Tawny Owl 
in Captivity. 
( 38 ) 
THE BIRD WORLD. 
Treatment of Tresh Captures. 
With the aviary in readiness, the birds 
themselves are the next consideration. 
Procure them as young as possible, put 
them into a small basket, and make 
them cosy with plenty of straw or hay— 
of course, strict cleanliness must be 
observed. Feed them at fairly frequent 
intervals with small pieces of fresh, raw 
meat. I used to feed mine on shin beef, 
but as this may be considered rather ex¬ 
pensive, any fresh butcher’s scraps will 
do, and if you care to dissect a mouse 
or small bird for them, well and good. 
When they grow older they will, of 
course, be equal to performing this 
pleasant job for themselves, and then the 
floor of their apartment will be found 
littered with pellets of indigestible- 
matter, such as skin, fur, and feathers, 
that they have cast up. No other food 
r;> required, and the number of meals 
may be gradually lessened, and a large 
quantity given at each meal. 
At three or four weeks old the white 
down of early babyhood turns brown; a 
little later the birds begin to moult, and 
very soon are ready to be removed to the 
aviary. 
After Management. 
When fully grown, they only need to 
be regularly fed twice a day, morning 
and evening, with raw meat; the best 
plan being to give them this piecemeal, 
letting them have as much as they can 
eat. In addition, as often as possible, 
a small dead bird or mammal should b t 
given whole, the object being, not so 
much for the sake of extra food as foi 
providing healthy occupation f or the 
birds. Failing either of these, let them 
have a raw bone to amuse them, fo? 
occupation is a prime factor in keeping 
live stock of any sort in good condition. 
Water they do not appear to have anv 
need of; at any rate, I could never get 
mine to touch it. When rats or mice 
happen to infest a place, an Owl is a 
really useful investment. Our stable 
was overrun with these pests, and the 
Owls had a glorious time with them 
during the night, until the rats grew 
more wary and religiously left their part 
of the stable alone; but all the same 
every now and then one fell a victim to 
the watchful birds. 
Their Charm of Voice. 
Some people may not like to hear the 
hooting of the Owls at night-time, and 
think it has an eerie sound, but I think 
this is foolish prejudice. I, for my part, 
like to listen to their curious cries, and 
through long, wakeful nights I have 
often lain listening with a real sense of 
pleasure to quite a chorus emanating 
from my own and some wild Owls which, 
doubtless, attracted by the captives, 
used to frequent the grounds during the 
night in large numbers, to judge by the 
sound they made. With regard to 
Tawny Owls breeding in captivity, I 
have had no experience of this, but T 
see no reason why they should not breed 
—indeed, I have heard of cases where 
they have done so, and successfully 
reared young. 
•iST 
The Evening Hour. 
The dew is softly falling 
Like gentle summer rain, 
The Ringdoves still are calling 
Their mournful, sad refrain; 
The Rooks are homeward flying 
From feeding grounds afar, 
The day is slowly dying, 
There shines the evening star. 
A single Thrush is singing 
Among the orchard trees, 
His silver flute-notes ringing 
Upon the evening breeze; 
Oh, voice of mellow gladness! 
Oh, sweetness past compare f 
Thou reckest not of sadness, 
Thy joy I fain would share. 
Oh ! glorious is the daytime 
With bright and sunny skies, 
And merry is the playtime 
Of birds and butterflies; 
But peaceful is the twilight, 
And sweet the sunset hour 
That harbingers the grey night, 
And folds the drowsy flower. 
Ida Norman.- 
