SNOWY OWL. 
309 
therefore, the gardener fed it by literally forcing 
the meat down its throat. The food was bullock’s 
liver, or any kind of butcher s-meat, and occasion- 
ally a pigeon or rabbit cut in small pieces. 
“ During the summer and autumn of 1835 it 
moulted, and the new plumage was a good deal 
lighter, or less speckled and barred than formerly. 
From this change of colour, and from recollection 
of the relative size and appearance of the sexes in 
museums, I concluded that the bird was a male. 
Mr Audubon, the celebrated American ornitholo- 
gist, happening to visit Canonmills in the course 
of the season, saw the bird, and, from his intimate 
knowledge of the same species in North America, 
at once confirmed our conjecture as to its being an 
immature male. 
“ I must confess that we did not succeed in 
taming the owl to the extent which we at first 
expected. He always remained rather shy and 
suspicious. What was remarkable, he would 
allow a live mouse or sparrow to he placed in the 
cage beside him without touching the tempting 
prey, at least in our presence. He evidently 
recognized Mr Lawson and myself, and was little 
moved at our appearance ; hut on the approach of 
a stranger, he opened his mouth, and hissed, or 
fuffed Hke a cat, keeping his mouth open as long 
as the intruder remained near. If much alarmed, 
or suddenly surprised, he produced a snapping 
