C. II. Merrhtni — liirds <>/ ('itninrticiit. "71 



Dr. Win. Wuoil, ol' Kasl \\"ui(l>..i- Hill, ('..im., rclMlcs the rnjlnuin.^r 

 amusing" anecdote, wlueli serves well to illustrate 'Mlie nature ..t tlic 

 beast" under certain conditions, and at the same tinu' atlords n> an 

 excellent example of conjugal affection and innate wisdom in our 

 own species: "A geutleman who fancied liimsclf a taxi<Ieiinist l»e- 

 cause, forsootl), he had seen a single specimen stuffed, determined to 

 allow that talent no longer to be buried, but bring it to light l»v 

 practically demonstrating to the world in general, and mankind in 

 particular, the w\ay by which the feathered species can forever look 

 ' as natural as life and a little more so.' Having obtained a specimen 

 of the Barred Owl that was only slightly winged, he let it loose in 

 the cellar till a leisure day. The bird, with only tlie ti]) of the wing 

 injured, and having free use of its limbs and feet, could visit anv part 

 of her prison, and finding herself sole mistress, was not long in 

 appropriating anything and everything that would promote her own 

 comfort and ease. The potato and a]»ple bins, as well as the soai» 

 and pork barrels were indiscriminately and alike used for ])laces of 

 rest and repose. The day arrived when this nuisance could no hinder 

 be tolerated. A})proaching, with hand extended, to seize the Owl 

 my friend received the benefit of her claws in and around his fingers. 

 Grasping the bird's leg to disengage it from its gript', tlie other claw 

 was instantly brought in I'equisition ami seized the other hand. 

 Both hands l>eing now securely held by the bird, no wonder that our 

 hero called out lustily for hel|) when he saw the Owl expanding her- 

 self abnost indefinitely, and snap])ing her l)ill in anticipation of the 

 dainty repast which, according to a}»pearance, she was about to swal- 

 low ! The terrified scream alarmed the whole household, and the 

 rush down the cellar stairs reminds one very forcibly of the second 

 and fourth illustrations in Bachelor Butterfly, on page I4t]i, where he 

 jumped overboard, and, in older to save the life of the Naturalist, 

 was followed by his omnipresent Dorothy and the whole crew. Mis 

 better half becoming alarmed for the safety of her beloved, seized tlie 

 enraged bird by the head and pulled with all the force that conjugal 

 fidelity or nervous excitement could arouse. The more she j)ulled 

 the deeper were the talons of the Owl inserted, as was evidenced by 

 the musical entertainment given by our frieml, wliicli comprised a 

 scale of at least tw'o octaves, with trills and variations that would 

 have astonished an Italian prima donna ! What more could l)c 

 done ? The adage that ' necessity is the mother of invention' proved 

 true in this case, for the imminent danger, to say nothing of the ex- 

 cruciating pain, roused our hero to the importance of trying wliat 



