158 
Mv Little Owls. 
the first occasion on which 1 had done so in Peeps' presence 
Noticing after a few minutes that my companion was unusu- 
ally quiet, I looked up to s(>e him sitting motionless in front 
of me, gazing at my face with an expression of utter as- 
tonishment; it took him quite a long time to recover from the 
shock caused by his master's unusual appearance! 
Peeps was always careful to hide in the corners of his 
cage any part of his meal that he was unable to finish on 
the spot. While he was thus occupied lie strongly objecied to 
being watched and would cast angry glances at me over his 
shoulder and snap his beak if he thought I was taking any 
interest in his proceedings. If I attempted to touch his trea- 
sures, he flew at me in a fury, swearing angrily and giving 
my fingers unpleasantly sharp nips, though even when he 
tried his hardest his beak was not quite strong enough to break 
the skin. Very often he made his caches in some part of the 
room, generally under the bed, where naturally they were not 
allowed to remain. He never forgot the place, and, on being 
let out several hours later, would go straight to it and exhibit 
the most comical distress and annoyance at finding it empty. 
He would look all round him in a puzzled way and then take 
a few steps backward like a peison who has dropped some- 
thing and is afraid he has walked over it. Even after starting 
to move away in despair, he would often run back for one more 
look, his expression saying moi-e i>lainl3- than words " I Icnoiv 
I left it here; surely I must have overlooked it somehow." 
Peeps loved having the top of his head stroked and 
scratched, and would close his eyes with an expression of bliss- 
ful content as long as these ministrations coiitinued; but any 
attempt to touch his breast or wings caused him great dis- 
pleasure, and he was apt to show it in .no uncertain way. 
Peeps' bites were, I am afraid, sometimes bestowed on very 
trifling provocation and indeed on occasions when the annoy- 
ance ought to have been Avholly on my side. But I found! 
that even the gentlest correction did more harm than good, 
for he was a fiery little person who would never confess 
himself beaten and if I had persisted in my efl'orts at disci- 
pline I should only have made him really vicious and lost his 
confidence. So I submitted meekly when I was scratched and 
and bitten for removing the half-eaten Sparrow from under 
