NOTES ON THE NESTING OF THE TAWNY OWL. 295 
removed to some distance. I have never found any traces of 
food pellets or excrement near the nesting quarters. 
17th.—7 a.m.: No traces of food in nest. 
20th.—7 p.m.: The first time I have visited the nest and 
found the female absent from her young. A pellet placed in 
nest on previous visit has been removed. A freshly ejected 
pellet, containing a few small bones and fur, also legs and 
elytra of dung beetle and cockchafer. 8.50 p.m.: no addi- 
tional pellets in nest. Although still quite light, I was attacked 
by.one of the old birds and struck on my back, a second swoop 
being warded off. I watched nest at a distance until 9.20 p.m. ; 
one of the old birds had called frequently from a pear-tree 
during the earlier part of my observation, and after remaining 
for some time I concluded the old bird had flown away so I 
approached the nest again for further investigation. I was 
under the impression I was keeping a sharp look-out, when, 
without any warning, I felt a terrific blow on the side of my face, 
and I was partly dazed for the moment. The Owl had torn my 
ear and side of my face with her talons, and my hearing was 
affected for a day or so as the result of the blow. From the 
vicious swoop made I came to the conclusion that it was the 
female that had now attacked me, and I made a note at the 
time, wondering how the bird escaped injuring herself by the 
contact. The impetus with which the swoop is made is sufficient 
to knock the life out of a rat or similar prey. 
21st.—6 p.m.: No pellets or food in nest. One of the old 
birds roosting in plantation within thirty yards of nest. 
The male bird appears to roost throughout the nesting period 
in close proximity to the young, the female remaining with the 
young throughout the day, and probably practically the whole of 
the night as well, until the young are some three weeks old, and 
then seldom leaving the nest unguarded until the young are on 
the wing, thus leaving the male bird free to provide food both 
for female and its young. 
23rd.—7 a.m.: Rained all night. One young one has fallen 
from the nesting-hole and found at foot of tree and replaced. 
The young are now old enough to clamber upwards to the 
entrance. No food remains in nest. 
24th.—6.45 a.m.: The above young one dead in nest and 
