying from 

 another direction, uttering the same sound, and 

 likewise alighted on a limb not far from the former. 

 As it was growing dark, and I was anxious to 

 procure specimens, I fired at one, and brought 

 it down with the wing wounded. It retreated into 

 one of the dark recesses of the spurs, and fought 

 bravely before I could get hold of it, snapping 

 the beak, and trying to bite. When brought to 

 the house, its attitudes and motions were exactly 

 the same as those of the young above described : 

 it would stand for hours on the same spot, gazing 

 intently with its large liquid eyes, at any one 

 before it : swaying slowly from side to side, with 

 the head depressed and protruded, as if to get a 

 better view of the object of its attention. If ap- 

 proached, it opened and snapped the beak ; but 

 if pressed, it fell backward on the tail, presenting 

 both feet to clutch : which it did with effect. 



Mr. Hill mentions to me a third species of Owl, 

 small in size, and of a brown hue, but I know 

 not any of its generic or specific characters. 



