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1 heard them several miles down the river. A few days later I heard one ‘ laugh ’ while passing on 
the wing close over my Owl-house, possibly attracted thither by the call-note of my captives. They 
appear to fly very high, and to laugh every few minutes, particularly on dark and drizzly nights. 
“ On the evening of August 23rd, when I went as usual to attend to my captives, I noticed that 
one of them did not come out to be fed, and on looking into their dark recess I found the female sitting 
on an egg. On the next evening when I dropped the food into the cage the larger bird was alone ; 
and picking up a piece of the meat, he walked into the dark recess with it, uttering all the while a 
low, hoarse, croaking sound. I gently looked in and saw that as he approached the sitting female 
she rose from the nest with a very peevish twitter, and taking the meat from his bill dropped it at 
her side. This operation was repeated over and over again, till all the pieces of meat were strewed 
around the nest. On the 27th I found a second egg in the nest, scarcely equal in dimensions to 
the first one laid, and more oblong in form *. I particularly observed that during the breeding- 
time both birds were habitually silent, scarcely ever uttering a sound of any kind, except when the 
male was feeding his mate in the manner described. This touch of nature was very pleasant to 
witness, and the gentleness and caution he displayed at this time were remarkable. At the slightest 
noise the female would utter her peevish scream, and would sometimes rise from the eggs. W hen 
all was quiet again, she would settle down, and the male bird would then retire to the outer house, 
and would remain there, apparently keeping watch over his mate.” 
On the 22nd September Mr. Smith found a nest containing one egg in a deep natural fissure 
near Kocky Peninsula. The parent bird was in the nest, and he left it in the hope of getting a chick, 
as the Owl was incubating. He continued, at frequent intervals, to visit the nest till the 17tli of the 
following month, when, for some unaccountable reason, the bird had abandoned it. 
A fine male bird received from him lived for a considerable time in my aviary, and afforded me 
much interest. During the spring months it was accustomed to make a peculiar barking noise all 
through the night, just like the yelping of a young dog. At times the cry changed, resembling that 
of a Turkey calling in the peculiar key that denotes it is about to roost. It was a melancholy cry, 
and is perhaps aptly described as that of a “ disconsolate Owl seeking a mate. But it ceased 
altogether at the end of December. 
Subsequently two more examples (male and female) were received from Mr. Smith, and were 
placed in the aviary with the previous occupant, who manifested his pleasure, but not in a very 
demonstrative way, at seeing old faces once more. 
They seemed in perfect health, and partook readily of all the food offered to them. 1 contem- 
plated, with some degree of certainty, being able to forward them to the Zoological Society of London, 
but my hopes were destroyed. Through an unfortunate accident to the temporary cage in which 
these birds were being removed to my new residence on Wellington Terrace, they both escaped one 
* The following further observations on this case are from Mr. Smith’s diary : — 
“ Sept. 28. Bird sitting closely on the eggs. To-night I found the female in the outer house, and the male in the recess, 
standing over the eggs. I retired for an hour, and on my return I found, to my surprise, that the male was sitting on the nest. 
29th. To-night I found in the nest a third egg, which I removed. Again the male bird relieved the female in the task of 
sitting. 30th. The female resumed her duty on the nest, and the male bird carried every piece of meat into the dark recess, 
his mate responding with a weak call, and, taking the meat from him, dropped it again on the stones close to the nest, but did not 
leave the eggs. Oct. 7. To-night both birds were in the outhouse, and on looking into the recess I found the two eggs forsaken 
and perfectly cold. I attribute this to the intense inclemency of the weather on the previous night. Oct. 8. I confined the 
female to the dark recess in the hope of inducing her to sit, but to no purpose. Oct. 9. Eggs still cold, and I accordingly 
removed them. Oct. 20. On feeding the birds to-night I observed the male acting precisely as he did a month ago, and on 
opening the lid of the recess I found that the female had laid another egg. Oct. 21. Female sitting closely, and male carried 
every morsel of food to her. Oct. 22. Examined nest, and to my delight found a second egg. Oct. 23. Owl still sitting on eggs, 
but becoming exceedingly timid. Oct. 28. Nest abandoned, and on removing the chilled eggs, found that they contained well- 
developed embryos.” 
