BAWKEE. 



23 



The weight of this species is about eleven ounces ; length between 

 thirteen and fourteen inches. The bill is light coloured ; irides dusky. 

 The feathers round the eyes yellowish ; the circle round the face white ; 

 the upper parts of the body, coverts, and secondary quills, pale dull 

 yellow, with two white and two grey spots placed alternately on each 

 side the shafts ; prime quills dull yellow on the outer webs, the inner 

 white, marked on each side with four black spots ; the whole under side 

 white ; the interior webs of the tail-feathers are white, the exterior 

 marked with obscure dusky bars ; legs covered with white down ; the 

 toes only with short hairs ; middle claw serrated. 



This elegant bird mostly frequents the habitations of man; is rarely 

 found in woods, but resorts chiefly to barns for the sake of mice, for 

 which reason it is a welcome guest to the farmer. Like the rest of the 

 genus, it chiefly lies concealed in the day, but will sometimes, when 

 pressed by hunger, prey by daylight, especially in winter, or when it 

 has young. It breeds in old decayed trees in the neighbourhood of 

 farm-houses or villages, and oftentimes in barns ; makes very little 

 nest ; lays three or four white eggs, not so round or so large as that 

 of the tawny owl. 



Their food is chiefly mice, which they swallow whole, and, like 

 other predacious birds, eject the bones and fur in large pellets, which 

 are termed castings. Some bushels of this ejected matter are found in 

 the hollows of old trees. This species is never known to hoot, but 

 its notes are screaming and harsh ; besides which it makes a snoring 

 and hissing noise. * Sir W. Jardine asserts in a note to the late edition 

 of White's Selborne, that the White Owl does hoot, that he has shot 

 them in the act, and that at night, when not alarmed, hooting is their 

 general cry.* When alarmed it snaps its bill together with great 

 force. 



It becomes exceedingly tame when taken young. We bred up one 

 together with a sparrow hawk and a ring dove, who were confined 

 together, and lived in great harmony, but the latter was the most 

 quarrelsome, and was master of the triumvirate. After living together 

 for six months, they were given their liberty, and the owl was the 

 only one that returned. * Cats are known to kill but never to eat the 

 shrew, which has been supposed to possess some poisonous quality. 

 We have, however, taken from the stomach of one of these birds no 

 fewer than five shrews.* 



BASS COCK.— A name for the Plover. 



BASTARD PLOVER.— A name for the Lapwing. 



BAWKEE.— A name for the Razor Bill. 



