4)2 THE BIRDS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. 



In these situations the nest is a mere depression in the 

 decayed and crumbling wood at the bottom of the 

 cavity, without any lining ; and so difficult are they of 

 access to any but the owners, that they can only be 

 reached by enlarging the aperture with an axe. Only 

 once have I known of a different situation being selected, 

 and that was an old barn, in which the nest was made 

 of straw, that material being ready to hand. 



I believe the white owl is strictly nocturnal in its 

 habits ; although I have frequently seen individuals on 

 the wing in the daytime, yet it has been clearly 

 evident that their flight was not a voluntary one, but 

 that their siesta had been accidentally disturbed, for on 

 these occasions they flew in a confused and uncertain 

 manner, as though "blinded by excess of light," and 

 were glad to take refuge in the first tree they met with, 

 manifesting no inclination to leave it unless compelled. 

 These diurnal flights, too, can rarely be made unnoticed, 

 for, like the hawks, they are attended by a numerous 

 following of small birds, who show their hostility by 

 noisy cries of alarm and anger. 



I have spoken of the grotesque appearance of the 

 long-eared owl, but that of the white owl is, I think, still 

 more so ; when in captivity it wears such an air of mock 

 gravity and wisdom as though it was intending to 

 burlesque those attributes, now holding its head on one 

 side, and now on the other that I never look at one 

 without feeling inclined to burst into a fit of laughter, 

 and could fancy it had some difficulty to refrain from 

 doing the same. 



I once saw a white owl, which a person had shot and 

 only winged, throw itself on its back when he approached, 

 and fight most vigorously with its sharp claws, rendering 



