THE TAWNY OWL 31 



very easy to rear and to tame. The late Lord Lilford, 

 who was perhaps our best authority on owls, stated that 

 he had examined many pellets of the Tawny Owl, and 

 although he more than once found the remains of young 

 rabbits he could not accuse the bird of any serious 

 poaching. 



Living more in the woods the Brown Owl is less often 

 observed than is the White Owl; also its plumage is 

 darker, and this makes it often less visible, especially in 

 the shade of the trees. When flying, his legs are 

 stretched out behind, " as a balance to his heavy head," 

 White of Selborne remarked. The young ones, funny 

 little balls of grey down, resemble, some one has said, 

 "a pair of Shetland worsted stockings rolled up, such 

 as might have belonged to Tarn o' Shanter." 



And this reminds us of Burns, who, when he bids the 

 birds mourn for him, " Wha lies in clay, Wham we 

 deplore," sings : 



" Ye howlets, frae your ivy bow'r, 

 In some old tree or eldritch tow'r, 

 What time the moon wi silent glow'r, 



Sets up her horn. 



Wail through the dreary midnight hour 

 Till waukrife morn." 



But Shakespeare said of the Wood-Owl : 



" Tu-whit ! tu-whoo, a merry note 



While greasy Joan doth keel the pot ! ' 



It was in 210 pellets of this species that Dr. Altum 

 found the remains of 6 rats, 42 mice, 296 voles, 33 shrews, 

 48 moles, 1 8 birds, and 48 beetles, besides countless 

 numbers of cockchafers. 



