A WAVE OF LIFE. 153 



driven them out, for the weather was still warm, and flowers and 

 fruit on which Humhle Bees feed were very abundant. 



After cold weather set in the Storks went away, probably on 

 account of the scarcity of water, for the Owls remained. So 

 numerous were they during the winter, that any evening after 

 sunset I could count forty or fifty individuals hovering over the 

 trees about my house. Unfortunately they did not confine their 

 attentions to the mice, but became destructive to the birds as 

 well. I frequently watched them at dusk, beating about the 

 trees and bushes in a systematic manner, often a dozen or more 

 of them wheeling about one tree like so many moths about a 

 candle, and one occasionally dashing through the branches until 

 a Pigeon — usually the Zenaida maculosa — or other bird was 

 scared from its perch. The instant the bird left the tree they 

 would all give chase, disappearing in the darkness. I could not 

 endure to see the havoc they were making amongst the Oven- 

 birds (Fumarius rufus — a species for which I have a regard and 

 affection almost superstitious), so I began to shoot the marauders. 

 Very soon, however, I found it was impossible to protect my little 

 favourites. Night after night the Owls mustered in their usual 

 numbers, so rapidly were the gaps I made in their ranks refilled. 

 I grew sick of the cruel war in which I had so hopelessly joined, 

 and resolved, not without pain, to let things take their course. 

 A singular circumstance was that the Owls began to breed in the 

 middle of winter. The field-labourers and boys found many 

 nests with eggs and young birds in the neighbourhood. I saw 

 one nest in July, our coldest month, with three half-grown young 

 birds in it. They were excessively fat, and, though it was noon- 

 day, had their crops full. There were three mice and two young 

 Cavies (Cavia australis) lying untouched in the nest. 



The Short-eared Owl is of a wandering disposition, and 

 performs long journeys at all seasons of the year in search of 

 districts where food is abundant; and perhaps these winter- 

 breeders came from a region where scarcity of prey, or some 

 such cause, had prevented them from nesting at their usual time 

 in summer. 



By August (1873) the Owls had vanished, and they had, 

 indeed, good cause for leaving. The winter had been one of 

 continued drought ; the dry grass and herbage of the preceding 

 year had been consumed by the cattle and wild animals, or had 



