44 
STRIGIDiE. 
])lace and commence flapping and tumbling all about the 
cottage, upsetting everything which could by any possibility 
be upset, and tearing into rags anything in the form of clothing 
which had been incautiously left in the way. The cottage was 
under the same roof with the cow-house and barn, as is too 
generally the case in these islands, and after the Owl had 
ranged through these for a few nights, no mice were to be either 
seen or heard, although the place was swarming with them pre- 
viously. Towards morning the bird gradually became quiet, 
and resumed its state of comparative inactivity until the 
following evening. It was fed upon rabbits and birds, but 
never seemed to require drink. Ducks and fowls were never 
safe when the door was open. Sometimes a living hooded 
crow was thrown down to it, and then a fierce encounter was 
sure to follow, but it was seldom of long duration, — sooner or 
later the head of the crow would be lying in one place, and the 
body in another. Once the Owl tried to kill a pig about a 
month old, but was detected in time ; and upon another occa- 
sion it had the audacity to j)Ounce upon a full-grown cat. It 
immediately attempted to bite off the head, and probably would 
have succeeded if the owner had not come to the rescue, for 
the cat was almost powerless in its grasp. The Owl often 
escaped, and was as often recaptured, until at last Nicolson, 
having become tired of stumbling over the rough ground in 
pursuit, resolved next time to leave it to its fate, and accord- 
ingly when it again escaped no exertions were made to recover 
it. It remained in tlie hills for upwards of two months, at 
the end of which time it was caught upon a low wall near the 
cottage, and was once more brought home. But there was no 
occasion to keep the door closed. The bird having probably 
become aware of the inconvenience of being compelled to pro- 
vide its own meals, never again attempted to escape, nor could 
it be induced by any means to leave the premises. Few pets 
die a natural deatli, and this unfortunate bird proved no excep- 
tion to the rule ; for one night it got into tlie fire, and, before it 
could e.xtricate itself, sustained such severe injury that it died 
