3650 Birds. 



woods, away from any path or ride ; however, there was the young 

 bird, precisely in the spot where I had left it. It had grown as big 

 again as when I first saw it ; and on moving it to a short distance, it 

 walked back, with rather a waddling motion, to the spot on which it 

 was first hatched : it was not old enough to be in any way shy at my 

 approach. On examining the place, I found numerous parts of the 

 wing-cases of beetles, remains of moths, &c, with which the young 

 one had been fed.* 



As I did not think the bird sufficiently fledged to be taken now, I de- 

 termined to leave it another week, and risk ever seeing it again. With 

 the hope of again seeing the parent bird, I lay down, concealed in the 

 wood as much as possible, but within sight of the young one, for the 

 express purpose of seeing if the parents would visit it ; but they never 

 came while I was present, and although I beat about the spot in all 

 directions, I saw no appearance of them. 



Seven days had elapsed when again I returned to my young charge. 

 I had no sooner placed myself within sight, than up it flew like a shot, 

 wheeled round for a short distance, and made an awkward attempt to 

 perch upon some shrubs. T was pretty quickly after it, and secured it 

 just as it was about to renew its flight. It had grown surprisingly in 

 the week, and was well feathered ; but I was much mortified to find 

 that its feet had grown in contrary directions, which accounted for its 

 awkward and no doubt first attempt to perch. When I trod on and 

 killed its fellow nestling, I had most likely injured the foot of the liv- 

 ing bird, which injury had caused the deformity. This young fern- 

 owl I took home, and fed it with chopped hard-boiled egg, scraped 

 raw beef, and scalded bread, mixed together. I left the bird in the 

 care of another person while I was absent, but it died in a few days, 

 from neglect, as I supposed, for the fern-owl is not a difficult bird to 

 rear. I never saw the old birds from the time of my first discovery of 

 the young ones, and then only the female. 



Song of the Fern-owl. — The first time that I heard the song of the 

 fern-owl in perfection, was one fine, warm, summer's night. In the 

 afternoon of the 25th of June, 1828, T had at my ease walked away 



* Query. — Do the old fern-owls feed their young in the day-time, or only in the 

 night and early morning ? The young birds of this species that I have kept in con- 

 finement have done very well without food for above six hours in the day, for I used 

 to feed them more frequently in the evening, and early morning, when they become 

 much more animated. It is probable that the old birds might take any beetle or other 

 insects in the close vicinity of their young ones, for I never observed them on the wing 

 in search of food in the day-time. 



