58 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [Vot. III. 



last long in a draught, (2) kindness and attention ; they should not be 

 frightened or caught, and if a little cautiousness is exercised your birds 

 will soon know you and will not be at all alarmed when you are near. 



Bubo virginianus, Great Horned Oivl. — This specimen came into 

 my possession in infancy and although handled frequently gradually be- 

 came of uncertain temper and objected to such intimacy. However he 

 still shows some affection for his owner, and when hungry screeches if I 

 appear within sight, uritil satisfied. He has a very peculiar appetite, 

 sometimes being content with fresh meat, or living birds and mice, and 

 sometimes he will leave the meat in a corner of the cage until in a putrid 

 condition and then eat heartily of it. When he was about four months 

 old he would take seven birds as big as sparrows at one meal. He will 

 eat almost anything from a piece of fresh beef to a handful of cotton bat- 

 ting ; if a mouse or small bird be given him he seizes it by the head, 

 crushes the skull, and with two or three jerks it is swallowed, feathers, fur 

 and all; after digestion he throws up the feathers or fur with the bones 

 and hard portions rolled up into a ball. Birds the size of a Sapsucker 

 are swallowed whole, but large birds or animals are torn to pieces with 

 the beak and claws. He will take a bath about twice a week in warm 

 weather but not at all in winter; from November till about May, he 

 hoots nearly all night and part of the day, but the remainder of the year 

 only makes a sharp screech. He shows great aversion to a dog, cat or 

 rabbit and whenever any of them come near the cage he lowers his head, 

 throws back his horns, curves his wings, and spreading his tail will raise 

 all his feathers to their full extent and walk about snapping his beak and 

 hissing most ferociously ; should the animal come near the cage he will 

 bound against the bars at it and, as a rule, the intruder, taken by surprise, 

 will depart hastily. When a snake is brought near him the tables are 

 turned, he will then fly to the farthest corner of the cage and remain as 

 quiet as possible, watching it until it disappears. If I am working near 

 his cage at night he will amuse himself by throwing sticks and pieces of 

 rag about and pouncing on them suddenly. 



Colaptes auratus. — Flicker or Highholder. These birds being 

 naturally of a shy disposition are very difficult to keep in a cage, as they 

 dash themselves against the bars until exhausted. In confinement they 

 will feed on corn or meat, but seem to get no nourishment from any- 

 thing, and soon pine and die, if not liberated. 



Otocoris alpestris praticola — The Shorelark is a timid little 

 creature, and although it takes readily to a cage and feeds well, it is 

 constantly alert as if expecting to be taken by surprise, and at the 

 slightest alarm it rushes to a corner, and conceals itself from view. It 



