AN OWL ROBBING NESTS. 91 



flat. He heard two hooting to each other, the one in 

 A flat, the other in B flat. 



It did not appear, however, whether the sounds pro- 

 ceeded from different species of brown owls, or from 

 different individuals of the same species. 



Another question in the life-history of the owl is 



raised by the following passage from Macbeth (Act iv. 



Sc. 2) :— 



" For the poor wren, 



The most diminutive of birds, will fight, 



Her young ones in her nest, against the owl." 



This defence of their young by birds has often been 

 noticed by Shakespeare : — 



" Unreasonable creatures feed their young ; 

 And though man's face be fearful to their eyes, 

 Yet, in protection of their tender ones, 

 Who hath not seen them (even with those wings 

 Which sometimes they have us'd with fearful flight) 

 Make war with him that climb'd unto their nest, 

 Off 'ring their own lives in their young's defence ? " 



Hairy VI. Part III. Act ii. Sc. 2. 



We are not aware, however, that an owl has ever been 

 caught in the act of robbing a nest, and, indeed, it would not 

 be easy to detect him, from the fact of his preying by night. 

 Nevertheless, there is presumptive evidence to support 

 the charge. A writer in The Field, of 29th June, 1867, 



