THE OWL. 151 



A gentleman lived near a steep mountain, in which 

 & pair of these Owls had made their nest. One day, 

 his servant found one of the young Owls, which had 

 strayed away from the others, and having caught it, 

 carried it home, and confined it in a hen coop. The 

 next morning a dead partridge was found before the 

 door of the coop. This, the gentleman supposed had 

 been left there by the parent birds, in order to supply 

 their unfortunate young one with provisions ; and this 

 proved to have been the case, for every night, for 

 fourteen nights afterwards, some provision was found 

 to have been left in the same place. The gentleman 

 and his servant watched at the window for several 

 nights, in order to ascertain at what time this supply 

 of food was brought ; but in this they were disappoint- 

 ed, for it seems that the bird was so quick-sighted as 

 to see them at the window, and would not come and 

 lay down her food, as long as she was watched. But 

 the moment they left the window, she laid down the 

 provision and flew away. 



The old birds continued this care, until the young 

 one had arrived at an age when young owls are usually 

 left by their parents to take care of themselves, when 

 no farther supply was brought. 



THE SCREECH OWL. 



The Screech Owl is so called on account of the pe- 

 culiar and distressing noise it makes in the night. Its 

 voice is harsh and squeaking, and its notes rapid and 

 disagreeable. Timid persons have often been dread- 

 fully frightened by the noise of this bird, when they 

 did not know its cause. 



