Wood Owls.



271



fill in bringing off their young, with exception of the Parrakeet.

The Cockatoos are much too clumsy to cope with these birds

amongst the branches and the holes were too small to admit them

to follow up the attack. Latterly they gave up this game as

useless, and were content with sitting still and making use of

strong unparliamentary language.



WOOD OWLS.


Syrnium aluco.


By Katharine Cukrey.


In a little article entitled “Pet Owls’" in the January

number of the Avicultural Magazine, I mentioned the accidental

escape of one of my pair of Wood Owls from its aviary, and

although all the means we could think of were taken to entice it

back, it never re-entered the cage, or if it did, it flew out again.

A Wood Owl has visited the deserted mate constantly since then,

sitting in the yews overhanging the cage and calling, and I think

it is probably, the mate. A sequel to the little episode has

happened since then that may interest those who keep Owls.


It chanced that I left home some weeks after the Owl

escaped, and on the very day after my departure, a Wood Owl

made its v?a.y into the aviary by burrowing under the wire on the

ground. Of course, it was assumed to be the lost pet and the

good news was sent to me forthwith.


But on my return I found it was not the lost mate, but a

stranger, and very young and wild. I watched it for a few days,

but as the deserted Owl took no notice beyond snapping at it

with a very bored expression, I let it fly. My poor Owl, mean¬

time, looked so dull and forlorn that I began to wonder if it

would like a companion, and whether the presence of another

Owl in its cage might have the effect of bringing the old mate

back into the aviary.


About that time I chanced to hear of three Wood Owls

wanting a good home. Two were hand-reared, and thought to

be a pair, though the owner was not sure about it, or of the sex

of an\’ of the three, while I was equally in the dark as to the sex



