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British Cage Birds. 



its cover to allay the pangs of hunger is instantly seized, and, 

 by a rapid movenient, its neck is dislocated or its back broken, 

 and the assailant, uttering a cry of triumph — Kiau, kiau, 

 kiau " — flies off to some quiet place, or to a tree, and there 

 devours its prey. This bird has a peculiar method of disposing 

 of a mouse ; it seizes the animal across the back, gives it a few 

 savage bites to destroy life, then throws it up in the air, and, 

 catching it head foremost, gives it a sudden jerk, when it disap- 

 pears to about half its length ; the body and throat of the 

 bird then begins to work as if suffocating, and lastly, with a 

 final effort, the mouse disappears ; the hair and skin are 

 ultimately disgorged in small hard pellets. 



On bright moonlight nights the White Owl may be seen 

 gliding around a farmstead, or corn ricks, in quest of its 

 favourite food. It only kills small birds when mice are 

 scarce, and difficult to procure ; but these it devours similar 

 to a Sparrow Hawk, tearing them to bits, and swallowing 

 them piecemeal. It may likewise, on moonlight evenings, 

 be observed skimming close to the surface of a stream or 

 river, hunting for small fishes, which it seizes very dexterously 

 in its claws, and carries off to a suitable place to devour. 



The White Owl builds no nest, but deposits its eggs in the 

 hole of a wall, among crumbling and decayed ruins ; in the 

 steeple or belfry of a church, or in the hollow of some old, 

 decayed tree. The eggs are usually from two to four in number, 

 with rough, chalky-looking shells ; it is a prolific bird, and 

 the hen generally commences a second brood before the first 

 are able to leave the nest, in which case the male parent 

 takes charge of them, and attentively supplies their wants 

 until they are fully capable of procuring food for themselves. 



Methods of Capture. — The White Owl may be captured by 

 closing the holes in a barn or other building which it is known 

 to frequent, or by placing a net over the hole of a tree which 

 it is accustomed to haunt for the purpose of repose. It is a 

 difficult bird to capture, for when assailed it throws itself 

 on its back, and vigorously defends itself with beak and claws ; 

 the most successful plan is to throw over the bird a hand 

 net, such as is used by fly-fishers, and, when it commences to 

 struggle, to roll it over until its feet become entangled in the 

 meshes of fte net ; then cover over with a sack, carry off, 

 place the bird in a room or loft, uncover, and leave it to free 



