i r 4



Mr. Wesley T. Page,



most devoted bird couples. Now a Wood Owl comes nearly

every evening and calls to its forlorn mate, and I think it must

be the lost Owl, so have had the aviary temporarily divided by

wire netting, and the door left open, hoping to entice it in. They

were perfectly happy in their home, and were able to take long

flights and go high up into the yews, and all the Owls in the

neighbourhood came to visit them.


Frequently, in winter, the hootings have sounded all over

the garden, among them the Barn Owls’ screech and mew, and a

whistle which I have attributed to one of the Tittle Owls.


Owls have a keen sense of fun, like a dog and cat, and one

I had from its nest once used to play a sort of hide-and-seek

with us, running away (when its legs looked as if cased in thick

white stockings), looking round to see if we were coming, and

darting to hide behind a tree or in the box, and peeping out

warily.


I have alluded to my Owl as “It,” as I have no idea of the

sexes, for they are as alike as two peas, and their notes seem to

be the same.



BREEDING OF THE INDIAN WHITE-EYE.


Zosterops palpebrosa.


By Wesley T. Page, F.Z.S.


Having been told that an account of the breeding of the

Indian White-eye will be of interest to my fellow members I

have much pleasure in inditing the following details.


I had long desired to possess this species, and in February

of last year, our esteemed member Capt. Perreau wrote that

he was sending me four pairs of this species and some other rare

Indian softbills. After a period of eager anticipation, just before

Easter (1911), I had the satisfaction of realisation, sadly curtailed

alas ! for only two of the birds shipped for me landed alive, and

these were two Z. palpebrosa —the bulk of the consignment perish¬

ing in a severe blizzard which raged while they were passing

through the Bay of Biscay and to the mouth of the Thames.


From their travelling cage they went straight into the

outdoor aviary, and, although they had to endure frost on several



