202 STRIX PUSILLA. 



The note of this little Owl is a whistle^ — one long- 

 loud Svhe-e-e/ like blowing into a key^ then a number 

 of finer notes quickly repeated — 'Tiweet^ tiweet, tiweet, 

 tiweet' — not so loud, I have heard it till this spring. 

 One night early in March I slept at a wood-watcher's 

 cabin in the forest, and my host came into my room 

 about 5 a.m. J and told me to come out and hear it. 

 The bird was in a fir plantation about eight hundred or 

 one thousand yards from the house, and I distinguished 

 the note very plain. I stole up quietly and identified 

 the bird. I had often heard the sound before, and 

 always took it for Tengmalm's Owl; so to make quite 

 sure I shot it. It must have a large range in Scan- 

 dinavia, for as you know I shot a family of young 

 flyers at Quickiock, and I do not believe that this place 

 is its most southern range, although they have never 

 been found breeding in Scania, (nor for the matter of 

 that can I learn that any one has really got authentic 

 eggs,) and are very rare or only accidental in Denmark. 



They are very bold and voracious for their size, and 

 I have more than once seen them strike down a Tit- 

 mouse in the forest. Although we know nothing for 

 certain of its breeding habits, we may take it for granted 

 that it lays more than two eggs, as stated by Temminck; 

 for out of the family I saw at Quickiock, I obtained 

 four specimens, and I am not certain but that one 

 escaped." 



