TWO BROWN OWLS 75 



In another illustration is shown the young Tawny which we discovered in a 

 magpie's nest whilst searching for the Buzzard. He had reached the stage when 

 to remain at home in face of possible danger was irksome to him, for he elected 

 to try his luck on the branches outside^he was, however, as yet unable to fly. 



But, when they are available, the Tawny Owl would seem to prefer hollow 

 trees in which to nest, and in such situations he is certainly safer from the gun. 

 It is possible to blow a sitting bird to pieces when her nest is constructed of 

 twigs and small branches, but one cannot shoot through a beech-tree, even 

 if it should chance to be hollow. 



That the Tawny Owl would seem to be gifted with a certain homing instinct 

 is demonstrated by the following incident which occurred during my school- 

 days. I had an exceedingly tame Tawny, which, although it had complete 

 liberty, would always come down on to the lawn in the evenings for its food. 



Many a time — when darkness had set in — would I suddenly be reminded 

 of the fact, by the incessant shriekings that went on outside, that I had not 

 fed the Owl. And the moment that I went out on to the lawn the Owl would 

 come down from some tree and dance round me with half-open wings, in its 

 excitement at the prospect of food. 



I remember once being presented with seven mice, which I gave to the 

 Owl one after another. She swallowed them all, though the tail of the last 

 hung from her beak in a despondent manner for some minutes after the body 

 had disappeared ! 



However, food was not always easily produced, and I at last gave the Owl 

 to a friend living some two or three miles away, who much admired it. He 

 shut it in an aviary, and fed it carefully for some days, but, as might be sup- 

 posed, the novelty of the thing wore off ; and I think he was rather pleased 

 when one day his father offered him 5s. to let the Owl go. My friend agreed 

 to the proposal, and fulfilled his part of the bargain — the Owl, when released, 

 sailing majestically away over the trees. The next evening, however, it was 

 back in its tree by my lawn, shrieking for food as energetically as ever ! 



Of the two Brown Owls that form the subject of this chapter, the lesser 

 is, by comparison, much the stronger, and more courageous. When it is con- 

 sidered that it habitually tackles and kills such birds as missel thrushes, which 

 are probably as heavy as itself, it may safely be said that it is able to do what 

 none other of our owls can do. 



StiU, even a Little Owl is not strong enough to hold a full-grown partridge, 

 and, for the reasons already set forth, it is extremely doubtful whether he would 

 ever succeed in catching a young one. And it is highly improbable that a 

 Tawny Owl would attempt to secure either. 



