Mar., 1914 
HISTORY OF A FAIR OF FACIFIC HORNED OWLS 
53 
over twenty-eight clays for this bird, as the nest, when found exactly four weeks 
previously, had a complete set of eggs in it. I left the nest at once upon finding 
out what was in it, as I was afraid the owlets would chill, it being a wet and 
cloudy day. The little owl just out of the shell kept up a lusty cheeping, and 
when I withdrew a short distance, the old owl returned to the nest without delay. 
On the 5th of March I again visited the nest and found both owlets out 
of the shell, and both set up a vigorous cheeping upon the old bird’s leaving. 1 
wished to secure another negative of the old bird upon the nest, so set up my 
camera and sat down to wait. The only thing that marred the stillness of the af- 
ternoon was the incessant cheeping of the owlets. I had been sitting with my 
back toward the nest, looking off down into the valley, when all of a sudden the 
cheeping of the owlets ceased, and upon looking around I found that the old 
bird had returned so noiselessly that I had not heard her, although I had been 
intently listening. She proved too wary for further exposures, but after leaving 
Fig. 24. Pacific Horned Owls five weeks old 
the nest would always return, floating doivn from tlie steep hillside above like a 
small boy’s kite, both wings extended, a.nd would light on the nest-ledge as noise- 
lessly as a bit of thistle down. The way she could travel through the air so 
noiselessly was absolutely uncanny. Upon settling on her young she made a 
short hissing noise, not unlike that of a goose but more subdued, and the young- 
sters would immediately cease their complaint. Three or four times she did this 
and I at first thought it was directed at me, but finally concluded that it was 
directed at the youngsters, as they then alw'ays became quiet. 
As the owlets grew older the parent birds became wilder, never again al- 
lowing the intimacy shown during the hatching period. The young owls de- 
veloped rather slowly until they were three weeks old, but from then on made a 
marvelous growth. Photographs of the young birds at their different ages give 
a better idea of the growth than mere words. Seven weeks from the time of 
hatching the two young owls left their nest for good, taking up their abode in 
