380 REED, WVodes on the American Barn Owl, Aule 
the Owl, Fearing, if liberated, she might not return to the nest 
through fright, I concluded to take her home with me and keep 
her in captivity for a few days, with a view of studying her habits. 
A large box with a wired front was soon arranged and she was 
put into it. Here she was kept for three days, but absolutely 
refused food or water left her, which so preyed upon my feelings 
that I took compassion on her and set her at liberty. The day 
following her capture she laid an egg, which was carefully removed 
with a stick. When I approached her box she would retire to 
the farthest corner, open her mouth wide and emit a most piercing 
hissing cry as if from fright, which had a tendency to stand my 
hair on end. During the next two years after this experience, I 
occasionally visited the tree with the hopes of finding it occupied, 
but owing to the building of several houses in the vicinity by a 
land company, the poor Owls had no peace, and the tree was 
finally cut down. 
From the experience of others with these Owls in captivity, I 
feel satisfied that the male birds are more easily domesticated 
than the females. 
On two different occasions I took pleasure in escorting some of 
the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club members to this nest. 
The first time, being accompanied by Mr. Witmer Stone, the birds 
were absent, but the finding of three fresh mice in the nest was 
evidence of its being occupied. Mr. Stone robbed the poor birds 
of two of these for his collection. On the other occasion Messrs. 
W.L. Baily and G. S. Morris were escorted to Tinicum on an 
evening train; Mr. Baily was selected as the victim to climb the 
tree first to flush the Owls, as both male and female were mostly 
found together in this nest, the cavity being of sufficient size to 
accommodate both of them. The flushing of Owlsin this manner 
is a very delicate performance, and on such occasions it is well to 
wear a mackintosh, as they generally leave the nest in the manner 
of a Green Heron; but Mr. Baily fared very well, and we 
clambered up after him and took our positions about the hole for 
investigation. Among the refuse of the nest an egg was dis- 
covered, completely hidden from view ; a mouse or two were also 
probed out. After the Owls left the nest on this, as well as on 
previous occasions, they were attacked by numerous Crows. 
