284 THE GARDEN OF A 



follow their erratic course through the garden and 

 wood lot, and along the grassy walk that, edged 

 by daisies, seemed a pathway to the moon direct, 

 they seemed to take delight in seeing how nearly it 

 was possible to fly into our faces without absolutely 

 touching us. 



Once safe in the fastness of hemlocks and spruces, 

 their tactics changed. Perching five in a row upon 

 a downward sloping branch, they pushed and jostled 

 each other until the one nearest the end was crowded 

 off. Instantly it flew to the top of the line and 

 took its turn at edging, until each had slipped off 

 many times. When at last they became tired of 

 this aerial coasting, they silently disappeared in the 

 darkness of the woods. 



July 22. The owl play still continues nightly, and 

 Evan and I take part in it and likewise gain a fine 

 view of their antics by flashing a small electric 

 search-light into the deep shadows, thus catching 

 grotesque poses and their amazed and dazed expres- 

 sions. Last night two of the owlets ventured close 

 to the house, and sat for some time a-top the clothes 

 poles, turning their heads about so completely that 

 they threatened to wring their own necks ; then snap- 

 ping their beaks, they crooned, and conversed quite 

 plainly in high class owl, much to Bluff's indigna- 



