OF NEW ENGLAND. 337 
“Tn a short timeit would take food from me without fear; 
I never saw it drink, although water was kept constantly near 
it. Its food consisted of mice, birds, and butchers’ meat, on 
which it fed readily. I kept the bird caged for about two 
weeks, during which time it became quite tame, but would not 
tolerate handling, always threatening me with its beak when 
my hands approached it. As the wires of its cage broke its 
feathers when moving about, and as it hardly seemed resigned 
to confinement, I opened its cage and gave it the freedom of 
the room, leaving the windows open night and day. About 
this time I gave it the name of ‘Scops,’ to which in a little 
while it would answer, when called, with a low rattle, which 
sounded like the distant note of the kingfisher. 
* * * * ® * * 
‘“When a bird is given it for food, it takes it in its claws, 
and with its beak invariably pulls out the wing and tail feath- 
ers first, then eats the head, then devours the intestines; then, 
if not satisfied, it eats the remainder of the bird, feathers and 
all. 
“That this owl sees tolerably well in the daytime I have proved 
to my satisfaction. I caaght a mouse and put it alive into an 
open box about two feet square. This I placed upon a bench 
near Scops, who was attentively watching my movements; the 
moment it saw the mouse, the owl opened its eyes wide, bent 
forward, moved its head from side to side, then came down 
with an unerring aim, burying its talons deep in the head and 
back of the mouse. Looking up into my face, and ultering its 
rattling note, as if inquiring, ‘Isn’t that well done? it flew 
up to its perch with its struggling prey grasped firmly in its 
talons, where it killed the mouse by biting it in the head and 
back. During the whole act it displayed considerable energy 
and excitement. 
* * * * * * * 
“Scops will, in taking birds from my hand, almost always 
look up in my face and utter its subdued rattle. In sleeping, 
it usually stands on one foot, both eyes shut, but sometimes 
stretches out at full length, resting on its breast. When sound 
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