68 



THE GREAT HORNED, OR EAGLh OWL. 



This bird, after it was caught was shut up in a large hen-coop ; and 

 the next morning M. Cronstedt found a young Partridge lying dead 

 before the door of the coop. He immediately concluded that thip 



provision had been 

 brought thither by 

 the parent birds ; 

 which he supposed 

 had been making' 

 search in the night 

 time for their lost 

 y o ung-o ne and 

 had been led to the 

 place of its confine- 

 ment by its cry. 

 This proved to have 

 been the case, by 

 the same mark of 

 attention being re- 

 peated for fourteen 

 successive nights. 

 The game which the 

 old ones carried to it 

 consisted principally 

 of young Partridges, 

 for the most part 

 newly killed, but 

 sometimes a little 

 spoiled. One day a 

 moor- fowl was 

 brought, s o fresh, 

 that it was still warm 

 under the wings. A 

 putrid Lamb was 

 EAGLE om. found, at another 



time. M. Cronstedt 



And his servant watched at a window several nights, that they might 

 observe, if possible, when this supply was deposited. Their plan did not 

 succeed: but it appeared that the Owls, which are very sharp-sighted, 

 had discovered the moment when the window was not watched ; as food 

 was found to have been deposited before the coop, one night when this 

 had been the case. In the month of August the parents discontinued 

 this attention ; but at that period all birds of prey abandon their 

 offspring to their own exertions. From this instance, some idea may 

 be formed of the great quantity of game that must be destroyed by 

 pair of these Owls, during the time they are employed in rearing their 

 young. 



It is said that sometimes, when falconers wish to lure the Kite for 

 the purpose of training the Falcon, they disfigure an Owl of this species, 

 by fastening to it the tail of a Fox. The animal, rendered thus grotesque 

 ift Jet loose ; and he sails slowly along, flying, as he usually does, verf 



