THE TAWNY OWL. 
177 
the nest hermetically sealed in the bole of the tree. 
A thousand people might gaze on this tree, in pass- 
ing by, and still not see a blemish. I myself can 
just perceive it, by means of a few concentrated 
lines still visible on the bark ; but, had not the dis- 
covery of the nest drawn my attention to the place, 
I should never haye perceived that the eastern part 
of the tree had formerly received an injury. Mr. 
Ord was enraptured at the exposition of the orni- 
thological treasure ; and noted down in his pocket- 
book every thing worthy of record. The tree still 
stands ; and long may it stand, to gratify the curi- 
osity of naturalists. Last year, a pair of barn owls 
reared their young in it ; and, just now, there are 
eggs in the same place. I made another excavation, 
in an ash tree about two hundred yards from this ; 
and, last summer, it gave me an increase of three 
tawny owls. Throughout the winter, I could, at 
any time, find them reposing in some neighbouring 
fir trees. 
The tawny owl generally lays four snow-white 
eggs in the same hole which it had chosen for its 
winter quarters. 1 am satisfied in my own mind, 
that no owl in the world ever gathers materials to 
; form the lining of its nest. Indeed, there is no ne- 
cessity whatever for it to take that trouble ; nature 
makes a sufficient provision for the lining of the hole 
to which the owl resorts, long before the breeding- 
' time sets in. Every species of this bird ejects from 
; the stomach all the indigestible parts of their food, 
in the shape of a dark-coloured oblong bolus ; which, 
when dried, is soon reduced to fragments by the 
