on the Nesting of Jardine’s Pigmy Oivl.



245



health and the best of appetites. Their size is about that of the

Sparrow Owl, but they are taller and slimmer and less “round

about.” Their colouring is brighter, rufous-brown on the back and

white streaked with chestnut in front. The sexes are alike. They

twitch their tails from side to side when excited and are extremely

quick and active in their movements.


My pair is remarkably silent; in fact, I have never heard

them utter any sound whatever. They are not particular as to diet

and eat sparrows, kittens, young rabbits, and mice, indiscriminately,

though they certainly prefer the last named.


About the middle of March I hung up a nesting-box for them

and furnished it with a layer of rotten wood; they soon took to it

and spent much time going in and out of it. By the 12th of April

the hen retired to a corner of the box and settled down to incubate

her clutch of three eggs. They are of the usual type, round and

white, rather large for the size of the bird. She sat very closely

and her mate guarded her with great devotion, flying fiercely at

intruders and doing all he could to drive them away.


On May 8th the first egg shells were thrown out and a young

bird could be heard twittering. Both parents remained in the nest-

box, the cock only leaving to fetch up provisions. Another nestling

appeared on the 9th and the third on the 11th.


They are tiny creatures, covered with snowy white down, and

unlike their parents are very vociferous. The first few days of their

existence they are continually brooded by their mother, but after¬

wards can plainly be seen squatting beside her in the box. How

they manage to retain their whiteness is a puzzle, for all food is

carried up by the cock and lies about on the floor until consumed.

Mice and kittens are accepted as suitable food for the babies, but I

am rather surprised to find that small chickens and even a young

Thrush, which a Rook had killed and which I thought would be just

the thing, are consistently refused. Sparrows are readily accepted.


The Owlets grow rapidly and are active; they appear to be

thriving and I hope presently to report that they have been success¬

fully reared .*



* [Miss Chawner is to be congratulated. This is undoubtedly the first time that

Jardine’s Glaucidium has been bred in England.—ED.



