154 
OWLS. 
liarity on being bung out during tbe night, in consequence of 
renewed visits from the supposed parent birds, who fed them 
with as much care and attention as if they had been with them 
without interruption. 
Another instance in point was witnessed by a Swedish 
gentleman who resided several years on a farm, near a 
steep mountain, on the summit of which two Eagle-Owls 
(Strix bubo) had built their nest. One day, in the month 
of July, a young bird, having quitted the nest, was caught 
by the servants. This bird was, considering the season of 
the year, well feathered; but the down appeared here and 
there between those feathers which had not yet attained their 
full growth. After it was caught it was shut in a large hen- 
coop, when, to his surprise, on the following morning, a line 
young Partridge was found lying dead before the door of the 
coop. It was immediately concluded that this provision had 
been brought there by the old Owls, which no doubt had 
been making search in the night-time for their lost young 
one. And such was, indeed, the fact ; for night after night, 
for fourteen days, was this same mark of attention repeated. 
The game which the old ones carried to it consisted chiefly of 
young Partridges, for the most part newly killed, but some- 
times a little spoiled. On one occasion a Moor-fowl was 
brought, so fresh, that it was actually warm under the wings; 
a putrid stinking lamb was at another time deposited. It 
was supposed that the spoiled flesh had already been some 
time in the nest of the old Owls, and that they brought it 
merely because they had no better provision at the time. The 
gentleman and his servant watched several nights, in order 
that they might observe, through a window, when and how 
this supply was brought ; but in vain — for it appeared that 
the Owls, which are very quick-sighted, had discovered the 
moment when the window was not watched, as food was found 
to be placed before the coop on those very nights. In the 
month of August, the attention on the part of the old birds 
ceased ; but it should be observed that this was the usual 
period when all birds of prey abandon their young to their 
