OWLS. 189 



their full growth. After it was caught, it was shut 

 up in a large hen-coop, when to his surprise, on the 

 following morning, a fine young Partridge was found 

 lying dead hefore the door of the coop. It was im- 

 mediately concluded that this provision had heen 

 brought there hy the old Owls, which no douht had 

 been making search in the night-time for their lost 

 young one. And such was, indeed, the fact; for night 

 after night, for fourteen days, was this same mark of 

 attention repeated. The game which the old ones 

 carried to it, consisted chiefly of young Partridges, 

 for the most part newly killed, but sometimes a little 

 spoiled. On one occasion, a moor-fowl was brought, 

 so fresh, that it was actually w r arm under the wings ; 

 a putrid, stinking lamb was at another time deposited. 

 It was supposed that the spoiled flesh had already 

 been some time in the nest of the old Owls, and that 

 they brought it merely because they had no better 

 provision at the time. The gentleman and his ser- 

 vant watched several nights, in order that they 

 might observe, through a window, when and how 

 this supply was brought; but in vain for it appeared 

 that the Owls, which are very quick-sighted, had 

 discovered the moment when the window was not 

 watched, as food was found to be placed before the 

 coop on those very nights. In the month of August, 

 the attention on the part of the old birds ceased ; 

 but it should be observed that this was the usual 

 period when all birds of prey abandon their young to 

 their own exertions, and usually drive them off to 

 shift for themselves in distant haunts. 



It may be readily concluded, from this instance, 

 how much game must be destroyed by a pair of these 



