12 EXPERIENCES OF SPORT. 



fectly. I had began to tell him the story of the 

 owl, when he exclaimed, ' My poor lost bird for 

 a thousand Louis !' It appeared he had missed 

 it about five weeks before, and had deeply re- 

 gretted its loss, as he had brought it when quite 

 young some years back from Lower Brittany. 

 The bird was produced, and a queer article he 

 looked, with his feathers just beginning to grow ; 

 he put me in mind of a French poodle with the 

 hair shaved off his back, but with his woolly 

 head left. However, the doctor knew his bird, 

 and the bird knew him, and he went off highly 

 delighted. This owl lived for eight or ten years 

 after, and never went away again, generally sit- 

 ting in the same place, an old recess over the 

 kitchen door. 



" I often asked Mac A. about pressing the stock 

 of his gun on the bird's breast-bone, and he 

 always assured me he fancied he did so at any 

 rate it was a most curious circumstance." 



NOTE. Since I wrote the above, I have very carefully 

 studied the owl, and I have come to this conclusion that 

 the owl does more good to the game preserves than harm. 

 I have watched them beat a stubble and quarter it as well 

 as any setter, in search of mice, moles, &c., &c. 



