Organs of Nutrition 



133 



captivity, owls and hawks are never so healthy and active 

 when fed on flesh}' meat alone, as when a dead mouse or 

 sparrow, rat or pigeon is given occasionally. In dissecting 

 specimens which have had nothing but a flesh diet for a 

 year or more, I have found the throat and gullet in a verv 

 bad condition, as if the lack of some scouring process, 



Fig. 104. — I'uod-pellet.s ejected hy (Ireat Honied ()\vl, containing 



reniain.s ut rodents. 



such as is afforded )y tlie pasage up and down of the 

 indigestible hair and feathers, h;id actually resulted in 

 the death of the l)ird. I have seen owls try to eat the 

 straw on the floors of the cages, when not provided with 

 food in the condition in which they find it when at lib- 

 erty. 



In cormorants and birds of similar voracious fish-eating 

 habits, the entire gullet serves as a receptacle for food, 

 while the fish first swallowed are undergoing the process 



