52



The Marquess of Tavistock — My Pigmy Old



appears to correspond to the low, harsh noise a Little Owl makes

when hungry or desiring to attract the attention of his friends.


Since being away on a holiday I have had more time to devote to

Owlikins, and he is getting steadily tamer. He likes me best, but is

less desperately shy of strangers than the Little Owls I have kept. He

shows remarkably little fear of my small son, aged 3, in spite of

his noisy ways, apparently considering that he is both young and

harmless ! Owlikins is let out in the room every evening ; he is not

very active, spending most of his time on two different chairs, and not

exploring every corner, after the inquisitive habit of a Little Owl.

He is, however, much less troublesome to recapture than other half-

tame owls I have had, and does not dash into inaccessible corners,

a little coaxing and gentle driving being all that is required to induce

him to return to his cage. If approached when out in the room by

someone he is rather afraid of he seldonis flies away, but tightens up

all his feathers and remains motionless until the danger is past. He is

also not at all ready to fly off when I go near him while he has food in

his claws ; if he were a trained hawk he would be commendably free

from the vice of carrying.


Mealworms are his favourite food,andhe requiresagood manyto keep

him in health. He catches them in his claws with great quickness, but

the subsequent transfer to his mouth is a matter of difficulty. He

prefers mice to small birds, and will eat small earthworms readily,

but does not care about big ones.


The other night for the first- time I saw him attempt to play, Little Owl

fashion, by pouncing on the chair cover and worrying it, but his missing

upper mandible will, I fear, prevent him from getting much fun in

this way. He appears to be moulting at present, for although I have

seen few dropped feathers in his cage, he has a lot of quills showing.


I rather fear that Owlikins may not live to a great age, but I hope to

keep him in health and happiness for a time, at any rate, in spite of

his infirmity. Had it not been for his unlucky accident I feel sure he

would have turned out an ideal pet, and even as he is he is a dear little

chap, sitting by me as I write, a tiny ball of fluffy feathers surmounted

by a bright, serious, little round face.



