AT4 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
cious survivor commenced a series of combats, and so I put her 
in a separate cage. I had now remaining three Little Owls and 
the Long-Kared Owl. Two of the former now gave signs of 
being on affectionate terms with each other; and all through the 
following month (April) this pair of birds kept well together, or 
calling and answering each other throughout the day and night, 
frequently during the day mating on the floor of the cage. On 
May 19th, about 9 p.m., the female deposited her first egg on 
the floor. This I took out for fear of being broken. On May 
20th I removed the third Little Owl from the cage, and, having 
made a nesting-place by covering a box about a foot square 
with some pieces of cork bark, leaving an entrance in the front 
near the top, I placed a few small sticks and some hay inside, 
and hung it at one of the top corners of the cage. On May 21st 
the pair immediately took possession, and the female, having 
selected one corner, and made a depression in the nesting 
material, deposited the second egg during the evening, both 
birds removing some of the sticks from the box. On May 22nd 
the male bird determined to have the cage to himself and 
partner, so engaged in a series of combats with the Long-Hared 
Owl, driving him about until he was compelled to take refuge 
by squeezing himself between the top of the nesting-box and 
roof of the cage. He seemed so intimidated by the fierce onsets 
of its smaller foe that he did not dare to leave even to get his 
food, so I relieved him of his anxiety, and let the pair have the 
cage entirely to themselves. I placed the first egg by the side 
of the other in the nest. The female seemed very busy in her 
nest for a short time, occasionally leaving and returning. Some- 
times the pair were at home; the male generally kept guard, 
however, on a branch just outside, and would dart at any intruder 
with fury. On May 23rd, during the latter part of the day, the 
female kept closer to her nest, and in the evening deposited her 
third egg. On May 24th, as I entered the cage, the male bird 
flew into the box and barred the entrance by showing fight, and 
on removing him I found the female sitting hard on her three 
egos, and unwilling to move when I touched her. On May 25th 
the female was sitting close, and left the nest a few minutes only 
in the evening. On the morning of May 26th I looked into the 
nest, expecting to find the fourth egg, but was disappointed; the 
female still sat close. She came off the eggs for a short time in 
